The North American Insulation Manufacturers Association (NAIMA) estimates 90% of US homes to be under-insulated. This means they incur higher energy bills compared to optimally insulated homes. Insulating your attic is one way to reduce your home’s energy bills significantly. You can check here for Austin attic insulation to schedule an insulation inspection and installation for your home. An attic inspection is vital to determine the correct amount of insulation needed to meet the US Department of Energy’s accepted R-Value. In most homes, attics have been found to miss up to 50% of the required insulation.
How Insulation Works
In simple terms, insulation works by inhibiting heat movement into or out of your home in summer or winter. Understanding this phenomenon in more complex and scientific terms requires an in-depth understanding of conduction, convection, and radiation principles. Let’s look at an analogy to support our previous simple explanation; heat always tends to balance off, and naturally, it will flow from warmer to cooler regions until an equilibrium state is achieved.
In the summer, the heat trapped in your attic or that from outside will find a way into your home through connection points such as the ceiling or the walls. The opposite will happen in the winter as heat will find a way out of your home from any openings into the attic, garage, and outside.
A functioning insulation system effectively prevents natural heat flows to and from your home.
What is R-Value?
R-Value is the measure of a particular insulation type to resist heat flow. An insulating material with a higher R-Value has an increased capacity to resist heat flow compared to one with a lower R-Value. The R-Value of insulating material is affected directly by its thickness, density, and material type. For instance, increasing the thickness of a particular insulating material translates to a higher R-Value and, by extension, more capacity to resist heat flow.
How Much Insulation and R-Value Do I Need for My Attic?
The first step to answering this common question is determining how much insulation you have in your attic if any. A quick visual inspection of your attic will give you a grasp. Look around your attic to gauge how deep the existing insulation is by comparing it with the floor joists. The insulating ability and the R-Value of any insulating material are diminished if you can see the floor joists, and you probably need to consider adding more. You can use a ruler to get the exact insulation depth in inches. You can use a different type of insulation when topping up your existing insulation to the desired level.
Homeowners insulating their attic for the first time are advised to work with an insulation contractor who’s well-versed with the recommended R-Values in their geographical region. Typically, the entire US is defined by 7 distinct climatic zones, and all have different recommended R-Values. For instance, the North Texas area falls under climate zone 3, where homeowners are advised to have an R-Value between 38-49 in their attics. Homeowners in southern and central Texas are expected to have an R-Value of at least 30 in their attics.
How Much Money Can I Save by Insulating My Attic?
While insulating your attic may rank lowest in a list of alluring home improvement projects you can think of, it’s one of the most practical. Successfully insulating your attic will pay off in many ways, such as;
- Reducing your energy costs (air conditioning during summer and heating costs during winter)
- Ensuring your home is comfortable in extreme weather conditions
- Improved soundproofing from your roof
- Increasing your home’s value
- Qualifying for a local or state utility rebate
- Increased pest resistance
But how much exactly will the project save you? While there are no cold hard numbers to substantiate this, estimates from the EPA put it at an average of 11% of total energy costs off your usual energy bill if the insulation is done correctly. This translates to about $200 worth of yearly savings for most households.
Whether you’ve chosen to renew or add more insulation to your attic, remember that choosing the right insulation contractor is crucial for a successful installation. They should have the proper tools and experience for the job. Settling for the wrong contractor could easily lead to adverse errors such as gaps within the insulation, inadequate R-Values, and many more. As such, you should ensure to take your time to vet potential installers. One way to identify a reputable and experienced attic insulation installer is by having a list of vital things to consider when making your decision. Some include builder’s license & insurance, warranties & guarantees, reputation, and location.
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