This can make you feel more comfortable in your home, especially if you have high ceilings. The short answer is yes, insulating the attic is an effective way to keep your home cooler during the summer months. While it's a fact that attic insulation will keep the house warm during the winter, it's not immediately obvious that insulation can also help keep the house comfortable during the summer. Contaminants from outside can enter your home through air leaks caused by poor air sealing and poorly insulated attic spaces.
Insulating the attic prevents these contaminants from spreading throughout the house, allowing the family to breathe better and enjoy cleaner indoor air. Installing new insulation can also remove contaminants that may have infested the current insulation. Attic insulation reduces heat build-up in the attic and damages the roof's first line of defense. According to the Department of Energy, the R value of the insulating material must be at least R-30, and thicker layers of insulation must achieve higher R values.
In many cases, paying a professional contractor to add insulation to your attic will pay for itself in a few years. An attic with adequate insulation can benefit your home in many ways, in addition to keeping the house at a comfortable temperature all year round. One of the most important aspects of attic insulation is that it allows heating and cooling equipment to operate less frequently. In the end, attic insulation not only helps keep you warm in winter, but it also helps keep the whole house cool in the hot, sticky summer months. Proper attic insulation is critical to improving indoor comfort all year round and saving money while doing so.
By properly insulating your home, you reduce the amount of chemicals released by your home systems to regulate the temperature. The insulation acts to fill and block these cracks and gaps that have a negative effect on the overall energy efficiency of the house. The insulation, specially formulated with a radiant barrier, protects your home from the heat of the roof and the sun, which in turn reduces the frequency with which the air conditioner is turned on. Adding insulation to the attic space is a great way to ensure that these rooms are kept warm at night and early in the morning, when temperatures are at their lowest. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, you can save an average of 30% on utility costs by sealing and insulating your home's attic space.
Insulating and air-sealing your attic may be the most energy-saving project you could do in your home. This can only be achieved when the attic is insulated and its components, including the ceiling and the fascia, are working conditions. Adding insulation to the attic can help greatly decrease the amount of these irritants entering the home. Good insulation in the attic keeps moisture away, which means that mold and bacteria that can damage building materials don't find an environment to thrive.
