Imagine this: dollar bills are floating out of the top of your house as you read this. That’s basically what’s happening if you live in a home with an uninsulated attic space. You might as well flush a twenty down the toilet every time you use your heating or cooling system.
If you’re tired of losing money, all it takes is a layer of proper attic insulation. Just like that, your energy bills will be lower, and your everyday temperatures will be more comfortable.
We’ll walk through just how much money you can save by using the proper attic insulation for your home. Keep reading to learn more and start saving the next time you turn on the heat or air conditioning.
How Much Money Will Insulating Your Attic Save You?
Lining your old attic insulation with energy efficiency insulation is not only good for the environment but also your wallet.
The EPA estimates that the typical American home can save about 15% in yearly heating and cooling costs by properly insulating their attic space.1 The same report estimates that 90% of American homes are under-insulated. This means there’s a pretty good chance that your home could benefit from a proper insulation overhaul—don’t worry, it’s not just you.
Let’s look at an example to see how much money you can save:
- The average monthly energy bill in the US is $115.2
- That means the average yearly cost is $1380.
- The average savings from insulating your attic is estimated at 15%.
- That means the average household would pocket just over $200 each year.
While $200 may not seem like a ton of money, it adds up over time. It’s also important to remember that a properly insulated attic is more resistant to environmental damage. Not only will you save on your energy bill but also on maintenance and repair costs to your home.
Why The Attic?
Your attic is vented to the outside, which allows hot and cold air into the space. This air travels down to the rest of your house and makes your heating and cooling systems work harder to maintain comfortable temperatures.
By insulating your attic, you’re cutting off the problem at its source: the initial entry point.
When you insulate your attic, you prevent unconditioned air from seeping into the rest of your home. This prevents fluctuations in temperature, meaning your thermostat won’t constantly register every slight change and kickstart your heating or air conditioning.
How to Insulate Your Attic to Reduce Your Energy Bill
To maximize energy savings, there are several areas in your attic that you’ll need to focus on. Let’s take a look at each of them and discuss how to properly insulate these important areas:3
- Roof – Most attics have a slanted roof that either ends at floor level or in a short knee wall. As you can imagine, the roof is where your home loses the most energy. The amount of insulation you need for your roof will depend on where you live. Your home’s insulation R-value, or thermal resistance, should be somewhere between R-30 and R-60 based on the average temperature of the climate.
One important note about pitched attic storage ceilings is that you’ll need to install a baffle to allow for ventilation before putting in the proper insulation. Baffles may look like comically large egg cartons, but they have an important job. They ensure that air can still flow between the roof and the insulation you’ve installed. If you don’t install baffles, your roof can get too hot and will deteriorate more quickly, counteracting the value of a new sufficient attic insulation.
- Walls – You’ll want to add fiberglass insulation between the studs of your attic walls. This prevents cold or hot air from sneaking in where the roof meets the walls.
- Windows – If you have any windows in your attic, it’s important to ensure that all crevices around the windows are properly sealed. Caulking around windows only takes a few minutes, but this quick precaution yields major benefits. This simple task prevents both air and pests from getting into your attic.
- Floor – If you’re ever noticed temperature shifts in your house in the summer or winter, these are likely the result of hot or cold air sinking through your ceiling from the uninsulated attic above you. Maybe there’s one area in your living room that’s always freezing or a hot spot in the bedroom. If your attic has typically spaced floor joists, you can insulate by laying fiberglass insulation rolls between the joists. This will block the transfer of air from the attic to your living space and eliminate those hot and cold spots.
Get Help from the Professionals at Attic Construction
There’s really no downside to reducing your energy usage. It’s better for the environment, your energy costs, and your peace of mind—who doesn’t want that?
If you want to reduce your energy and cooling bills by a sufficient attic insulation, the professionals at Attic Construction are always available to help. Our expert technicians know how to insulate against the tricky Arizona and California climates without breaking the bank. We’re ready to get started whenever you are!
Sources:
- Energy Star. Why Seal and Insulate? https://www.energystar.gov/campaign/seal_insulate/why_seal_and_insulate
- U.S. Energy Information Association. Today in Energy. https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=46276
- Energy.gov. Where to Insulate in a Home. https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/where-insulate-home