Lewis Insulation Blog Posts

The Importance of Attic Insulation

Have you given your attic’s insulation any thought lately? As experts in attic insulation in St Paul, this is something we think about on a daily basis. Insulation is the best way to make sure your home stays toasty warm in the winter and comfortably cool in the summer. Here are a few other tidbits to keep front of mind about attic insulation.

  • If you use your attic for storage purposes only, it is not necessary to insulate the attic itself. Just make sure the attic floor is fully insulated so warm air stays where you want it the most – in the rooms of your home and not up in the attic. The same goes with cool air too.
  • About 25% of heat is lost through your attic. Heat escapes out of the roof of the attic thanks to poor insulation.
  • Take the time to find out when the last time you had attic insulation installed. New insulation should be put into your home every couple of years because insulation tends to compress. And that decreases its effectiveness.
  • When you have new attic insulation installed, make sure your attic is still properly ventilated. If you hire professional insulation installers like us, we will make sure your attic has the right amount of ventilation so it does not lose heat.
  • After you have new attic insulation installed, do not walk on it unless it is absolutely unavoidable. And do not store anything on it either, no matter how light the object may be. This will help the attic insulation work properly for as long as possible.
  • If you have a finished attic that is used for living space, it should be insulated like all of the other rooms in your home.
  • The proper attic insulation could help you save money on heating and cooling bills and increase the comfort level of your entire family.
  • In order to figure out the correct attic insulation for your home and in order to save as much on your heating and cooling bills as possible, you should consult insulation experts like the ones here at Lewis Insulation. We offer closed cell spray foam, cellulose and fiberglass insulation.

Are you interested in learning more about attic insulation in St Paul? Call Lewis Insulation at 763-477-2612 or you can contact us for a Free Estimate.

The Importance of Insulation

You probably don’t give too much thought to your home’s insulation until you need it serviced in some way. Maybe you need to re-insulate your home for some reason. Or maybe you just built a new garage and need to get it insulated. We are insulation contractors in Minneapolis, so we give plenty of thought to insulation every day! Here are a few of our favorite insulation facts.

  • About 50% to 70% of the energy used in the average American home is through heating and cooling.
  • Having insulation contractors come out to install insulation can result in heating and cooling savings of up to 20%.
  • Insulation can help save the planet by cutting our carbon footprint. Every year, it reduces the amount of carbon dioxide by 780 million tons.
  • If you combine the amount of energy saved by Energy Star appliances, Energy Star windows and compact fluorescent lights, that still does not equal the amount of energy saved by insulation that has been properly installed by insulation contractors.
  • At Lewis Insulation, we can install three different types of insulation: fiberglass, cellulose and closed cell spray foam. Each one has its benefits and advantages.
  • The measure of resistance to heat flow through a given thickness of a material is called the R-value. So the higher the R-value, the greater the resistance.
  • Insulation is also great at reducing the noise levels inside your home.
  • If you own an older home, hiring our insulation contractors to install new insulation in your home could help you save a bundle on your utility bills and make it easier for you to keep your home cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

When you need trustworthy and reliable insulation contractors in Minneapolis, call Lewis Insulation at 763-477-2612 or you can contact us for a Free Estimate.

What is Cellulose Insulation?

We install cellulose insulation in St Paul and Minneapolis, but there are a lot of people out there who don’t know what this type of insulation is and why it is such an environmentally-friendly and budget-friendly option.

Cellulose insulation is one of the oldest types of building insulation materials, but it has come a long way since its humble beginnings. Nowadays, cellulose insulation is made out of recycled newspaper that has an added fire retardant, like boric acid. It’s also known as blown-in insulation, and the most common type of cellulose insulation is called loose fill. It became popular in the United States in the 1970s.

Because it is made out of recycled newspaper, this is an eco-friendly way to keep your house warm in the winters and cool in the summers. It uses up to 85% recycled materials. When you have cellulose insulation installed, pellets of the cellulose are blown into your home’s walls or into its attic. It fills in cavities, and no pressure is placed on the insulation.

Its R-value is 3.5 per inch of thickness. And although it can soak up moisture, it does very well against insects and vermin like mice because of the fact it is treated with borates. Cellulose insulation is generally your only option when you are trying to insulate closed walls (because it is blown in, so it does not require you to put large holes or openings in your walls in order to insulate your home).

And it doesn’t just insulate your home from the outdoor temperatures. It’s also a great noise reducer, vapor barrier, mold and pest controller and fire retardant.

So when you are ready to learn more about how to get cellulose insulation for your St Paul or Minneapolis home, call Lewis Insulation at 763-477-2612, or you can contact us for a Free Estimate.

How to Find the Best Insulation Contractors

Chances are, your home is the biggest investment you will ever make. So when it’s time for a major repair or service, you don’t want to trust just anyone. You want to make sure that any repairmen that come to your home are reliable and qualified to do the work. As insulation contractors in the Twin Cities, we have a few suggestions on what to look for when you hire insulation contractors like us.

The best way to find recommendations is through word of mouth. In the old days, the only way you could find suggestions on good insulation contractors was by asking family, friends and neighbors you knew in real life. But in today’s technological world, it’s easy to find online reviews of a variety of services, from hairdresser to mechanics and more. Visiting a website like Angie’s List is a great way to learn about the experiences that other people have had with various insulation contractors.

Another thing to keep an eye out for is if the insulation contractors are licensed, bonded and insured like we are here at Lewis Insulation. The insulation contractors should also offer a variety of insulation choices. Lewis Insulation offers three types: fiberglass, spray foam and cellulose. Your insulation contractors should be able to tell you which type of insulation is the most appropriate for your home.

Hiring professional insulation contractors means that the insulation in your home will be properly installed. And that means you could save a lot of money on your home’s heating and cooling costs in the long run. Plus your home will stay comfortable all year round, and insulation helps reduce noise that comes in from the outside.

For more information on insulation contractors in the Twin Cities, call Lewis Insulation at 763-477-2612 or contact us for a Free Estimate.

Types of Insulation

As insulation contractors in the Twin Cities, we are often asked about the types of insulation we install. Here is a rundown of three of them so you can learn the advantages and benefits of each one.

Fiberglass

Fiberglass insulation is made of sand and recycled glass, and it is one of the most popular types of material used by insulation contractors today. Because it’s non-combustible, non-absorbent and non-corrosive, it is a great choice for a wide variety of homes. It can be installed in a variety of rooms too: from crawl spaces to garages. It is an excellent sound barrier, and it only settles slightly. This type of insulation helps maximize your home’s energy efficiency, plus it can help to reduce unwanted noise and improve your home’s indoor air quality.

Spray Foam

Spray foam insulation is a great long-term investment. Insulation contractors like it because it will help homeowners save up to 50% on heating and cooling savings, which is a pretty significant amount! Your furnace and air conditioner will thank you because this type of insulation means your HVAC equipment will not need to work as hard to heat and cool your home. Spray foam insulation also can reduce the amount of pollutants and allergens that can enter your home and can protect against mold and animals that like to nest and live in your home.

Cellulose

This is the most eco-friendly option insulation contractors can use since it’s made up of about 75% recycled material. Cellulose can help prevent the upward movement of air that is caused by differences in temperature. It is also non-corrosive to steel, aluminum and copper, and it will not mildew, rot or decay, nor will it allow mold or other fungus to grow.

If you need insulation contractors in the Twin Cities, call Lewis Insulation at 763-477-2612 or contact us for a Free Estimate.