Proper Attic Insulation Can Save Money and Energy this Season

Attic insulation estimates - tulsa ok

Good attic insulation is one of the easiest ways to keep Broken Arrow's freezing winters from stealing your comfort. By reducing the load on your furnace, insulation also helps hold down your heating bills.

The Importance of Attic Insulation

The warm air from your furnace naturally rises toward your ceiling. Without sufficient air sealing and insulation in the attic, that warmth will flow into the attic and then through the roof. This not only wastes heat, it also contributes to moisture and mold issues in the attic and ice dams that could damage your roof. To keep your home warm and free from damage, your attic should have at least an R-38 layer of insulation, which requires around 12 inches of fiberglass batts. For even greater energy efficiency, add more insulation to achieve an R-60 layer.

Choosing the Right Insulation

Insulation is available in two forms and a number of different materials. Every type of insulation has pros and cons, so review your options before you decide how to improve your attic insulation. Your options include:

Batt insulation — These strips are cut to fit between floor and wall joints, making them easy for a non-professional to lay into place. Batts are produced in fiberglass, cellulose, mineral wool, plastic fiber, cotton, and sheep's wool, among other materials. Fiberglass and cellulose are the most efficient of these, but mineral wool helps more with noise reduction.

Loose-fill (blown-in) insulation — Produced as small pieces of material designed to be installed using a blower machine, loose-fill insulation fills in small corners better than batts, so it insulates more efficiently. On the downside, you'll need to rent a blower machine or hire a professional for insulation.

Rigid foam — These stiff boards of polystyrene or other foam can be set into place without special equipment. While they're highly efficient and moisture resistant, the higher cost compared to batts or loose-fill makes them less popular for use in attics.

If you could use professional help to improve your attic insulation, contact us at Air Assurance in the Broken Arrow area.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Credit/Copyright Attribution: “irin k/Shutterstock”

How to Tell If Your HVAC Insulation Is Working Properly

Attic insulation isn't the only kind of insulation you need. In order to maintain home efficiency, you need HVAC insulation as well. Specifically, insulation for your ductwork. Without proper insulation, hot air will gradually cool down and cold air will heat up as they make the journey through your ducts, losing a significant amount of energy by the time they reach your rooms. How can you tell if your HVAC insulation is working properly? Here are a few things to look for.

The Importance of HVAC Insulation

A significant portion of your ductwork goes through your attic. Your attic retains a lot of heat in summer and gets very cold in the winter. Your ducts need to be insulated against those temperature fluctuations. Without proper insulation, cold air from your AC will absorb the heat as it flows through the ducts in your attic. Likewise in winter, warm furnace air will grow colder.

This is the first major sign that your HVAC insulation isn't working the way it should: If the air flowing into your home isn't as hot or as cold as it should be, this means you're losing energy, and in turn, your system needs to run longer in order to heat or cool your home properly, which drives up your bill.

HVAC Insulation Damage

Another way to tell if your ductwork insulation is adequate is to check it for damage, such as tears in the duct wrapping. In some cases, damaged insulation can also cause blockage in your ductwork, which restricts the airflow. In other cases, damage might include moisture around the ducts or even mold growth.

If the damage is minor, the insulation can probably be fixed using metal or foil tape. If it's more extensive, you may need to have your ducts rewrapped with new insulation. If you have mold, you'll need a ductwork cleaning in addition to any repairs. Whatever the damage, talk to your HVAC technician to see what needs to be done.

For more help maintaining proper HVAC insulation in your home, contact us at Air Assurance. We strive for excellence in meeting Broken Arrow's home-comfort needs.