Does your Utica, Rome, or Frankfort home get too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter, particularly on the upper floors? It’s very likely that you need new attic insulation!
Upgrading your home insulation can result in both lower utility bills and increased home comfort—keep reading to find out why.
Why Is Insulating Your House and Attic So Important?
Insulating your home has two primary purposes. The first is to keep outdoor temperatures out of your living space. The second is to keep conditioned air from escaping—in the summer, that’s the air your air conditioning or heat pump generates; in the winter, it’s your furnace, boiler, or heat pump (read more about the year-round advantages of heat pumps here).
Insulation slows the transfer of heat between the indoors and outdoors, and because of the way heat tends to move through a house, the top of your home—your attic—is one of the main places where heat loss occurs. That’s why proper attic insulation can have so many benefits, including:
-
Reduced energy costs
Your HVAC system won’t need to run as often, decreasing your monthly heating and cooling costs.
-
Improved home comfort
Upgrades will prevent drafts, and create more consistent temperatures throughout your house.
-
Improved soundproofing
Insulation is a good sound barrier, blocking outdoor noise and making your home quieter and more enjoyable to live in.
What Kind of Insulation Is Best for Attics?
There are a number of different kinds of insulation, each made of different materials. While every house has unique challenges, we have found that two insulation types, in particular, deliver the results that homeowners are looking for.
A low-cost and environmentally friendly solution is blown-in cellulose insulation, which is made of recycled newspaper treated with fire retardants. Blown-in insulation contractors often use cellulose for attic floors.
The second is spray foam insulation, which is a popular choice because it has two major advantages over other materials: in addition to slowing heat transfer, closed-cell spray foam is an effective moisture barrier, and all spray foam types have air sealing qualities.
How Much Insulation Do I Need?
If you’re upgrading the insulation in your home, how much do you need? According to the EPA, most attics should be insulated to R-38. Different material types have different R-values: Loose-fill cellulose has an R-value per inch of approximately 3.7, meaning you’d need to have 10 inches of insulation to meet standards. Closed-cell spray foam, on the other hand, can have an R-value per inch of 6.5 or higher.
A qualified home performance professional can walk you through the pros and cons of each type, as well as the cost of closed-cell spray foam insulation and other considerations you’ll want to make before starting your home retrofit project.
Call Fred F. Collis, Your Central New York Spray Foam Contractor
Attic insulation will help keep your Oriskany or Waterville home cool in the hot summer months and warm in the winter when the weather outside is well below freezing. If you’re looking for installation for cellulose or spray foam insulation near you, reach out to the professionals at Fred F. Collis. For more than 80 years, we’ve been Central New York’s go-to team for heating, cooling, and air quality solutions.
And, if you don’t know whether you need attic insulation yet, but are experiencing home issues like low indoor comfort, poor indoor air quality, or high energy bills, reach out to discuss scheduling a home energy assessment. These audits can pinpoint the source of home performance problems and help us find a solution for you!
