Homeowners often associate insulation with cold weather, checking on the condition of their attic every year to ensure their home is able to retain heat throughout the winter. However, attic insulation plays an important role in HVAC performance and home comfort all year round, not just during the cold winter months. The better insulated a home is, the more efficiently it can be heated and cooled, which means lower energy bills for homeowners. 

 

Let’s dive deeper into the importance of adequate attic insulation, explore different attic insulation options, and review some of the common signs that indicate you need to replace your home’s insulation. 

 

Attic insulation seals off any gaps in the structure of your attic that could allow heat or air conditioning to escape your home, which helps significantly reduce energy costs. Sealing off these gaps also prevents moisture and pests from entering your home, both of which can create a variety of other problems for homeowners. 

 

Several factors can weaken attic insulation and make your home susceptible to home comfort issues, including outdoor humidity, leaky roofs, pest infestation, and age. As insulation degrades and shifts over time, sections of your attic’s structure can become exposed, rendering the insulation ineffective. 

 

While it is true that newer insulation can last for quite a long time, many homes are not equipped with modern insulation. Homes that were built more than 10 years ago may not be up to the latest insulation standards, so unless your house was recently built, or you’ve replaced your insulation within the last 10 years or so, there’s a good chance your home is not properly insulated. 

 

If you constantly need to crank the heat or air conditioning to keep your home comfortable, or notice drafts in certain areas of your home, you may need to consider replacing your attic insulation. Look out for these common signs of poor insulation:

 

Indoor temperature changes. When attic insulation shifts, outdoor air can enter your home and compromise your heating and cooling system’s ability to adequately regulate indoor temperature. 

 

Drafts are also common indicators of an insulation problem. If you notice drafts in certain areas of your home, even when windows and doors are closed, call a home performance expert to assess the condition of your attic insulation. 

 

 

High energy costs. Since our bodies are able to adjust to temperature changes pretty easily, we may not notice changes in indoor temperature. You’ll be able to tell whether or not your insulation is working properly when you get your energy bills, however. High energy costs can indicate an issue with your attic insulation, as your HVAC will need to work harder to keep indoor temperatures stable.

 

Pest infestation. Damp, dirty insulation is an ideal nest for a variety of rodents and other pests, including bats and birds. If your home has been invaded by vermin, you’ll likely need to replace your attic insulation. Even if you’re able to eradicate the pests from your home, feces they’ve left in the insulation can put your health and the health of your family members at risk. 

 

Mold and mildew. When attic insulation comes into contact with moisture, whether it be from a leaky roof or the absence of vapor barriers, the material quickly degrades and becomes ineffective. Plus, wet insulation often leads to mold and mildew growth, which is hazardous to your family’s health.

 

Signs there may be mold spores in indoor air include inexplicable allergy symptoms, a musty smell, and water stains on ceilings or walls. 

 

 

If you think you may be in need of an attic insulation replacement, call the home performance experts at CroppMetcalfe to schedule a free insulation consultation.

 

Common attic insulation options include:

 

Rolls or batts. Typically made of fiberglass or cotton, batt insulation is laid out in large blankets along the floor and walls of the attic. 

 

Blown-in insulation. Blocks of cellulose or fiberglass insulation are shredded into small pieces and sprayed across the floor of the attic to create a seamless coat of insulation. 

 

Spray foam. This type of insulation is the most effective, as it can seal up cracks and crevices typically missed by blown-in or batt insulations. 

 

From start to finish, CroppMetcalfe’s Five-Star Technicians can provide you with a custom attic insulation solution that fits your specific needs. Call us at 1-877-740-6657 or schedule an appointment online today.