14. Adding Insulation Materials

Adding insulation is very effective for saving energy. It keeps the inside of the house warm or cool while spending less on energy bills. Some of my friends installed thermal insulation material on their walls and ceiling and got good results. However, I thought, "It's for old houses, not for my house."

My husband and I purchased a newly built house with insulation already installed. I thought today's insulation performance of new houses was up to date in the market. So insulation wasn't on my mind. I was rather interested in a better price. How many people would care for insulation performance when purchase a newly house anyway?

Home builders and developers have to contend with building costs in the sales market. The house must have the appropriate price for what consumers want. Most builders and building suppliers put forth a lot of effort to find feasible construction costs, while adhering to building codes. These are the minimum standards for the site, equipment, and structure. Application of these building codes protect peoples lives, health and property.

Naturally, builders commonly use popular insulating materials that are inexpensive and easily installed. The construction permit assures some insulation, not necessarily the best performing material. Unfortunately, some builders may not have accurate knowledge about the products they choose and assume that it is good enough to just install any type of insulation that meets minimum requirements, which may lead to inadequate performance and sloppy work.

In any case, it's good to remember that meeting the minimum requirements of building codes does not fully guarantee quality. To obtain a higher level of energy efficiency, it is preferable to prepare the interior walls and ceiling prior to building completion. It would be nice to have the option of different types of insulation materials before purchasing a house. How much more initial cost would there be compared to the long-term saving on future energy bills?  After all, we have to pay both the mortgage and energy bills every month. However, providing such comparisons involves so much work, this doesn't happen. Our goal here at Gaina is to provide as much information as possible to ignite customer interest about the performance levels of different types of insulating products and show the savings of both money and energy in the long run.

I remember when my parents built their house 40 years ago. My father owned a lumber company and my mother had experience working in a construction office. So quality and performance of the building materials used was important to both of them. Yes they spent extra money, but they really enjoyed the superior quality of their home. After my father died, the house was sold and renovated. I was very happy to hear the carpenter's comment, "The house quality is still high, the lumber used in the construction of this house is hard to get now". I wish I could tell this to my father.

paint with brush

Several years passed since my husband and I moved into our new house. I wanted to find something for energy saving. Like I said, I didn't think much about insulation at first. That changed when I found Gaina. The presentation of this product amazed me and immediately decided that I wanted Gaina in my house.

At that time, we couldn't buy Gaina here in the United States. Since no other product compares in quality or performance, I didn't mind the little bit of trouble importing it. It is not cheap, but not too expensive either. Installation is not difficult. With Gaina applied, this winter we are enjoying warmth, clean air and saving money. That means we have acheived comfortable living.