Exterior Wall Insulation - Save Money or Blow It Away?

No one will dispute that exterior wall insulation is necessary for energy conservation and comfort within a home. It however, is part of a system, your house and while one type of exterior wall insulation may be perfect in new construction, it may require special considerations when applied to an older home.

Exterior finish systems that are applied to the outside walls can be relatively easy to decide upon, change the look of, and to upgrade. They are designed to provide structural support, insulation and be decorative.

On the other hand insulating the cavities between the studs of exterior walls can certainly require more thought. The area between the wall studs in older homes especially can be either un-insulated or very poorly insulated by today’s standards.

One of the first answers that springs to mind is blown in foam insulation that expands to fill the wall area and can provide excellent exterior wall insulation. However if this is considered the building’s construction must also be considered. Many homes will have braces half way down the studs so that insulation blown in may reach only half of the area. If this is not considered the exterior wall may end up being only half insulated which will not do the job.

Finishing a basement includes ideally insulating the exterior walls with a moisture resistant material so that the basement can be a center of activity and not within all too short a time, a damp cave that smells of mold.

Cold climate areas are not the only places where thermal insulation is useful. Homes in hot climates benefit as well since the thermal properties that keep heat from escaping a home in the cold weather also prevent heat from entering it in hot climates.

The better the insulation in a home the more energy efficient the home is likely to be. Less heat will be required to warm it and less to cool it as the inside is protected against the weather.

However, the best insulation systems will usually be the most expensive. Most homeowners will end up balancing what they can afford against the best types of exterior wall insulation is available.

Few will be able to afford the top of the line highest R rating insulation. However, not as many will need it. Sometimes even a moderate R rating will be enough to realize many dollars in energy costs over the life of the home.

Areas where the weather is extreme for months on end may find that even the most expensive insulation is worthwhile due to the energy costs required to heat or cool their home in these environmental extremes.

Homeowners in more temperate climates may be able to accept moderate exterior wall insulation and still realize a reasonable energy savings.

The home as an entity should always be considered when choosing insulation. It does less good to have excellent exterior wall insulation in the cavity between the studs if the floors, basement and attic have little or no insulation in place.