Hidden behind your walls, up in your attic, and in the basement is one of the silent heroes of your overall home performance and comfort — insulation! And no matter what extremes the four seasons bring the Chicago Southland area, proper insulation will keep the heat inside your home when you need it in the winter, and hot summer air out when it is necessary (as well as your cool conditioned air in). But how can you know when this quiet protector of your comfortable indoor temperatures is in need of an upgrade?
Assure Insulation has been helping Illinois and Indiana homeowners reduce their energy bills, decrease the wear and tear on their heating and cooling systems, and stay more comfortable for nearly a decade. Here are the signs that your attic insulation may be insufficient, straight from the experts on midwest home comfort.
The Negative Effects of Poor Insulation
Many homeowners describe insulation as “the fluffy stuff up in the attic”. And because insulation can often look like a winter blanket for your home, it is common for homeowners to assume insulation is only useful during the winter months. After all, you wouldn't wear a winter jacket in the heat of summer, would you? But this is a gross underestimation of insulation’s role in maintaining a comfortable home.
Attic insulation prevents the transfer of heat between the great outdoors and your living space — but it goes both ways. If the heat is inside, insulation will keep it where you need it. If the heat is outside, insulation prevents it from infiltrating your attic and undermining all the hard work your air conditioning unit puts in keeping your home cool. So, how can you know if your insulation isn’t doing its job?
Signs of a Poorly Insulated Attic
1. Rising Energy Bills
Think back to the last few years — have your energy bills seen a spike over the last year? As we mentioned, outdated insulation will make the job of your heating and cooling equipment much harder. This means increased electricity usage and energy bills, and can lead to unexpected furnace and air conditioner breakdowns.
2. Unpredictable Indoor Temperatures
Are you taking multiple trips to adjust the thermostat setting to your liking, without feeling much of a change? Or perhaps as soon as your living room reaches the desired temperature, it seems to change again? Outdated and insufficient insulation leads to unpredictable temperatures, minute to minute and room to room.
3. Indoor Drafts
Speaking of room to room, the less consistent the temperatures are in your home, the more indoor drafts you may feel. If your living room is nice and toasty but the upstairs bedroom is frigid, all of that hot air will rush to the cooler areas. When this is combined with any existing air leaks in your attic (or the rest of your home, for that matter), you may be able to feel slight breezes in certain areas of your home. This is a sure-fire sign your home is in need of an insulation upgrade, and maybe even professional air sealing!
4. Moisture Problems & Pest Infestations
Was there a leak in your roof recently? What about a burst pipe, or some good old fashioned extreme humidity? Moisture is the death of insulation — rendering it useless. Attic insulation is also prime real estate for pests, like mice, roaches, small birds, rats, and other vermin. If you‘ve experienced either of these issues, proper removal of your insulation will be necessary before you upgrade your attic insulation. We do not recommend you try and remove any insulation yourself. Moving your insulation can stir up harmful contaminants like asbestos and mold, so it is best left to the professionals.
Assessing Your Insulation: Home Energy Audit
If you’ve suspected your insulation may be out of date and have been asking “how much insulation do I need in my attic?”, you can find the answers with a professional home energy audit. The Assured Insulation home energy audit is a thorough, diagnostic inspection of all of the systems that affect your home performance, including your attic, wall, and basement insulation. After your audit, you will receive a report outlining our insulation recommendations, along with any other tips and services that will increase the efficiency of your home. We will even recommend the best type of insulation for your home, like environmentally friendly cellulose insulation, or the air sealing and insulating properties of spray foam insulation!