The attic is an important section of our homes for many reasons, though we conveniently ignore this fact and tend to look less inside it and are tardy in having it regularly inspected professionally and finding out as to what is really happening within.

Located just below the roof, the attic plays a very crucial role in how our energy bills fluctuate forcing us to either pay more than we should with damaged or inadequate insulation or ensure optimum efficiency with acceptable R-Value and pay what we should be really paying, not a dollar more or a dollar less.

Attic Insulation R-Value

R-Value is the factor employed to measure the efficiency of any insulation and greater the value higher the insulation efficiency is. If we do not have adequate and sufficient insulation in our attics with the recommended R-Value we could be unknowingly doling out money for heat loss and air conditioning inefficiency during winter and summer respectively.

Attic Insulation Air Circulation

The air inside our homes circulate with hot air which is lighter than colder air constantly rising, whilst keeping the cold air down and this circulation of hot and cold air have to be well managed within our homes or other buildings, failing to do so could cause heat loss during winter and inefficient air conditioning during summer. Proper attic ventilation improves the efficiency of the home and ensures the attic insulation system is working correctly.

Attic Insulation Inspections

The attic being the top most enclosed area in any home and generally just below the roof needs to be well insulated from the elements of the harsh weather, outside. If it is not, there would be heat loss during winter and a higher strain on the air conditioning system during summer. Having the attic inspected and testing the efficiency and safety of the insulation will not only improve efficiency but also check to see if the attic insulation has asbestos or vermiculite materials. Asbestos and Vermiculite can be hazardous if an individual has long-term exposure, having the attic insulation inspected can ensure the home is a safe and cost-effective environment.

Home Heating & Cooling Systems

During winter we need to keep our homes comfortably heated for which we could be employing different types of heating systems and whatever they may be, it costs money and not having the system working at optimum efficiency could dent your wallet. If the attic is not well insulated with the recommended R-Value the hot air that constantly rises within the house would escape through the inefficient insulation in the attic, because the hot air would find the easiest route to escape whilst rising.

If the attic is well insulated with the recommended R-Value it would prevent such loss of hot air and ensure that the heating system does not over work itself thereby ensuring optimum efficiency and savings on energy bills. Likewise when it is summer and the air conditioning is providing cooling hot air from outside would strive to enter your home from any place that it could come through especially from small openings at ground level and this hot air before it is cooled down would rise pushing the cold air that has been cooled by the air conditioner through the inefficient insulation in the attic because it is the easiest way out from the top.

Regular Attic Insulation Inspections

Hence it is recommended by HVAC experts that the attic is always well insulated and a thorough inspection carried out at least annually to ensure that the insulation is within the recommended R-Value for the relevant area.