Is Your Home Properly Insulated?

Home insulation is an important part of any house. A B Pest Control & Insulation knows that ensuring that your home is properly insulated can help save you money on heating and cooling costs, it absorbs unwanted noises, and can even help reduce exposure to formaldehyde. Your pest control company at the Lake of the Ozarks not only keeps unwanted bugs out of your home, but we can also keep your home comfortable with the proper insulation.

Benefits of Proper Insulation

Lower Energy Costs – one of the most important reasons you should make sure that your home is properly insulated is so you don’t waste energy. Improperly insulated homes can waste both heating and cooling energy in your home by allowing heat transfer. Not only does it cost you more money, but it could also put a bigger strain on your system. There are many different types of insulation and A B Pest Control & Insulation can help you decide what types is best for your home or business.

Reduce Noise Pollution – insulation has sound absorption qualities, so it can reduce unwanted noises that are created by appliances, electronic equipment, or even conversations. It can prevent sounds from being transmitted through the walls and even the floors of your home. Not only does the proper insulation keep unwanted noise at bay, but it also makes it easier for your furnace or air condition to keep the temperature constant without putting a strain on the system.

How Insulation Works

In order to understand how insulation inside of your home works, it helps to understand heat flow. Heat flow involves three basic mechanisms – conduction, convection, and radiation.

Conduction – this is the way that heat moves through materials. For example: when you put a spoon into a cup of hot liquid. The temperature of the liquid heats up the spoon which is then transferred through the spoon handle to your hand.

Convection – this is the way that heat circulates through liquids and gases. It is why warmer air rises (it’s lighter) and cooler air sinks (it’s denser).

Radiant heat – this heat travels in a straight line and heats anything solid that absorbs its energy.

Photo credit: EnergyStar.gov

For the most part, most common insulation materials work by slowing conductive heat flow and convective heat flow. Regardless of the mechanism, heat flows from warmer to cooler until there is no longer a temperature difference. In order to maintain comfort, heat that is lost in the winter must be replaced by your heating system and the heat in the summer must be removed by your cooling system. By properly insulating your home, this heat flow will decrease by providing an effective resistance to the flow of heat.

Ensure Your Home Is Properly Insulated with A B Pest Control and Insulation!

The easiest and most efficient way to ensure that your home has the proper insulation levels is to call a professional. A B Pest Control and Insulation can evaluate your home and make the proper recommendations for the best insulation to meet your needs. With proper insulation, your home can easily stay cool when it’s hot outside and warm when it’s cold out. Your Lake of the Ozarks insulation company has team members with many years of experience in the insulation business so you can trust that we will get the job done right at a fair price. Visit our website or give us a call to learn more! 

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The Best Insulation For Your Crawl Space

The summer heat is upon us, and many people are focusing on keeping their homes nice and cool. If your home has an uninsulated crawl space, you could be at risk of transferring heat into your home, which can cause your air conditioning unit to work overtime to continually pump cold air into your home. At A B Pest Control & Insulation, we have a couple solutions to help keep your crawl space nice and cool this summer season (& warm in the winter too).

Benefits of Crawl Space Insulation

1. Prevents Mold & Odor

One of the most common problems with crawl spaces that do not have insulation is the high level of moisture. This could lead to mold growth, as spaces with the high level of moisture create the ideal environment for mold growth. By having your crawlspace insulated, you can greatly reduce the moisture levels, which will prevent mold from growing and forming.

2. Control Temperature In Rooms

Moisture that's trapped in the crawl space can affect the temperature in the house. It can make it too hot, too cold, too stuffy or too dry depending on the season. It happens because the moisture in the crawl space absorbs the warmth from the house or keeps it from escaping. Insulation can help seal off the crawl space and keep your house at the temperature you desire.

3. Helps With Energy Efficiency 

Because the moisture in the crawl space affects the temperature inside your home, having your crawl space insulated can act as a sealant to control the moisture levels, making your home more energy-efficient and help lower the energy costs. If the crawl space is not insulated, you will have to spend more money on heating and cooling costs to control the temperature in your home. Keep your energy costs down by insulating the crawl space.

4. Protect The Pipes

The crawl space in your home most likely houses a variety of pipes that supply the water and power to your home. Having the crawl space insulated can help prevent the pipes from bursting. If moisture comes into this area and gets to your pipes, it's likely they'll start rotting, which can lead them to burst or break. Insulation can help keep the pipes dry, which can lead to increasing their lifespan, which means fewer repair costs to have to worry about.

Two Types Of Crawl Space Insulation

Vapor Barrier System

A crawl space vapor barrier system prevents ground moisture evaporation from entering the crawl space. It's designed to resist the flow of air. The vapor barrier system turns the crawl space into a semi-conditioned area by stopping the air movement and making the temperature close to the living spaces in your home above. When the temperature in the crawl space is similar to the temperature in the home's living areas, your floors will feel warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer.

Foam Spray

Spray foam insulation can help seal things up for good and eliminate any worries you may have about your crawl space. Spray foam is highly dense, and a little bit goes a long ways. It's non-permeable so it can help seal up any air gaps to eliminate moisture and keep your space free of mold, mildew and rot. While the only guarantee of a rodent-free home is ongoing pest control service, spray foam makes it less likely you'll be invaded by rodents. Spray foam is hard and an unwelcoming substance for them, unlike fiberglass insulation.

