February 4, 2020
If you’re somewhat familiar with the fundamentals of home performance and energy efficiency, you’re likely aware of the big role that attic insulation can play in your Charlotte home’s energy usage as well as the overall comfort for you and your family.
Attics without proper insulation accelerate what is known as the “stack effect” in your home. In the winter, the stack effect draws warm air up and out the top of your home, pulling cold outdoor air in through the bottom. In the summer, the stack effect is reversed, and hot summer air infiltrates your home through the attic, pushing cold air down and out the bottom.
If your attic is under insulated, you could be losing lots of energy, and upgrading your home could result in significant energy savings. But how do you tell if you have enough insulation? Can you put too much insulation in the attic? What is the standard for insulation in an attic, and if you reinsulate your attic, will your energy costs go down?
Here are some of the common signs that adding insulation in the attic will make a difference for your home. Learn how to reduce your electricity bill, as well as our recommendations for taking the next steps towards making your home energy efficient with proper home insulation.
Inconsistent Temperatures or Indoor Drafts
Is the upstairs of your home colder in the winter compared to the downstairs, and warmer in the summer? Do you feel drafts in your second floor rooms? Uneven or inconsistent temperatures throughout your house, especially between different stories, is a strong sign that you don’t have enough attic insulation.
High Energy Bills
Are your monthly heating and cooling costs slowly creeping up? Do they seem high compared to what your friends and neighbors say they’re paying? If you’re wondering how to save on your electric bills, proper insulation can make a significant difference.
Icicles and Ice Dams
Ice dams certainly aren’t as common a problem for homeowners in the Charlotte area as they can be for Americans who live further north, but all you need is a few days of freezing temps to create big issues in your home. If you’ve noticed icicles or ice dams forming on your roof when it’s cold, it’s because heat is escaping from the attic under your roof due to insufficient insulation.
Indoor Air Quality Issues and Allergy-Like Symptoms
Are you suffering from indoor air quality issues in your home, or allergy symptoms that you haven’t identified a cause for? IAQ issues can be caused by mold from insulation that’s gotten wet, or by animal waste left behind by creatures such as mice in the insulation of your attic. Unhealthy air problems in a home, including the various symptoms of wet insulation in an attic, can often be traced back to under insulation or deteriorated insulation.
Your Insulation Looks Old or Worn Out
If your attic is unfinished, and you have access to it, a visual inspection of your attic insulation can be an easy way to see if there are any obvious deficiencies.
Over time, insulation can settle or age and deteriorate, losing its R-value and general effectiveness. If the visible attic insulation looks soiled, flattened down, or there are gaps and areas where the insulation is no longer covering, (moisture can ruin certain types of insulation, so if you’re wondering what to do if your attic insulation gets wet, you should probably replace it!) that’s a good sign that you no longer have enough insulation to keep your home comfortable and energy efficient.
Find a Solution to Your Attic Insulation Problems with Standard
Still think you may have an insulation issue in your attic? Call the home performance experts at Standard Insulating Company and schedule a free energy analysis, often called a home energy audit. An analysis includes insulation measurement as well as diagnostic testing like infrared thermal imaging that will determine exactly how energy efficient your home currently is, and where weak spots in your insulation (or air leaks in need of sealing!) exist.
Then, we can make recommendations as to the best way to move forward and make your house more energy efficient. We’ll also answer any questions you might have like “What’s the best insulation for attics in old homes?”, “How deep should insulation be in an attic?” and “How much insulation do I need in my attic?”