When the temperatures drop, staying warm is on everyone’s minds. Make sure your home is as comfortable as possible by paying attention to its thermal envelope. 

A thermal envelope is the layer around the exterior of a home that controls heat flow and prevents air loss. According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, it’s “everything about the house that serves to shield the living space from the outdoors.” [1] A tight seal ensures maximum comfort and efficiency. There are several components that make up the thermal envelope like walls, floors, doors and windows, but one of the most effective is insulation. Adding insulation helps to build up the thermal envelope and blocks air flow, eliminating drafts. A well-insulated house with a tight thermal envelope also won’t lose much heating and cooling.

Cellulose insulation is inherently resistant to airflow because of its density. There are fewer pockets for air to flow through, thus sealing off the areas where it’s applied.[2] Research shows that air loss rates are higher in colder weather, so now is the time to lock in warm air and keep cold air out with SANCTUARY.[3]

One of the best, and easiest, places to add insulation is in the attic. Adding insulation there will isolate the attic from the exterior walls and conditioned spaces. That means less heat transfer and a tighter thermal barrier for the rooms below. SANCTUARY fills every crevice and gap – something that insulation batts can’t do. It can also be installed over existing insulation, so if there are already insulation installed in the attic, blow SANCTUARY on top to increase your R-value. While you’re up there, check to make sure that attic seals and ventilation are properly installed first! 

It’s also important to seal the exterior envelope of your home for maximum comfort in addition to efficiency and energy savings. Densely packed insulation helps to address unwanted air flow. Insulate the exterior walls of a home to equalize temperatures from room-to-room and across multiple floors found in multi-level homes and reduce the power of sound by up to 60%.[4] 

SANCTUARY homes that include insulation in the attic and exterior walls provide greater comfort and efficiency, reduce heating and cooling costs, and lower the carbon footprint of your home. Get started on your SANCTUARY home today.

[1] National Renewable Energy Laboratory, “Elements of an Energy-Efficient House.” National Renewable Energy Laboratory, https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy00osti/27835.pdf.

[2] Wilson, Alex. The Building Green Guide to Thermal Insulation, Fourth Edition. BuildingGreen, Inc, 2021.

[3] Thermal Metric Summary Report. Building Science Corporation, 2015.

[4] In field testing on identical 2x4 exterior wall types, Greenfiber® R-13 Stabilized Spray-Applied Insulation outperforms R-15 unfaced fiberglass batts by 4 NIC raring points, which equates to a 60% reduction in sound power. The weak point in the assembly such as flanking through windows and doors will diminish the value of the reduction in sound power. Reduction in sound power is achieved through retrofitting, dense-packing or spray applying Greenfiber into exterior walls (contractor installation is recommended for these applications). See manufacturer’s installation guide for full details on how to install to meet specifications.