How Attic Insulation Affects Whole-Home Comfort

During projects intended to improve energy efficiency and indoor comfort, many homeowners concentrate on the main level of the home. While it is wise to take efficiency-boosting steps in this area, the main living areas of your Glenview, Illinois, residence are only part of the story. When you want to ensure gains in whole-house comfort and reduce energy use and monthly expenses, expand your efficiency projects to include your home’s attic. Attic insulation is a particularly effective component of home comfort and energy savings.

Heat Loss and Heat Transfer

During the summer, unfinished or minimally insulated attics can get extremely hot as the sunshine beats down on the roof and outdoor temperatures rise. In some cases, attic temperatures can easily soar to 100 to 150 degrees or more. Heat from the attic increases temperatures in your home. Your AC has to work harder to compensate for the additional heat, which increases cooling bills and places unnecessary wear on your HVAC equipment.

In the winter, heat from your furnace rises and moves through your ceiling into the attic. Once again, indoor comfort will be compromised as the warmth produced by your heating system is lost to the attic. The result will also be wear on the HVAC system, wasted energy, and increased utility bills.

How Insulation Works

Heat flows from warmer to cooler spaces. Insulation is designed to resist heat transfer. The basic function of insulation in your home is to keep heat inside during the winter and outside during the summer.

The R-value is a rating that indicates how well a particular type of insulation will resist the flow of heat. Insulation with higher R-values will more effectively stop heat from moving from place to place. In climates that are consistently cold or hot, higher R-values may be necessary. The variable climate of Northern Illinois requires insulation with R-values that are appropriate to seasonal extremes. The U.S. Department of Energy recommends that homeowners use R-49 to R-60 for attics.

Carefree Comfort, Inc. provides expert HVAC services throughout Northern Illinois. Call us today at 847-388-0115 for more information about attic insulation to stop attic energy loss and improve comfort levels everywhere in your home.

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