For more information on our insulation services at the Lake of the Ozarks, give us a call at 573-964-1100. If you're not sure if your home is properly insulated, you can even request a FREE quote. We can help keep your home comfortable no matter the season!

Lake of the Ozarks
Pest Control Company

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Benefits of Pest Control Insulation

September marks the transition between summer and fall. With the upcoming cooler weather, pests, such as spiders and rodents, will be seeking warmth, which may be your home. Cooler weather also means that people will be switching their thermostat from cool to heat soon. In addition to pest control services, A B Pest Control is also a full-service insulation company at the Lake of the Ozarks.  

Keep Your House Cool or Warm

Our pesticide infused insulation works just the same as regular insulation. Proper insulation in your home ensures that the cool stays in when it's hot outside and that the heat stays in when it's cold outside. However, not only will you feel more comfortable in your home, you can also save money on your energy bill, as your HVAC system will not have to work as hard cooling or heating your home. Air that escapes through your home wastes a lot of energy. According to the Energy Star website, "most homes in the United States don't have enough insulation and have significant air leaks." It also states that if you add up all the leaks and gaps in a typical home, it would be like having a window open every day of the year.  

Keep Bugs Out!

The best part about our pesticide infused insulation is the fact that it keeps pests out. Regular insulation can keep pests at bay, but what makes our pesticide infused insulation special is that not only does it regulate the temperature in your home, it also kills common pests. No more having to worry about spiders finding their way inside your home. Our Pesticide Infused Insulation can keep out common insects, such as ants, spiders, centipedes, crickets, silverfish and termites. 

The Best Time To Check Your Insulation Is Now!

Now is the best time to check your home's insulation levels. Over time, insulation settles and needs to be refilled. When insulation settles, it will not work as effectively to cool your home. With the summer coming to an end, make sure your home is prepared for the upcoming cooler season. Now is the time to check to make sure your home is properly insulated, so you do not have to worry about it when the temperatures drop. 

Keep Your Home Sealed and Bug-Free with A B Pest Control & Insulation

With the fall season comes cooler air and pests seeking shelter. Make sure your home is protected from both with A B Pest Control & Insulation's pesticide infused insulation! Visit our website at www.abpest.net or call 573-964-1100 to request a FREE quote on your insulation needs. No job is too big or small, we insulate commercial or residential, new or existing. Our insulation team has many years of experience in the insulation business, so you can trust that we'll get the job done right. 

Lake of the Ozarks
Pest Control Company

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Is My Home Properly Insulated?

Lake of the Ozarks’ residents are experiencing high temperatures and lots of humidity this time of year. An insulation inspection with A B Pest Control and Insulation could help you determine if the quality of your home comfort could be improved, and even save money on your energy bills. If your home is poorly insulated, your AC could be working overtime. Your favorite Lake of the Ozarks pest control and insulation company has a few tips to use to determine if your home might need more insulation.

Check Your Walls

If your home is newly constructed, you could ask your contractor where your home is insulated. Otherwise, you will need to check yourself. You can do this by checking the insulation levels around the outlets. Make sure the electricity is turned off before you start your check. Remove the outlet cover and shine a flashlight into the crack around the outlet box. You should be able to see if there is insulation and how thick it is. Check outlets on all floors, even new parts of your home. Just because there is insulation in one wall, it doesn’t mean the whole home is insulated properly.

Check the Attic

If your home has an attic, you will want to check the insulation levels there as well. There are two ways to check the levels. The first method is to check to see if the insulation levels are with or below the attic floor joist. If so, you may need to add more insulation. If you cannot see any of the floor joist because the insulation is well above them, you probably have enough insulation and adding more will not be cost-effective. It is also important that the insulation is evenly distributed. Sometimes there is enough insulation in the middle, but the edges have very little.

The second method is to measure the insulation levels. Either read the R-value printed on the batts of your existing insulation or use a measuring tape to measure the depth of the insulation. Energy Star has a map to determine which level of insulation is best for your home. In Southern Missouri, the insulation level should be at 4. 

Photo Credit: www.energystar.gov

Beware that some attics has vermiculite insulation, which may contain asbestos. Do not disturb vermiculite insulation unless you have had it tested to be sure that it does not contain asbestos. Contact the local health department if you need to have your attic insulation tested.

Check Your Basement/Crawlspace

It is important that rim joists in the basement/crawlspace be properly insulated. You completely condition the crawlspace by using a 12-20 mil membrane with closed cell foam on foundation walls and rim boards to completely seal out air and moisture from the outside. 

Insure Your Home Is Properly Insulated with A B Pest Control and Insulation!

The easiest and most efficient way to insure that your home has the proper insulation levels is to call a professional. A B Pest Control and Insulation can evaluate your home and make the proper recommendations for the best insulation to meet your needs. With proper insulation, your home can easily stay cool when it’s hot outside. Your Lake of the Ozarks insulation company has team members with many years of experience in the insulation business, so you can trust that we will get the job done right at a fair price. 

Lake of the Ozarks
Pest Control Company

Visit Our Website:
www.abpest.net

Like us on Facebook
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