Attic insulation is an essential component that helps determine your home’s energy efficiency. Not only does it keep your home warm and toasty during cold weather, insulation also helps keep hot air out in the summer, controls moisture levels and even helps block out noise. Unfortunately, no insulation lasts indefinitely, so it will need to be replaced eventually. Be on the lookout for these four signs that it may be time to replace insulation.
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Higher energy bills. If your heating or cooling bill has inexplicably started to climb higher and higher, it’s a good indication that your insulation has become worn out. Insulation loses its effectiveness as it gets older, making it harder for your home to retain warm air in the winter or block hot air in the summer. If you notice your energy bill climbing, but you haven’t been using your heater or air conditioner any more than usual, there’s a good possibility that your insulation needs replaced.
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Cold drafts. Homes today are fairly airtight, so feeling a cool breeze or cold draft when there are no windows or doors open is a sure sign of trouble. As insulation starts to wear down, outside air is able leak in, resulting in drafts and breezes throughout the house.
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Uneven temperatures. As attic insulation breaks down and loses its insulating power, the rooms below will start seeing the effects of this. Some rooms may start feeling hotter than others, or you may notice that certain rooms feel warmer or colder than they have in the past.
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Damaging icicles. Everybody loves seeing sparkling icicles in the wintertime, until they realize that this is actually a sign of inadequate attic insulation. When worn insulation is no longer able to keep the heat in, it rises up and out, heating up the roof and causing any snow on it to melt. The resulting water then runs down the roof and refreezes at the edge or in the gutters, forming heavy icicles and sometimes even ice dams, both of which can wreak havoc on your roof. Ongoing ice damming can necessitate a roof repair or even a full roof replacement.
If you’ve noticed any of these troubling signs in your home, it’s time to contact Muth and Company Roofing. Give us a call at (614) 682-3060 to schedule an attic energy inspection with one of our roofing experts, and we will help determine if your attic insulation needs an update.