Debunking the Common Myths About Attic Insulation
March 10, 2020
Attic insulation plays an integral role in your home energy efficiency and puts you in an improved financial position. Attic insulation in Toronto will help keep your home cool in the summer and warm in the winter. But there are some misconceptions associated with the most neglected area in your home.
Attic insulation companies near you are a great place to start to eliminate the confusion that surrounds attic insulation and the benefits it creates. It begins with attic insulation removal and why you should remove it. If it has been damaged or contaminated, you must remove it. If the insulation is flat – it doesn’t have the air pockets necessary to work effectively as insulation and is useless.
6 Common Misconceptions About Attic Insulation
Warm Weather Areas Don’t Need Attic Insulation
Living in warm climates creates a false sense of security around the need for attic insulation. Just because it is warm outside, doesn’t mean you don’t need attic insulation. The primary job of attic insulation is to maintain constant temperatures in your home. As your attic warms during the summer, attic insulation stops the hot air from making its way into the living areas of your home.
The Cost Isn’t Worth It
As home renovation projects go, attic insulation installation isn’t a splashy project by any means. Where it is splashy is at the end of the month when heating and cooling costs are deflated. Home equity improves when you invest in new attic insulation. Attic insulation has the highest rate of return for any home improvement project you can buy. In some cases, a gain of over 100 percent on investment is achievable. Government rebates and tax credits come into play also. Governments are trying to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. Rebates and tax credits are the tools used to help adjust our social behaviour.
Attic Insulation Won’t Make Much Difference
In the winter, drafts create cold floors and cold spots in our homes. When you add insulation to your home, those problems disappear, and you can walk barefoot in your home. Ice dams are a result of a lack of insulation – heat leaks through the roof, causing snowmelt, and the water refreezes at the rain gutters. Sequestering the heat you generate stops heat leakage and ice build-up around your eavestroughs. Reduced cooling costs create greater comfort in your home, which is how insulation helps in the summer. Your A/C unit won’t be forced to work overtime, and that will extend the life of the system.
My Current Insulation Seems to Be Fine
Unless you have R-60 level insulation in your home, you are under-insulated. This is a common problem for any homeowner. Once the home you are buying passes inspection, attic insulation is an out-of-sight, out-of-mind proposition. Changes to provincial building codes demand a higher degree of insulation than most homes currently have in their attics. When insulating, more is always better. Sure, the costs increase, but the expenses decrease accordingly. Building code requirements are set as guidelines to help a consumer make a decision, but they aren’t the be-all-end-all edicts for insulation R-value.
Insulation Can Cause Fires and Damage Your Home
Any home improvement project can damage your home and cause fires if not executed properly. A qualified insulation contractor will mitigate most if not all problems in these two areas. Improper installation by unqualified contractors is the general reason problems or damages occur. If you choose spray foam insulation as the product to insulate your home with, find a licensed contractor for the work. In the past, spray foam has ignited, causing a fire. A certified, licensed expert, installing the spray foam, prevents the risk.
The More Insulation, The Better
Topping up your attic insulation or exceeding guidelines is never a bad thing. One thing to keep in mind, though, is proper ventilation for the attic. Ventilation regulates the heat and moisture in your attic. The humidity is a byproduct of cooling heat in the attic, creating a water vapour. The vapour will seep into your decking and trusses, creating spongy supports. Mold growth is the result, and it affects the air quality in the home, and respiratory disease will follow.
To achieve optimal energy efficiency with attic insulation, contact the premier insulation company in the Greater Toronto Area. Decades spent insulating homes have provided us with a proven track record of success when insulating your home. For an information session that comes with an inspection and professional estimate, contact our office today at Integrity Roofers at 647.953.9365.
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