When COVID-19 converted living spaces across the country into home offices, it was hard to predict that we would be working from home for the foreseeable future. The pandemic has drastically reshaped the workforce, and remote work is expected to stay. A survey from the Business Development Bank of Canada found that 74% of businesses will allow their employees to work from home post-pandemic.

There are many perks of working from home, like saving money on gas, clothes and daily coffee runs. It may feel like staying inside is helping to cut costs, but it can also rack up big utility bills.

Productivity Takes Energy

Now that the warm summer is upon us, we are running our air conditioners all day to stay comfortable and productive during work hours. This conditioned air is expensive, and it is important to keep it inside our homes–not escaping to the outdoors.

When it comes to your energy bills, there are two types of air:

• Free Air – The air outside your home
• Expensive Air - The air you pay to condition inside your home for comfort!

In the summer, your AC cools down the hot free air so it is comfortable indoors. The cost to cool down this hot summer air is expensive, and a good insulation system is key for keeping the expensive air inside your home. Spray foam insulation is an excellent material to maintain a comfortable home, and here is why:

5 Reasons Why Spray Foam Insulation Improves Home Comfort

1. Air quality: Air-tight seal keeps unwanted pollutants out, and healthy clean air in.
2. Consistent temperatures: A more controlled environment with no hot and cold spots.
3. Moisture Control: Minimized air movement which limits moisture condensation and heat loss.
4. Mold and mildew: Air-sealing properties eliminates condensation to prevent the growth of mold and mildew.
5. Quieter space: Air barrier properties block the movement of sound waves through the air, creating a quieter and more productive space.

Keeping Cool and Cutting Costs

In addition to keeping your home office comfortable, Spray Foam also drastically reduces energy bills.

The Department of Energy (D.O.E) reports air leakage can account for as much as 40% of the energy cost to heat and cool your home. Imagine having a house with air gaps and insulation that allows air to escape. The expensive air you’ve paid for could go literally out the window!

The purpose of insulation is to resist heat flow in or out of your home. Many people look to R-value as the indicator of an insulation’s efficacy – but that number only tells part of the story. While R-Value measures an insulation’s ability to reduce heat gain or loss, air-sealing is equally important to reduce unwanted air flow. Spray foam is unique in its ability to provide two important benefits in one product: thermal comfort and air sealing.

Stay Home, Stay Sustainable

Working from home also means more home energy consumption. Even if you’re not commuting into the office, you could still be increasing your carbon footprint with excess heating and cooling. If your home is not properly insulated and air-sealed, your HVAC system needs to work overtime to compensate for the cooled or heated air that has escaped.

Spray foam covers all the gaps, and imperfections of a space and is designed to last for a very long time—for the life of your building. The flexibility and durability of spray foam makes it one of the most energy-efficient materials available. Lower energy consumption makes both your wallet and our planet happier.

Create the Perfect Work Climate at Home

Keeping your home at the perfect temperature is not just about comfort–it’s about your productivity too. As work-from-home continues to be normalized, upgrading an under-insulated home may be worth the expense. A strong insulation system will help you achieve reduced energy bills, help improve your air quality, have quieter Zoom calls, and a more comfortable climate to help you excel at work.

To learn more about Elastochem's line of premium spray foam insulation, contact us.

Quick Links:

• Save up to $5000 on home insulation upgrades through the Greener Home Grant
• Benefits of Spray foam for your home