Understanding Attic Insulation

26 August 2022
 Categories: , Blog


Insulation helps keep your home naturally warm or cool. While it is found in many parts of your home, the attic is one of the most important locations. If you would like to know more about attic insulation, keep reading.

Why Is Attic Insulation Important?

Attic insulation is incredibly important during the summer and winter. In the winter, attic insulation prevents heat loss. Hot air naturally rises, so the warm air in your home rises to the ceiling and then into the attic before it tries to escape. A good layer of insulation hinders the warm air from getting into the attack, keeping the warmth where you need it.

In the summer, the attic gets incredibly hot. Cold air from inside the home steals some of this heat, increasing the temperature down below. A good layer of insulation also hinders this process, so you don't need to keep playing with the thermostat to stay cool. In turn, insulation helps reduce your heating and cooling bills.

How Can You Tell if You Need More Attic Insulation?

The leading sign you need more attic insulation is high energy bills without explanation. However, other signs may include:

  • Ice dams on gutters
  • Cold drafts
  • Cold walls/ceilings/floors
  • Frozen pipes

If your attic is unfinished, you can tell if you need more insulation by looking inside. Ideally, you want about 10 to 14 inches of insulation.

Besides the standard insulation, check the HVAC system ducts. There should be special insulation wrapped around the ducts to prevent heat loss and gain inside the ducts.

What Type of Attic Insulation Should You Consider?

The type of attic insulation you need depends on many factors. If you already have blanket (batts and rolls) insulation or loose-fill insulation, you can simply add more on top of what you already have to quickly and cheaply increase the R-value. If the attic is finished, technicians can use special equipment to blow loose-fill insulation through a small hole.  

However, foam insulation has the highest R-value, and you will need all the old insulation removed to install it. Spray foam insulation expands as it dries, making it better seal your attic from air and moisture. Foam boards can also be used. They have a high R-value, but they can't expand to fill every crevice like spray foam insulation.

Attic insulation is important, and it's easy to add more insulation. In turn, this can drastically reduce your heating and cooling bills. To learn more about attic insulation installation, contact a provider in your area today.


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