Have you checked your attic to see if it is adequately insulated, or even insulated at all? Older homes in Northwest Arkansas were often built without much concern for energy efficiency, but don’t assume that energy efficiency is not an issue if you live in a newer home. Spending money on insulation and other energy-saving features is not always a top priority for developers.
Upgrading attic insulation can be one of the best investments you can make in terms of rapid payback of your costs. Installing insulation in an attic is relatively simple and inexpensive compared to upgrading insulation in walls or flooring, and should be your first priority before planning more expensive energy upgrades such as solar or geothermal systems.
It is easy to check your attic insulation to get a rough idea of its adequacy. Just go into your attic and look at what type of insulation you have and measure how deep it is. This Insulation Fact Sheet will help you identify the type of insulation you have in place. For homes in NW Arkansas, the federal Energy Star program recommends that attics be insulated to an R-value between 30 and 60, depending on factors unique to your home, such as the type of heating and air conditioning systems you have and the amount of sun exposure your home gets.
Here are a few things to consider to get the most out of upgrading your attic insulation:
- Be sure your roof is in good condition and attic vents are open. Rainwater and other sources of moisture will reduce or nullify your insulation’s effectiveness.
- Air leaks between your conditioned air spaces and your attic should be sealed to prevent direct loss of heated and cooled air. Leaks should be sealed before insulation is added.
- Consider insulating any of your ductwork that runs through the unconditioned space in your attic if your attic insulation does not already cover all of the ducts.
Call us at Paschal Heat, Air & Geothermal for more information and recommendations for improving your home’s comfort and efficiency. We have served Northwest Arkansas for 40 years and are available at any time to help you.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Northwest Arkansas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about attic insulation and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Image courtesy of Shutterstock
479.900.0784
