Although insulation is usually associated with heating in the winter months, its benefits are equally important in the summertime as well. By adding extra insulation to your home now, you’ll increase its ability to keep out the summer heat and subsequently keep in the warmth you’ll want during the cold New England winter.

With year-round energy savings, this basic improvement can pay for itself very quickly. What’s more, for installations recommended through an NSTAR energy audit, we’ll pay 75 percent of the cost up to $2,000.

Increasing your home’s insulation is one of the fastest and most cost-effective ways to reduce energy waste and make the most of your energy dollars.

An effective insulating system includes a combination of items that protect a home from outside hot or cold temperatures, guard against air leaks and control moisture.

Investing in proper insulation and sealing air leaks will help you to increase the comfort of your home along with reducing your heating and cooling needs by as much as 10 percent.

By today’s standards, only 20 percent of homes built before 1980 are well-insulated. Adding insulation to the attic is relatively easy and very cost-effective. To find out if you have enough, measure the thickness of the existing insulation. If there’s less than six inches of fiberglass or rock wool, or less than seven inches of cellulose, you’ll likely benefit by adding more.

If your attic has enough insulation and your home still feels uncomfortably warm in the summer, or cold and drafty in the winter, chances are you can benefit from additional insulation in the exterior walls. This more expensive step usually requires a contractor, but the energy savings and increased comfort may be worth the added cost.

For help in determining if your home needs more insulation, call 800-632-8300 to see if it qualifies for a free energy audit.

For more energy saving tips and information, click on "Energy Efficiency" in the left-hand side menu above. In my next column, I’ll continue with the topic of tightening up your home by discussing air leaks in more detail.