Your attic is one of the most important parts of your home when it comes to insulation.
If it is not well insulated, you could be in for a number of issues that pop up throughout the year as the temperature and weather changes. In this blog post, we will discuss the different reasons why a well-insulated attic is important for your home.
We will also cover the effects of a poorly insulated attic and how you can prevent this from happening!
Why Is an Insulated Attic Important?
Attics are more than just a place to store boxes and Christmas decorations. They are an important part of your home’s climate control system. Attics work to keep the temperature consistent in your home by trapping heat in the winter and keeping the cool air in during the summer.
Here are a few reasons why keeping a well-insulated attic is important:
Saves You Money on Energy Bills
Insulating your attic will help you save money on your energy bills throughout the year. Attics are usually one of the biggest sources of heat loss in a home, which means that if they aren’t insulated properly then all that heat could be escaping out through cracks or gaps between boards and studs.
A well-insulated attic can reduce heating costs by up to 30%!
Insulation helps prevent excess air from leaking out through these holes, so your house is more energy efficient, and there is less need for you to use as much energy to keep your house at your ideal temperature.
Keeps Your Home at the Right Temperature All Year Round
If you have an uninsulated attic — especially during extreme weather conditions — it can affect how your home feels. Attics work to keep the temperature consistent in your home by trapping heat in the winter and keeping the cool air in during the summer months.
In warmer climates, a poorly insulated attic can lead to overheating that causes discomfort inside rooms below, like bedrooms or living rooms where there isn’t much airflow.
Reduces Moisture Buildup on Roofs and Attic Floors
One of the biggest problems that can occur when you have a poorly insulated attic is moisture buildup. This often happens in colder climates where there’s more moisture in the air, and it can cause all sorts of damage to your home.
Moisture can lead to mold growth, which can be harmful to your health. It can also cause warping or rotting of roof decking and rafters, and even create an environment for pests like rats or raccoons to take up residence in your attic!
What Can Happen if I Have a Poorly Insulated Attic?
If you have a poorly insulated attic, there are a few things that could happen:
Bugs and Small Animals Can Make Your Home, Their Home
If your attic is not well-insulated, you might find yourself dealing with bugs or small animals making their home in the space.
Attics are usually out of sight and out of mind for most homeowners, so they don’t often think about what could be living up there until something goes wrong! This can lead to an infestation that takes over your entire house if left unchecked.
Bugs like termites love damp wood and will start chewing through it as soon as they find a source — like an uninsulated roof beam or joist board — while mice are attracted by any food scraps they might come across during their search for shelter from cold temperatures outside. If left alone long enough, these pests can wreak havoc on your home and cost you a lot of money in repairs!
Mold Can Grow and Cause Health Problems
As mentioned above, if there is excessive moisture build-up in your attic due to a lack of insulation, it can lead to the growth of mold.
Mold spores are tiny and can be easily inhaled, which can cause all sorts of health problems like asthma attacks, respiratory infections, or even longer-term issues like chronic fatigue syndrome.
Not only is mold unsightly and dangerous for your health, but it can also damage the materials in your home, including furniture, flooring, drywall, etc. If you think you might have a mold problem in your attic, it’s best to call in a professional to take a look and make sure it’s not something more serious, like termites or carpenter ants!
Your Attic Can’t Keep Your Home Cool or Warm Enough
When it’s hot outside, a poorly insulated attic will allow heat from the sun into your living space.
Attics are meant to keep any outside temperatures out of your home and maintain an even temperature throughout every room in the house — but without enough insulation up there, this won’t work properly!
Having an uninsulated attic can also make things uncomfortable for those who live with allergies or asthma because their bodies don’t respond well to high temperatures that create more dust in the air.
It Can Affect the Value of Your Home
If you have a poorly insulated attic, it can affect how much your home is worth when it comes time to sell.
The reason for this is that buyers aren’t willing to pay top dollar for properties that don’t meet their standards — and an uninsulated attic could mean higher utility bills and lower resale values down the line!
How To Tell if Your Attic Insulation Isn’t Working?
If you think your attic insulation might not be working the way it should, there are a few things you can do to test it.
One is to go into your attic on a hot day and feel the rafters or roof decking — if they’re warm to the touch, that means that all of the heat from the sun outside is being transferred into your home! If this happens, it means you need more insulation installed.
If you are testing in the colder months, the same goes for if your rafters or roof decking feel cold to the touch.
It’s recommended to check your attic’s insulation for issues every three years.
Looking at your utility bills may also give you an idea of the state of your insulation — if they’re higher than normal and/or rising rapidly over time, that could mean poor attic insulation too! Attic Insulation.
Types of Insulation for Your Attic
There are a few different types of insulation that can be used in your attic: fiberglass, cellulose, mineral wool, and foam.Fiberglass
The most commonly used type of insulation is fiberglass. It is made up of tiny glass fibers that trap air to create an insulating barrier. It comes in batts or rolls and is usually installed between joists or studs.
You can also use blown-in (loose-fill) fiberglass, which works well for small spaces and hard-to-reach areas like corners of roofs where it’s difficult to fit batt insulation between rafters because there isn’t enough room.
Cellulose
Cellulose is made up of recycled paper products and is treated with a fire retardant. It’s usually installed in attics using a blower, which distributes the insulation evenly.
Mineral Wool
Also known as rock or slag wool, mineral wool is made from natural materials like rocks and volcanic ash. It comes in batts, rolls, or loose-fill form and can be used in attics or walls.
Foam Insulation
Made from polyurethane, foam insulation can be installed either between studs or on top of existing material, like drywall, to create an airtight seal that will keep out moisture as well as heat (or cold).
Call the Experts at T. Simpson Roofing To Help
If you’re not sure whether your attic is well-insulated, don’t know how to fix the problem, or just want someone with expert knowledge to take care of it for you, call the experts at T. Simpson Roofing.
We will inspect your attic insulation to see if it needs to be replaced or updated and recommend how much the cost of the new material would be best based on your home and budget.
Our team is ready to help! Attics are often forgotten about until something goes wrong. Get ahead of the problem with a well-insulated attic from T. Simpson Roofing — it will save you money and headaches down the road!
Request a quote or reach us by email or phone by visiting our contact page using the link below.