Choosing The Right Attic Insulation For Your Home

What You Need to Know About Insulation

If your house is not properly insulated, you could be unnecessarily paying a high premium on your monthly energy bills. Hire a professional who specializes in the attic and crawlspace insulation to conduct and inspection of your home. Only a trained technician can determine whether or not additional insulation needs to be installed.
The most common types of attic insulation are batting and blown-in insulation—both can be made of fiberglass or cellulose. Be sure that you know what your particular project’s R-value needs are and what that number represents. Watch this video to learn more about why you should insulate your home.

The Benefits Of Insulating Your Attic

Insulation keeps your house warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer by minimizing the ways in which air can escape. Your heating and cooling systems will work more efficiently with the help of attic insulation, which saves you money. This can also reduce wear and tear on your HVAC system and thus reduce the need for repairs or replacement. Go check out the insulation you have currently to see if looks like it needs to be replaced. If you can see the floor joists, there’s a good chance you need attic insulation added.
New Jersey residents will find that there are many long-term benefits to ensuring that their homes have the proper attic insulation. Overall, it will decrease energy bills, make the indoor temperature more comfortable in both summer and winter, and improve the indoor air quality. Another benefit is that the correct attic insulation will reduce the carbon footprint of the home by using less energy for heating and cooling. In some cases, earth-friendly insulation made from cotton or recycled materials may also be available. Homeowners are encouraged to call a professional today in order to ensure that their attic insulation is prepared for the coming year’s weather.

What’s different About New Jersey Homes?

Every area of the country has different considerations when it comes to selecting the right type of attic insulation. Even within the state of New Jersey, there are five distinct climate zones, according to the Office of the New Jersey State Climatologist at Rutgers University. So, how can homeowners figure out what kind of attic insulation is best for their New Jersey property?

Where do I start with Insulation?

A good place to start is often with a professional energy audit. A professional energy auditor will look at the entire ecosystem of the home when evaluating its energy efficiency, which will include the attic insulation. Your professional energy auditor will look at the existing attic insulation and determine whether it needs to be fully replaced, or if more insulation simply needs to be added to the existing materials.
In New Jersey, the U.S. Department of Energy recommends installing attic insulation that has an R-value between R-49 and R-60. The R-value is a measurement of thermal resistance, or how much the insulation can resist heat flow. The higher the R-value, the better the insulation will be at keeping a home cool in the summer and warm in the winter. The home’s location will also play a factor in selecting the best R-value. The temperature differences between the northern and southern parts of New Jersey are the greatest in the winter months. Therefore, homes in the northern part of the state need attic insulation with slightly higher R-values than the southern part of the state.
It’s also a good idea to inspect the attic insulation for signs of excess moisture. Appliances that are improperly vented, small leaks in the roof, and dripping water pipes can all create moisture in attic insulation. This will decrease the insulation’s R-value and can lead to the growth of mold and mildew, which can be serious health hazards.
Wrapping a home’s water heater and pipes with insulation can also make a big difference in energy bills, especially if the heater is in a cold garage or if the pipes run through an unheated attic or basement. Approximately 15 to 20 percent of monthly energy expenses are due to heating water. In addition, insulating the water pipes can keep them freezing or bursting during the coldest times of the year.

How To Choose An Attic Insulation Contractor

attic-contractor-providing-insulation
When choosing a contractor to install your attic insulation in San Francisco, there are a few different guidelines to follow to ensure you get the best quality work. Having attic insulation done correctly is important for regulating the temperature in your home, so it is worth taking the time to find the right contractor for your upcoming project!
Asking friends and family for references is always a good place to start when hiring anyone to perform a service in your home. Your utility company may also be able to provide recommendations that can help you find the best option. Before you hire a contractor, be sure to go over what types of materials they use, what certifications they have, and any other questions you may have regarding their work. Upon completion of the installation, be sure to obtain a receipt or contract for the insulation.

Choosing the Best Insulation

The attic tends to fall under the category of “out of sight, out of mind,” but it’s a very important room in your house. The attic insulates your home by acting as a blanket across the entire house. When you have improper attic insulation, you’re more likely to lose heat and energy throughout the year. Here are the most common types of attic insulation on the market.

Batt Insulation

Batt insulation consists of large pieces of either fiberglass or cotton insulation. These pieces are usually custom cut to fit between the beams in your attic. If they’re not custom cut, or there are wires or vents in the way, it’s likely that your insulation will not work as effectively as it should. The whole point of insulation is to cover every inch to prevent heat from escaping the house or penetrating it, and batts insulation may not fulfill that requirement.

Spray Foam Insulation

Spray foam insulation is a good choice if you’d rather insulate the ceiling of your attic instead of its floor. This would be good if your HVAC system was located in the attic, or you are using the attic for extra storage.

One of the more popular choices of attic insulation is fiberglass or cellulose blown-in insulation. Small chunks of either material are blown through a large hose into the attic. Both materials are equally efficient for insulation, and both do the job of covering every square inch of the attic. Most attic insulation installers prefer blown-in insulation versus the other choices.

Are you thinking about removing your old attic insulation and adding new insulation? Call Atticare at 1-866-692-5449 to discover how it can help you heat and cool your home.
Updated:7/23/20 at 11:00 am

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