Upgrading your attic insulation to the government recommended level is a great way to make your home more comfortable. It is also one of the most cost-effective home projects you can undertake! But did you know that it’s possible to make this affordable project even more affordable? Check out these five ways you can save money when upgrading your attic insulation.
Before you commit to adding insulation, make sure you have a trustworthy contractor thoroughly inspect your attic. Even if your existing insulation is adequate, your attic could be leaking air to the rest of your home through small cracks in the attic hatch, around plumbing vents, or in stud cavities, to name a few. If you install new insulation but still have air leaks, you won’t see as big of an effect on lowered energy bills and temperature regulation around your home.
The air in your attic acts as a barrier between the climate outdoors and the temperature in your home. But if it leaks down to other areas of the house, they can feel drafty, and you’ll have a hard time regulating the temperature throughout the house. The good news is, your contractor can fix these air leaks with caulk, flashing, and filler insulation.
Many homeowners assume that getting new attic insulation is like a roof replacement, taking away all the old materials and installing new ones. But that isn’t the case. For example, if you have blown-in insulation, your contractor can simply add more insulation on top rather than removing the old insulation and doing a full replacement.
As long as there is no moisture, mildew, or mold in the old insulation, it is still working to insulate your house; it just isn’t as effective. This is because most insulation types settle over time, which reduces the amount of air between the fibers, thus reducing the insulating properties. However, you can simply add more blown-in insulation on top to increase your attic insulation levels. That means you’ll be saving on an expensive – not to mention messy – removal, and you will need fewer materials to reach the proper insulation height.
An ideal opportunity to upgrade your insulation is during a roof replacement because your roof is already open. That means your contractor can simply pump new insulation through the top of the house in the open spaces between the joists. So, you can save some money in both the contractor’s labor costs and supplies doing an insulation upgrade at the same time.
When your attic is properly insulated, your heating and cooling systems do not have to work as hard to keep your home at a consistent temperature. You might even notice that you don’t have to adjust the thermostat all the time to stay comfortable. But according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), you can also see this effect in lower energy bills. In fact, homeowners can save an average of 15% on heating and cooling costs with a properly insulated and sealed attic.
Attic insulation doesn’t just save you money on your energy bills. It is one of the few home projects that can actually pay for itself when it comes time to sell your house. According to Remodeling Magazine’s Cost vs. Value Analysis, homeowners can recoup over 100% of the project cost of air sealing and adding insulation to their home’s value.
Do you have enough insulation in your home? According to Energy Star, a program run by the EPA, 9 out of 10 homes in the United States are under-insulated. So, if you haven’t had your insulation inspected in a while, schedule a consultation with the home remodeling experts at Brothers. We will thoroughly inspect your attic and insulation to find the best solution for your specific home.