By Chris Balzer

According to NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) 2020 won the 2nd warmest year prize since they started recording in 1880, knocking 2019 down to third.  The world’s seven warmest years have all occurred since 2014, 2016 being the warmest.    If you do a search for “things we insulate” you will see the majority of sites and images are of attics, walls and windows.   We insulate much more than our homes.  We are constantly looking for that right beach cooler or cup to keep our drinks and snacks cold and cool.  YETI has become very popular and on the scene of just about every beach, boat or fishing outing.  Just look around, if you don’t own a YETI, your neighbor most likely does.  One video on YouTube about what’s inside a YETI cup has more than 8.3 million views.  That’s more views than the entire population of Tennessee and that’s just one video.  It’s no secret we care about insulating things and pay a little more for quality and efficiency.  So why when it comes to our biggest investment, our homes, we fall short of upgrading our home’s efficiency and insulation?  A Former US President once said during a press conference on renewable energy that Insulation is sexy stuff and that if you haven’t upgraded your home, it’s not just heat or cool air escaping, it’s energy and money that you are wasting.  Based on a study conducted by NAIMA (North American Insulation Manufacturers Association), the majority of US homes are under-insulated, wasting energy and money and decreasing comfort for the homeowners.  Unless your home was specifically built for energy efficiency, you can benefit from energy upgrades like: fiberglass insulation, radiant barriers, attic air sealing, to name a few.  Dr. Levy, Professor of Environmental Health at Boston University stated that if all US homes were fitted with insulation based on the 2012 IECC (International Energy Conservation Code), residential electricity use nationwide would drop by 5% and natural gas use by more than 10%.  That’s an impressive number and a positive impact on our environment.  So let’s talk about cost.  I know getting an energy upgrade for your home costs more than a cooler or a cup.  So let’s look at this slightly differently.   On average, an energy upgrade today costs around what a good living room couch costs.  The difference is the couch will start to lose its value the moment it is delivered, the energy upgrades immediately start to save you money and increase comfort.  Plus, energy upgrades will see a full return of your investment in a few short years based on energy savings.  The couch, after several years can become worn and sometimes uncomfortable due to the settling of the batting or filling.  Your energy upgrade continues to add value to your home and increased comfort.  Getting a proper energy upgrade can also help with reducing dust and decreasing humidity in your home.  I don’t know if I would call adding insulation sexy, but I do know adding insulation saves you money, increases your comfort and has a positive impact on the environment.  So the next time you are putting ice in your cooler, sipping something refreshing from your cup or sitting on your couch, think about getting an energy upgrade for your biggest investment and remember our most sustainable energy source is not, Solar, Hydro or GeoThermal, it’s YOU.

Chris Balzer is Founder and President of Emerald Coast Energy Solutions which is a Smile Provider Company.  We provide smiles to our customers after installing our high energy efficient products, increasing comfort and lowering energy bills.  For more information on how to save this summer and become energy efficient schedule an inspection by calling (850) 588-2870, visit www.trusteces.com or email wecare@trusteces.com and Beat the Heat.

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