This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a small commission when you make a purchase at NO additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting our site in this way!
I’ve discovered some tips and tricks for how to protect one of your biggest investments – your home – before the intense heat of summer takes hold of us here in Nashville.
Proper Insulation Saves Energy
I’ve enlisted the help of Koala Insulation of Nashville to share how to both help improve our home energy bills AND save money on our taxes next year.
How to Know You Have a Home Insulation Problem
I love my home. But it can be a lot to keep up with. In the last year, I’ve had to purchase two space heaters and one window air conditioning unit. Oh, and did I mention I had to spend almost $10k replacing our second HVAC unit?
What I didn’t know is that not only are those all signs of poor insulation, but I was actually shortening the life of my HVAC units and losing a ton of money in the process.
Signs Your Home Has an Insulation Issue
80% of homes are under-insulated according to EPA. If you’re one of them you might notice it with these common symptoms:
- Hot or cold spots in your home
- HVAC is constantly running
- High energy bills
- Moisture problems
If you are experiencing even one of these issues, schedule your FREE EVALUATION now
Koala Insulation FREE Evaluation Process
I highly recommend a free evaluation with Koala Insulation. You’ll receive an honest, in-home evaluation from a certified professional.
On the agreed-upon date and time, a member of Koala Insulation arrived at my home (and even asked if I preferred for him to remove his shoes before coming in). After listening to my concerns, he asked if he could inspect my attic. I showed him both our hatch access in the ceiling and our upstairs attic door access.
After inspection, he not only showed me the trouble spots in the attic, but also took pictures of spots I couldn’t access safely to demonstrate when he found.
Blown-In Attic Insulation vs. Spray Foam Insulation
I’ll be honest: I reached out to Koala thinking I wanted spray foam insulation. After my free consultation, we quickly came to the conclusion that spray foam was not the best choice for our home.
Unless you have new construction or you know you won’t make any changes in your attic for the next 20 years, spray foam may not be the best choice. While spray foam offers many great features, it’s important to understand what is best for YOUR unique home and circumstances.
For my home, we concluded that my attic was under-insulated. The Koala team also discovered an entire pocket of the attic that had a gap in insulation! Because of these factors, we decided to add several more inches of blown-in insulation, along with two solar attic fans.
Watch My Conversation with Koala Insulation Nashville Owner
As you can probably tell already, I learned SO MUCH as a result of my time with Koala Insulation. From my initial research into finding an eco-friendly insulation company in Nashville to reading all their 5-star Google reviews that led me to book a consultation in the first place, I am so grateful for the new knowledge I have.
I realized if I could learn that much in such a short amount of time, I could also share how you could help protect your home and save money. But better than just me telling you, I asked Brandon Beachy, owner of the Nashville Koala Insulation franchise to come on The Sami Cone Show to provide even more insights.
In the interview, we discussed:
- How insulation and ventilation work hand in hand.
- An example of how a 160-degree attic affects the home.
- How solar attic fans & guards for your attic hatch and door take savings to the next level
Tax Savings from Solar Attic Fans
I’ve mentioned solar attic fans a couple of times now. Many homes have attic fans or at least vents. If you watched the interview above, you now know you don’t want all that hot air trapped in your attic during the hottest summer months.
What I didn’t know is that by installing solar attic fans, I not only help my overall home energy costs, I can actually claim tax savings!
More Ways to Help Lower Home Expenses
In addition to stepping up your insulation and installing attic fans, here are some more ways to protect your home’s value and lower your biggest home expenses:
1. Secure Your Yard
This spring, I’ve spent a lot of money in my yard. I’ve had to do everything from removing dead trees to investing in landscaping to remove bushes that died in a former freeze.
But then I noticed moles in my yard that started destroying all my hard work! Thankfully, the expert team at Mole Miners came to my rescue and have already trapped one of the culprits.
2. Inspect Your Roof
Most of us only think to inspect our roof after a big storm. But if you don’t know how old your roof is, or have been in your home more than ten years without having it inspected, it’s time.
And don’t just let someone use a drone. It wasn’t until a professional walked on my roof that they discovered how bad ours was.
3. Cleaning air ducts & dryer vents
Start with getting a tool to vacuum your dryer’s lint trap. But don’t forsake having a professional clean out your air ducts and outdoor dryer vent.
4. Check Your Windows
Make sure your windows are secure in their frames. You’ll also want to ensure there aren’t any cracks in the sealings or caulk around your windows.
How to Find Reputable Contractors in Your Neighborhood
I’ve discovered two ways to find trusted contractors and workers to help with home improvement:
- Ask your neighbors who has provided great service and value for them in the past
- Ask a contractor you’ve had a good experience with who they recommend and refer business to
The story of how I found professionals I trusted to work in and around my home is an interesting one. Believe it or not, I scheduled my insulation appointment and Mole Miners free consultation on the same day. As soon as Zion from Mole Miners drove up, it was obvious he knew the guys from Koala.
It turns out they have come to respect each others work and refer clients back and forth. Because I trusted Koala from my research, the reviews, and my calls with them before the installation began, it automatically gave credibility to Mole Miners.
Then, as Zion was inspecting my yard, he noticed a shingle on my roof that was sticking up. He volunteered to tap it down for me. After he got off the roof, he asked about the last time I had it inspected. I said it was just looked at the year before, but they had only used a drone.
He recommended Adam from Terminus Roofing. Adam came out that week, actually climbed on top of the roof and quickly discovered hail damage from a storm the year before.
Knowing that I had a trusted network of service professionals I trusted gave me confidence in knowing I was putting my biggest investment in good hands that would keep my family safe for years to come.
Attic Insulation Savings Calculator
If you want to estimate how much money you can save by adding new insulation, you can use an online attic savings calculator.
If it were up to me, I would schedule a free insulation estimate with Koala. Using an online tool alone is not going to be able to accurately estimate how much money you’ll save.
I’m thankful to the experts at Koala Insulation Nashville for providing me with their services. I’ve already noticed a remarkable difference in the consistency of temperature within my home. I can’t wait to take advantage of energy savings for years to come!
