How Good is Your Insulation?

In the cold winter months, there is nothing nicer than sitting inside your warm, insulated home. But how good is your insulation actually? To measure the effectiveness of insulation, there is a measurement called R-value. Usually, the climate in the area where you live will dictate the R-value of the insulation that was installed when your home was built. However, the whole wall might have a different R-value than the insulation that is installed. If the insulation has been compressed, this will lessen its effectiveness. The same is the case if there is a hole or crack that lets outside air enter in a spot. If your insulation is wet, this will also lower its R-value.

Using a thermal imaging camera will let you see how the temperature varies on different parts of a wall. This will give you a clue as to where there might be an issue with your insulation, and let you focus your attention there.