Some spend all summer counting down for their first pumpkin spice lattes, some autumn enthusiasts relish walks in the autumnal rainbow of leaves, and then of course, you have those neighbors who go all-out on Halloween decorations—we each enjoy autumn in our own way.
But one of the universal joys of fall? Watching temperatures drop, cuddled up in your favorite fall PJ’s, knowing your home is prepared for the cold months ahead.
A key way to do that is to ensure your attic is well insulated long before the chill hits the air.
If you’re ready to ensure you’ll have those warm toes and a cozy home, then it’s time to talk about your attic’s insulation—and why it’s so important to address before autumn.
#1 Preparing for Cold Weather Is Always Better Before Temperatures Drop
Booking a home insulation inspection appointment in fall or winter is a lot like trying to get your air conditioning serviced in the middle of July when your energy bill skyrockets—it’s always better to put that service on the books before you need it.
Updating your attic’s insulation before cold weather hits means you can enjoy a home with:1
- Even temperatures throughout your house, rather than cold and warm spots
- Warm rooms without drafts finding their way in through your attic
- A furnace that does its job efficiently, and without battling excessive heat loss
- Consistent warmth and heating that doesn’t escape through the attic
By making steady progress in preparing your attic’s insulation, you’ll be relaxed and ready to head into fall this year without having to worry about last-minute fixes.
#2 Insulation Can Help to Protect Your Health During the Colder Seasons
Fall and winter are known for their beautiful landscapes, but also for an increase in colds and flus. One way to keep our bodies in peak condition during this time is to understand how our indoor environments can affect our immune systems.
As the year turns colder, many of us spend more time at home with windows closed to outside breezes. Having your attic space insulated properly doesn’t just help to keep you warm—it can also:2
- Protect the indoor air quality of your home from exterior pollutants and allergens
- Ensure your attic is free of pests and air contaminants from their droppings
- Replace old insulation that may release loose fibers into the air
- Reduces the amount of condensation in your house
- Prevent moisture accumulation in the attic that can lower air quality
- Rid your house of any mold that has developed in old insulation
- Ensure your insulation doesn’t include asbestos or other toxic materials
If your family includes members with asthma, compromised immune systems, or other health concerns, keeping your home environment protected from these hazards is even more important.
#3 You Can Prevent Seasonal Infestations
When the chill creeps in, you might find yourself in search of a cozy place to relax out of the cold. You’re not alone—all the pests in your yard and neighborhood might be looking for a warm nook or cranny to hide out in as well. The first place they tend to look? Warm cozy houses.
From insects to mice, bats, and squirrels, there are all kinds of creatures interested in sharing your abode to stay warm. Proper attic insulation added in the warmer months can keep them out.
If older existing insulation has settled and aged past its lifespan, or if it’s original to the house and consists of outdated, inefficient materials, your attic may create an ideal environment for any number of pests.3 They may be attracted by:
- Gaps due to old insulation that has settled
- The moist environment of an ineffectively insulated attic
- Mold growth from moisture buildup
- Traces of other pests that have come before
By updating your attic’s insulation before fall, you can work to seal those gaps and discourage pests from seeking warmth within your home, before you have to contact a professional to help get rid of rodents in your attic.
After all, it’s much easier to keep pests out than remove them once they’re in.
Additionally, many attic insulation experts can also help you sanitize the area and clear it of waste and droppings from rodents and other pests during insulation removal and installation.
#4 You Can Choose Quality and Economy Over Speed
When you’re attempting to insulate your home at the last minute, it might seem like you have to choose between speed, economy, and quality. By planning ahead for the cooler seasons, however, you can skip the need for speed and hire an attic insulation service that prioritizes quality at an affordable price.
When you begin your attic insulation project well before the chilly weather sets in, you’ll have time to:
- Find expert professionals you trust instead of the first one with an opening
- Compare quotes and avoid rush-job or busy-season charges
- Schedule your project at a time that’s convenient for you
- Deal with any unforeseen issues, like hidden mold, structural damage, or pests
- Avoid opening up your house to construction during cold weather
Preparing your attic insulation ahead of fall means you won’t have to rush through a quick fix when your teeth are chattering, or until the night before your relatives arrive for holiday celebrations. If you stay ahead of the season, it can also mean more time to relax and enjoy your warm, well-insulated home.
#5 It Can Improve Your Energy Efficiency This Fall—And Right Now
When it comes to staying energy efficient, many of us track our energy usage by looking at the impact on our utility bills and cranking down the thermostat. But by ensuring your attic is properly insulated, you can improve your home’s energy efficiency in the colder months without having to forsake the luxury of heating.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, you can save anywhere from 10% to 50% on heating costs with proper attic insulation.4 But these cost-saving benefits can extend far beyond the fall—meaning that you can take advantage of them even earlier by starting your attic insulation project now.
