While previous generations may have been content to live in drafty houses, most people now want comfortable warm houses. A healthy house today is well sealed, well insulated and properly ventilated. A well-insulated house is a bit like dressing for the weather. A wool sweater will keep you warm if the wind is not blowing and it is not raining. On a windy, rainy day, wearing a nylon shell over your wool sweater helps keep you reasonably dry and warm. A house is similar. On the outside, underneath the brick or siding, there is an air barrier that does the same thing as the nylon—it keeps the wind from blowing through. Then there is the insulation (like your sweater) and a vapour barrier, which helps keep moisture away from the house structure where it can do damage.
Signs of insulation problems
In the winter
-Walls cold to touch
-Cold floors
-High heating costs
-Uneven heating levels within building
-Mold growing on walls
In the summer
-Uncomfortably hot inside air
-High cooling costs
-Ineffectiveness of air conditioning system
-Mold growing in basement
