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Insulation is vital in maintaining your home or property’s equilibrium. Not only does it keep your home at a comfortable temperature, but there are also health and financial benefits to be had if you insulate your attic.

Looking to enhance your home’s interior and exterior performance? Here are eight benefits of a properly insulated attic!

1. Save Money on Energy Costs

Insulating your attic can save you a large portion of money on your energy bills.

In the winter, warm air from your heating systems will rise. If your attic isn’t properly insulated, you will lose a generous portion of the heat through the top–making your heating system work harder.

The same goes for summertime and warm air. Humidity can find its way anywhere, even through your roof. Insulating your roof will keep the warm air out while keeping the air from your cooling system in.

2. Extend HVAC Lifespan

When an attic isn’t properly insulated, hot and cold air is able to move about freely in and out of your house. This will cause your HVAC to work harder as it has to heat or cool more surface area.

Attic insulation, along with proper roof maintenance, will have your heating and cooling systems running for longer.

3. Prevent Home Damage

Insulation in the attic draws many benefits, including helping with the longevity of your property.

With insulated attics, ice dams in the wintertime will be hard to form on your roof as the attic will maintain a consistently warm temperature.

If a storm has damaged your roof, having insulation in the attic will provide an extra layer of protection from moisture damage, which can lead to mold buildup around your home.

4. Extend Shingle Life

In the summertime, your attic can catch all the heat rising to the top. With all the heat and humidity building up at the peak of your home, the life of your shingles will lessen proportionally. Swelling and cracking are common side effects of heat damage to shingles.

These cracks and swelling open a path for unwanted airflow to travel in and out of your home, decreasing the efficiency overall.

Insulation in the attic prevents this by keeping your attic at a consistent temperature relative to the rest of your home, decreasing the heat stress placed upon your shingles.

5. Control Air Leakage

An estimated 40% of your home heating escapes through the ceilings, floors, and walls. That’s why attic insulation is so important. It helps keep your warm air from escaping outside. This also means that your home will stay at a more consistent temperature.

Under-insulated attics may cause your home’s temperature to vary widely depending on the weather outside. Keeping your attic insulated is key to improving your home’s warmth.

6. Helps Prevent Ice Dams

An ice dam is a large mound of ice that forms on your gutters at the roof's edge. They are caused by a constant cycle of freezing and thawing that happens over time during the winter months.

However, your attic insulation could also cause ice dams to form. If not insulated properly, heat escaping through your roof will cause snow to melt. Once it reaches your gutters, it will refreeze, and then an ice dam can form.

7. Keeps Away Pests

Pest invasions are the worst, and you want to do everything you can to keep squirrels, mice, and birds from living in your attic. If you have old insulation, there’s a chance that a critter family has already moved in. Replacing your insulation or opting for pest-resistant insulation can help keep you from having unwanted roommates.

8. Many Types to Choose From

There are many types of attic insulation to choose from. Each one is made up of different materials and can provide different benefits or be used in different ways. The most common type of insulation is blanket insulation, which is typically made of fiberglass, plastic fibers, or natural fibers. This type of insulation works best in attics and unfinished walls and is relatively inexpensive.

Another common type of insulation is blow-in or loose-fill insulation. This kind is made of cellulose or fiberglass and is suitable for adding extra insulation to finished or irregularly shaped areas. This kind requires special equipment and is not recommended as a DIY project.

Foam board or rigid foam is made of polyurethane and used in ceilings and floors. This type has a high insulating value for a much thinner application than blanket insulation. Foam boards can also block thermal short circuits when installed over frames or joists.

Keep Your Attic Insulated With Trinity Exteriors

Trinity Exteriors are committed to helping you with insulating your attic to achieve optimal air quality and temperature for your home. We also offer roof inspections along with gutter, siding, and window installation.

Get a free quote today or give us a call at 952-920-9520!