When it comes to your home in Dripping Springs, Texas, the attic could be hiding a secret that's raising your utility bills. Poor attic insulation can allow heat to escape from the house and cause various problems. As an expert, I can quickly tell if your insulation was incorrectly installed. Here are some signs of poor attic insulation and how to care for it to reduce energy waste and avoid other problems.
When looking at the other side of the attic, if the insulation is at the same level or below the attic floor joists, you probably need to add more insulation. If you can't see any of the floor joists because the insulation is way above them, you probably have enough, and adding more insulation may not be cost-effective. Regardless of the type of insulation you currently have in your attic, a quick way to determine if you need more is to look around the entire length of the attic. It is important that the insulation is evenly distributed without low spots; sometimes there is enough insulation in the center of the attic and very little along the eaves.
To see how to add insulation to the eaves, see Installing beam-shaped ventilation grilles. Confirm if the attic insulation is the culprit by securing all windows and doors and checking if there are still drafts. A lot of them have added attic insulation in the wrong places, so I want to help customers understand the impact. Since the attic is a fundamental part of your home's exterior “energy envelope”, insulation must be installed on the attic floor or between the roof structure of the lower floor. Now that you've hermetically sealed the attic and basement, check the attic's insulation levels and add more if needed. Another sign that attic insulation contributes to home heating problems is if you notice different temperature zones throughout the house.
The insulation will also change the thermal characteristics of the attic to keep it at a different temperature than the outside air. By adding additional insulation, you don't need to use the same type of insulation that currently exists in the attic. If the living room on the ground floor has a pleasant and warm temperature, while the master bedroom on the top floor is very cold, it is very likely that the insulation of the attic will not be sufficient. A thin layer or lack of insulation in the attic can allow heat from inside your home to escape outside it. When this problem occurs, it is not only necessary to solve any pest issues but also to replace or increase your attic's insulation volume.
The recommended level for most attics is to insulate to a height of R-38 or around 10 to 14 inches, depending on the type of insulation. A final sign that your attic insulation may need to be adjusted or replaced is if there are drafts in your house. If you think your home is losing money due to a draft or an unsealed attic, I can help by taking a look at it. I can use a thermal camera to find cold spots and holes and determine if it's possible to fill them in depending on how old your insulation is. It would be better to replace your attic insulation completely instead of filling in any gaps.
