NORTH BROWARD & BOCA Blog

Reasons to upgrade your home this year

Your home is your most valuable possession and it's the place where you probably spend the most time, especially over these last two years. It’s not only the place where you work, eat and sleep but also where you make memories with your loved ones. As 2022 is still fresh out of the gate, it might be a good idea to look back on all your home renovation ideas that you had planned for the new year. If you're considering starting to renovate, home insulation might be the perfect place to start in making your home a more comfortable and valuable place and who knows, you might save a lot of money this year. 

Increase your home’s value

There are many ways to increase your home’s value, a lot of them cosmetic. However, if you’re looking for something more substantial that will not only increase your home’s selling price but also improve your day-to-day life in that home, insulation is your top choice. The impact of added insulation on property value varies based on the type of insulation and the size of the home but, overall, some reports suggest that homeowners can enjoy an increase of up to 6% on their property value. Energy-efficient home upgrades are popular and might, in the future, turn from a homeowner’s choice into a legal obligation with lawmakers trying to implement measures to save our environment. For that reason, energy efficiency is becoming an increasingly important topic during home inspections and selling discussions and homeowners who invest in their home’s energy efficiency can expect a significant return on their investment. 

Prevent costly home repairs

Here in South Florida, we’re all well aware when Hurricane season is approaching and what damage these storms can do to our homes. Nearly every year, the cost of damages that occur as a result of hurricanes or intense tropical storms making landfall in the U.S. ranks in the billions and a lot of the time heavy rain, storm surges or flooding contribute to the destruction of properties. Of course, it’s not the primary function of insulation to protect against storms but it can definitely reinforce your home’s structural integrity and offer support against the heavy winds. 

In regards to water damage, closed-cell spray foam insulation is the way to go as it is one of only a few building materials that get the FEMA’s (Federal Emergency Management Agency) flood damage-resistance classification. Due to its closed-cell makeup, it not only adds rigidity to your home but also withstands direct contact with floodwater for an extended period of at least 72 hours and therefore limits moisture-heavy air from entering your home. But the protection doesn't stop there, when insulation is applied in spaces like your crawlspace, closed-cell spray foam can actually reject bulk water ingress.

Save energy & money

Just imagine - If you added up all the air that leaks out of gaps in a typical home’s envelope, it would be like having a window open every day of the year! So it’s not surprising that the average US household spends about 41% of their energy costs on heating and cooling. For older houses or underinsulated homes, that number is even higher. And according to the North American Insulation Manufacturers Association (NAIMA), approximately 90% of U.S. single-family homes are under-insulated and wasting energy! The most impactful and cost-effective way to save money on your energy bill is to install insulation. Insulation keeps your conditioned air from escaping your home which means that the more efficient your insulation, the less you have to rely on your air conditioning unit to keep your South Miami home cool. With proper insulation, you will save money on your energy bill and reduce your carbon footprint because you won’t have to use your air conditioning as much.

Reduce noise & improve comfort

Insulating not only has benefits like added comfort. Additionally, the materials used for insulating are mostly sound-proof which means that it deflects sound waves and keeps the next room’s noise out of your sweet dreams. 

All of insulation’s benefits paired with off-season installation savings can make replacing or installing your home’s insulation one of the smartest investments you’ll make all year. Don’t waste your time this new year, and begin renovating with insulation. Invest in your home now and save money this 2022 (and many more years to come!).