It makes sense to most people that the winter months call for insulation in your home. No doubt about that. When those chill breezes sweep over the hills, having strong home insulation will help you keep your home toasty without running the furnace all the time. You can think of proper attic insulation as a cozy blanket for your home.
But what about the rest of the year? Do we still need good insulation in the summertime?
Four-Season Benefits to a Well Insulated Home
Like the McDLT, the Cool Stays Cooler Too
Remember the McDLT? That fast-food meal that took pride in keeping the lettuce and tomato cold while the burger itself was hot? The point here is that good insulation will keep the proverbial lettuce and tomato fresh and chilled. Although you’re not trying to keep your home toasty warm in the summer, you ARE trying to keep the indoor air from leaking outdoors. The more interior air that escapes, the more you have to run your air conditioner to keep the interior temperature in your home comfortable in the summer. During the summer months, you will not need to run your air conditioner for as many hours, or at such a low temperature, if your attic is properly insulated. According to energy.gov, you can save up to 20% on the energy costs for both heating and air conditioning if you add insulation to your attic. This includes adding insulation to floors, crawl spaces, and the rim joists around your basement. Reducing air leaks will reduce those energy costs as well.
Your Home Will Be Quieter
The insulation does not just keep the treated (i.e. heated or cooled) air in. It keeps the untreated outdoor air out. By that same token, that insulation keeps sound waves out as well. And – this is something many people do not take into account – the sound bleed between rooms drops as well. Less sound will be transmitted through the floors and walls of your home, which means that better insulation means more privacy within your own home. Your refrigerator hum will not travel as far. The ambient sounds from other appliances will be more contained as well. Perhaps most comfortingly, you will not hear the voices and televisions of other people in other rooms quite as much.
Insulation is an All-Year Issue
Throughout the year, proper home insulation will serve you well. A well insulated attic will create an environmental cushion between your home and the exterior climate. It helps to keep temperature and humidity regulated. All of this helps to keep your home heating and cooling bills lower (because you aren’t wasting energy pumping warm or cool air out of your house) and will even prolong the life of your roof. When a roof is subjected to too great of a temperature differential, between a hot, uninsulated attic and the frigid outdoor temperatures, this heat stress can cause damage to your roof’s structure over time. And an overly warm roof underside can cause the creation of ice dams that can force water runoff up under your roof surface, facilitating mold and mildew growth and devastating your roof.
Attic Insulation is No Joke
If you’re concerned that your home is under-insulated, or you’re worried that your insulation may be harboring mold or mildew already, please give a call to your local roofing company. Here in Cincinnati, your trusted roofing contractors here at Harper Siding & Roofing can evaluate the state of your existing insulation, and can make a reliable, confident suggestion as to what your home might need in terms of improved attic insulation. Give us a call today to get your insulation checked and to give yourself peace of mind.