Why Insulation Matters in Tallahassee
As a Tallahassee resident, you’re no stranger to our hot and humid climate. But are you familiar with the importance of proper insulation for your home? Thanks to summer temperatures that often reach the low 90’s°F and humidity levels that make nearly every summer day feel muggy, insulation is the key to a comfortable home. The beauty of insulation is that is helps keeps unwanted hot air outside your home and your valuable conditioned air inside.
One of the best insulation choices for your Tallahassee home is spray foam. Read on to explore some of the best things spray foam insulation offers you and your home.
Dual Benefits: Insulation & Air Sealing
One of the biggest benefits of spray foam is that it serves as both an insulation and an air sealant. Applied as a liquid, it expands and hardens to fill wall cavities, blocking air leaks while also reducing heat transfer. Traditional insulation, like fiberglass insulation batts, often leaves gaps and cracks, allowing air to escape. But spray foam insulation creates a continuous air barrier to keep cool air in and hot air out. This means that with spray foam, you get energy savings without needing a separate air-sealing process.
Local Climate Concerns for Tallahassee
As a Tallahassee homeowner, you face unique challenges when it comes to insulation. Thanks to our tropical climate, you and your neighbors experience:
- Long, hot, and humid summers with average temps in the low 90’s°F.
- Cooler winter nights dropping into the 40’s°F.
- Midsummer days that are muggy or worse.
- High cooling demands, with AC accounting for 28% of home energy use in Florida (compared to only 2% in Maine!)
- Heavy rainfall and high humidity that can lead to moisture and mold risks.
Spray foam insulation offers superior protection against these elements. It helps prevent moisture buildup, reducing the risk of mold growth. Unlike traditional insulation, spray foam resists water absorption, keeping your home more durable and comfortable year-round.
Lower Energy Bills with Better Insulation
Did you know that it’s estimated that we waste over 20% of our home’s heating and cooling energy because of air leakage and improperly installed insulation? That’s a lot of wasted money! Thankfully, by properly air sealing and insulating your home, you can see an estimated 15% savings on heating and cooling costs. This translates to lower energy bills and a reduced strain on your HVAC system, extending its lifespan.
Comfort & Indoor Air Quality Benefits
In addition to energy savings, creating an airtight seal with spray foam improves your home’s indoor air quality by reducing outdoor pollutants like dust, pollen, and allergens. It also helps eliminate drafts and hotspots, making your home more comfortable with consistent indoor temperatures year-round. Plus, by controlling humidity, spray foam also helps keep pests away. What sounds better than a comfy home and no pests?
Local Building Codes & Spray Foam Trends
Florida building codes now require new homes to pass strict blower door tests to ensure their efficiency.
As a result, many Tallahassee homeowners and builders are choosing spray foam to meet air tightness regulations. There are two types of spray foam to choose from- open cell and closed cell spray foam insulation. Closed cell spray foam is especially popular because it adds structural strength and water resistance, making it a great option for your Florida home.
What’s the Cost of Spray Foam?
The initial cost of spray foam insulation is higher than other types of insulation, but it quickly pays for itself in energy savings. Plus, you can take advantage of the various energy efficiency incentives and programs that give you money or tax credits back for energy upgrades.
Upgrade With Allweather Insulation
At Allweather Insulation, we specialize in home insulation and air sealing solutions, including the proper installation of spray foam insulation. Our experienced team will evaluate your home’s current insulation and identify any air leaks and trouble spots. Contact us today to get a free estimate on your next project and start enjoying the benefits of a well-insulated and air sealed home year-round.
References
U.S. Department of Energy – Air Sealing Your Home energy.gov
(describes benefits of reducing air leaks for cost, comfort, durability, and indoor air quality)
U.S. Department of Energy – Types of Insulation: Spray-Foam and Foamed-In-Place Insulation
energy.gov (explains that foam insulation can be blown into places to insulate and reduce air leakage, filling even small cavities and creating an air barrier)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (ENERGY STAR Program) – Methodology for Estimated Energy Savings energystar.gov (EPA estimates an average 15% heating/cooling cost savings by air sealing and insulating homes to recommended levels)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency – Air Sealing Improves Energy Efficiency and Air Quality nepis.epa.gov (EPA fact sheet noting that air leakage and poorly installed insulation can waste 20% or more of the energy used for heating and cooling a house)
Gael F. Cooper, CNET – Heating Remains the Top Use of Home Energy
cnet.com (citing U.S. EIA data: air conditioning accounts for about 28% of total home energy usage in Florida, versus only 2% in Maine, illustrating the impact of Florida’s climate on energy demand)
WeatherSpark – Climate and Average Weather Year Round in Tallahassee, FL weatherspark.com (describes Tallahassee’s climate as having long, hot, “oppressive” summers with high humidity and mild winters, as well as year-round precipitation)
North American Insulation Institute – Florida Building Code Energy Conservation Summary insulationinstitute.org (highlights Florida’s requirement of ≤7 ACH50 air leakage in new homes and mandatory blower-door testing, pushing tighter building envelopes)
Honeywell (BASF) – Closed-Cell SPF: The Ideal Insulation for Hurricane and Severe Weather Zones prod-edam.honeywell.com
(brochure noting that closed-cell spray foam adds structural strength, wind uplift resistance, and water resistance, making it well-suited for hurricane-prone humid areas)
Wikimedia Commons – Spray foam insulation being applied to roof and walls (Image by Cdpweb161, CC BY-SA 3.0)
