https://www.heating-air-conditioning.net/ Thermal insulation is defined as the reduction of heat transfer between objects in thermal contact or in range of radiative influence. The importance of insulation lies in its ability to lower BTU usage by managing as much as possible the inefficient wasting of it due to the entropic nature of heat – it tends to flow from warmer to cooler until there are no longer temperature differences. Generally, newer homes have better insulating ability than older homes due to technological advances as well as more strict building code. Owners of older homes with dated insulation that decide to upgrade will not only improve on the ability for the home to insulate (resulting in friendlier utility bills and warmer winters), but also have the value appreciation of their homes. The R-value is the commonly used measure of thermal resistance, or ability of heat to transfer from hot to cold through materials and their assembly. The higher the R-value of a certain material, the more it is resistant to the heat transfer. In other words, when shopping for home insulation, higher R-value products are better at insulating, though they're usually more expensive. When deciding on the proper input of insulation condition into the calculator, use generalized assumptions. A beach bungalow built in the 1800s with no renovations should probably be classified as poor. A 3-year-old home inside a newly developed community most likely deserves a good rating. Windows normally has poorer thermal resistance than walls. Therefore, a room with lots of windows normally means poor insulation. When possible try to install double glazed windows to improve insulation.