In truth, following the proper way to insulate attics is part of keeping your home more energy-efficient year-round. Here’s how it works:
- In the colder months, attic insulation can lower your energy usage by preventing heat loss and hot air leakage, thereby making your heating systems more efficient.
- In the warmer months, insulation can also make your cooling systems more efficient by reducing moisture and heat flow build-up in the attic that can radiate back throughout the house.
The sooner you have your attic’s insulation inspected, replaced, or augmented, the sooner you’ll see an impact on your home’s energy usage and your ability to maintain a comfortable temperature year-round.
#6 You’ll Enjoy a Bonus of Noise Reduction
The sounds of spring and summer can be a joy, from birds chirping to children at play outside. But as we spend more time indoors during the fall and winter, we might notice more of the sounds that can leak into our homes without proper insulation.
Depending on where it’s placed, attic insulation can help to dampen noises and absorb both internal and external sounds, such as:
- Airborne noise – Traffic, music, shouting, television—with proper attic insulation, you can reduce the impact of external noise and reduce the reverberations of any internal noise throughout your home.
- Impact noise – Insulation can also dampen sounds created by object vibrations, such as from your HVAC system, attic fan, or from sounds from footsteps and other loud appliances. If you have an attic fan and are noticing extra loud noise coming directly from the unit, it may also be time to consider an attic fan replacement.
Protection from noise pollution can be of particular importance to those in urban and high-density neighborhoods, or who live in homes close to highways and shopping centers. Except for radiant barriers, you can reduce outside noises with most types of insulation. An attic insulation professional can help you determine which type of insulation would benefit your home the most.
#7 Avoid Another Season of Structural Stress
Besides its role in moderating your home’s temperature and protecting air quality, proper attic insulation is key to maintaining the soundness of your home’s structural elements.
It’s all about how dramatic shifts in temperature can affect the materials in your home.
The seasonal changes to both temperature and the amount of moisture in the air can cause expansion and contraction in materials like wood and metal. During the fall and winter, poor insulation and attic ventilation can result in increased household condensation and fail to protect against those temperature shifts.
In turn, these changes can cause swelling to the rafter and ceiling joist framing members in the attic. This expansion can cause gaps between the walls and ceilings throughout your house, weakening and putting uneven stress on structural components such as ceiling joists.
To protect your home’s structural integrity throughout the seasons, it’s important to check your attic’s insulation and make sure there is proper attic ventilation to moderate those seasonal shifts.
Stay Ahead of the Seasons with Attic Construction
Ready to prepare your home for the cooler weather? The first step is finding a reliable team of experts who will work with you to evaluate and improve your attic insulation—and that’s us, at Attic Construction. We’re happy to work with clients at any stage of an insulation project, whether you’re a plan-ahead pro or have last-minute needs.
Whether you have been having a hard time finding the right company for an “insulation installation near me” or need an attic cleaning in Orange County, San Diego & Phoenix AZ, connect with us today for a no-strings-attached estimate. One of our inspectors will come to your home, take a close look at your attic, and provide a recommendation and estimate for your attic insulation needs.
Attic Construction has helped turn houses into safe, comfortable, and energy-efficient homes for hundreds of families, and we hope to do the same for yours.
Sources:
- Attic Construction. The Purpose of Insulation: Conserve Energy and Save Costs/ https://atticconstruction.com/blog/the-purpose-of-insulation-conserve-energy-and-save-costs/
- Insulation Institute. Insulation Safety And Health. https://insulationinstitute.org/im-a-building-or-facility-professional/residential/health-safety/
- Environmental Protection Agency. Pest Control: Resources for Housing Managers. https://www.epa.gov/safepestcontrol/pest-control-resources-housing-managers
- Constellation Energy Resources, LLC. How to Heat & Cool Your Attic More Energy-Efficiently. https://blog.constellation.com/2018/06/18/5-ways-make-your-attic-more-energy-efficient/
- Insulation Institute. Home Insulation: Insulating for Sound. https://insulationinstitute.org/im-a-homeowner/why-insulate/insulating-for-sound/
- Today’s Homeowner. Thermal Expansion and Why You Should Weatherize Your Home. https://todayshomeowner.com/thermal-expansion-and-why-you-should-weatherize-your-home/
- On the House. Question and Answer, February 23, 2014. https://onthehouse.com/1738/