RISMEDIA, February 23, 2011—If heat is escaping your home, this is the time of year when you’ll feel it—in most areas of the country anyway—not just physically, but in your wallet. Too many people spend way more than they should on heating a home due to heat escape. Your first instinct, if you’re spinning your wheels trying to heat your home, is that the culprits are things you see every day, from picture windows in the living room to your bathroom skylight. And those very well might be part of the problem. But you may not know that a huge potential source of heat loss is the basement. In fact, basements can account for over one-third of a home’s heat loss.

A major reason for this is incorrect insulation in basements. There are many types of insulation and the best choice for your basement is based on the area where you live and the age of your home: fiberglass, mineral wool blanketing, loose fill (cellulose, fiberglass or vermiculite) and spray foam. One of the most effective types, however, is rigid board insulation (typically either fiberglass boards or foam polystyrene boards). This type is typically the most expensive and tough to fit into irregular spaces, but many find the initial cost and effort well worth it in energy savings.