When you think about insulation for your home, you probably think of keeping the heat inside during cold weather. While this is certainly one application of insulation, a different type of material can actually help keep heat out. Believe it or not, using the right kind of insulation in the right places can actually repel heat and keep your home cool in the summer.

If you’re looking for the best insulation to keep heat out, you can’t go wrong with the two most popular and effective choices: weather stripping and radiant barrier insulation. Properly used, both will seal your air conditioning inside and repel the heat outside. How can these help your house as the weather stays warm?

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Weather Stripping

Some of the most common places for climate-controlled air to escape is around your windows and doors. A crooked window or door could be raising your energy bills significantly by providing a constant slow leak. Fortunately, this is an easy fix. Strategically placing weather stripping around the edges will block most leaks and allow your home’s climate to balance itself out again.

Pro Tip: Be skeptical of any window company that claims to be able to reduce your energy bills with replacement windows. These claims are borderline illegal, often incorrect, and have gotten several companies sued. Save your money and install weather stripping instead.

Radiant Barrier

Radiant barrier insulation does more than just keep cool air inside. This reinforced layer of aluminum lines the inside of your attic roof and reflects heat back outside. Even this thin layer of insulation is surprisingly effective–a study shows that proper installation of a radiant barrier could save between 10-15% on energy costs. Just make sure your roof builder knows how to properly install insulation!

A Few Mistakes to Avoid

Of course, insulation material should be handled with care and isn’t effective in every place in the house. Keep these common errors in mind as you plan your insulation project:

• NEVER put insulation on or near active knob and tube wiring–that’s a great way to start a fire. Have the hazardous equipment professionally removed first.
• Avoid insulating spaces that won’t affect the transfer of heat much, such as exterior walls. You’ll just end up spending a lot of money for very little change.
• Don’t block any ventilation or HVAC ductwork with insulation–this will only make the problem worse.

Stay Cool!

Your air-conditioned home is your refuge against the high temperatures of any Houston day. By researching and installing the best insulation to keep heat out of your house, you’re sure to continue enjoying the comfort of a climate-controlled house for years to come.

Connect with us to learn more about preparing your roof and house for hot weather.