Unused attics are often overlooked as a place to save energy and money. Yes they’re a convenient place to store the holiday decorations, but attics, finished or unfinished, can also be a huge drain on your Eastern Shore home’s energy budget and can make the rest of your house uncomfortable to live in!
Is Attic Insulation Worth It?
You may be thinking, “Wait, I have insulation in my walls, isn’t that enough?” But think of attic insulation as a super warm hat on a cold winter day — it not only keeps your head warm but your overall comfort is improved too. As a matter of physics, warm air or heat will always rise. If there’s nothing to stop it, your home will lose energy as warm conditioned air rises up through your attic and out of the house. Attic insulation keeps your valuable energy and heat inside!
What are the Benefits of Attic Insulation?
Besides the primary goal of keeping heat inside your home in the winter, attic insulation also has these benefits:
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Temperatures are more stable throughout your home
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Energy bill costs are reduced
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There’s less wear and tear on your furnace because it doesn’t need to run as often
Attic Insulation Addresses Moisture Problems
Under-insulated attics can also be a source of moisture problems. Attic insulation, combined with proper air sealing, keeps the humidity and moisture that is so prevalent on the Eastern Shore out of your home. This moisture barrier is an important component to improving your home’s indoor air quality. By reducing excess moisture, unhealthy mildew and mold don’t get a chance to grow and you can avoid unpleasant musty smells in your house.
How Much Insulation Do I Need in My Unfinished Attic?
In our Maryland coastal climate, the Department of Energy recommends an attic R-value of R-60. Total Home Performance’s insulation experts are careful to measure and assess every home’s unique needs to recommend the optimal amount of blown-in insulation or spray foam insulation needed to improve your comfort levels and reduce energy bills.
If your attic is finished, then the room is considered within the thermal boundary of your home and you’ll need to insulate the walls and the ceiling because you’ll want to keep your attic the same temperature as the rest of your house. If your attic is unfinished, then you’ll likely only need to insulate your attic floor. This means that your attic will be outside of your home’s thermal boundary, and your insulation will work to keep heat from escaping from the rooms below into your attic.
Save up to $7,500 with ENERGY STAR Rebates!
Attic insulation often delivers the biggest bang for the buck when it comes to home performance improvements and with Total Home Performance, upgrading your home is even more affordable. We are one of the only Eastern Shore contractors qualified to save you as much as $7,500 in ENERGY STAR rebates for attic insulation and other efficiency upgrades including crawl space encapsulation. It all starts with an energy audit conducted by our team of building science professionals!