If your heating and cooling bills are through the roof, you might need more attic insulation. Chilly winter nights or hot winter days in Monroe. GA might make you wonder if your attic even has any insulation or if it is no longer effective at blocking heat loss and heat gain with the outdoors. Here are some tips on deciding if your attic could benefit from more insulation.
Signs Your Attic Needs More Insulation
If your attic is insufficiently insulated, you may notice that the upstairs of your home gets very hot in the summertime. In the wintertime, you might notice that your gutters get blocked with ice. These are called ice dams. The poorly-insulated attic allows heat to melt any snow, then the water refreezes in the gutters, creating a dam.
Determine How Much Insulation You Need
The United States Department of Energy has created zones for homeowners to refer to when figuring out how much insulation they need. Monroe is in zone 3, which means that homes in this area need R-30 to R-60 of insulation in their attics. There are a few other factors, including the materials from which your home is made of and the number of doors and windows in the home.
Measure Your Current R-value
Before you decide to add more insulation, you need to know what your current R-value is. One of our technicians can access your attic and measure it for you during a maintenance or inspection visit. An energy efficiency audit could also help you learn the current insulation level of your attic. They do this with a heat influx sensor. You can get a rough idea of your attic’s insulation by using a ruler or tape measure. The minimum thickness of R-38 is 12 inches.
For more information about how to improve energy efficiency and how the right R-value can improve your home, check out Phelps Heating and Air Conditioning’s attic insulation services page. Call us to schedule an inspection or for insulation installation.