Good attic insulation is one of your home’s best defenses against the Monmouth County area’s winter chill. By holding in warmth, insulation eases the demand on your furnace, saving you energy and money.
Inspect Your Insulation
Warm air naturally rises, so heat from your furnace heads toward your ceiling. If your attic isn’t well air sealed and insulated, warm air will leak into your attic and out through your roof. Not only does this waste heat, it can also cause moisture problems in the attic and damaging ice dams on your roof.
If you can see the attic floor joists, you need more attic insulation. Even if the joists are covered, make sure the attic has at least an R-38 layer of insulation, which is around 12 inches of fiberglass batts. For optimal energy efficiency, an R-60 (18-inch) layer is ideal.
Also check your insulation for mold or water stains, which suggest a moisture problem that should be resolved before the damaged insulation is replaced.
Know Your Insulation Options
Each form of insulation and every insulation material has benefits and drawbacks. For instance, loose-fill cellulose is more efficient than fiberglass batts, but it also costs more and is more difficult to install. Your options include:
Batt insulation – This type comes in long sheets designed to fit between floor and wall joists. It’s the easiest to install by yourself because you can simply lay the batts in place. Batts are available in a variety of materials, including fiberglass, cellulose, mineral wool, and natural fibers such as sheep’s wool.
Loose-fill (blown-in) insulation – This insulation consists of small chunks of material that are blown into place using a blower machine. For installation, you’ll need to either rent a blower or hire a professional. Because this type of insulation fills in small nooks and crannies better than batts, it creates a more effective heat barrier. Loose-fill is most commonly made of cellulose, but it’s available in most of the same materials as batt insulation.
For help improving your attic insulation, contact us at Aggressive Mechanical Contractors in the Monmouth County and the surrounding area.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Monmouth County, New Jersey and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
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