Calgary lies between the Canadian Rockies and the Canadian Prairies. The semi-monsoonal climate creates temperatures ranging from 16.5 °C (61.7 °F) in July, to −7.1 °C (19.2 °F) in January. Effective external insulating is the key to maintaining comfortable temperatures in our homes all year round. We discuss ways to ensure the best exterior insulation possible.
What’s the Best Way to Install Exterior Insulation?
There are four layers of exterior insulation on well-protected Calgary homes fitted with siding. This progressive protection comprises:
- Solid sheathing – usually plywood – that weather-proofs the building.
- A water-resistant barrier that protects the sheathing from moisture.
- Exterior insulation to prevent hot and cold air from entering the home.
- A secondary barrier of siding designed to repel the worst of the weather.
We believe in applying the water-resistant barrier directly to the sheathing, and then adding the insulation over that. This is because experience taught us that it provides the optimum seal around doors and windows penetrating the sheathing, and hence the best exterior insulation.
Why Consider Professional Exterior Insulation?
In theory, you could pop down to the neighborhood hardware store, load up the materials, and install the insulation yourself. However, you would first need to remove the siding, and then replace it before the weather turned while you were deep into the job. This could call for careful timing!
You could also achieve great savings on your energy bill, if you remembered all the details, and got the job right first time. However, a small gap in the material could allow temperature transfer from outside, and make your HVAC work faster than it actually should. You would then need to remove that portion of siding to fix the problem, and refit it again.
A poorly-insulated home is naturally colder in winter, and hotter in summer resulting in higher HVAC bills. If this is your home, then that means cash lost forever, and money you can never claw back. However, if your home has the best exterior insulation, then you should pay less for your HVAC energy. That’s money saved for other, more worthwhile things.
Tips for Installing the Best Exterior Insulation
Don’t try to shave money off your project by using cheap materials. The best exterior insulation costs more, because more time and money goes into it. But this should not be a problem, because of the money it saves the homeowner down the line.
We recommend using a product with a crinkly surface that helps any humidity flow down, and away from the bottom of the wall. There may be more to installing insulation and siding than you thought. Please phone Valiant Exteriors soon on (403)829-1661 if you would like to know more.
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