When you think of insulation, you may think of blankets of fiberglass piled up between attic floor joists, keeping the house warmer in frigid weather. But did you know that insulating an attic helps keep your house cool as well?
Insulation Is a Great Way to Stop Heat from Entering Your Home
When the sun is blazing overhead and you turn up your air conditioning, you want cooler air circulating throughout your home, not heat. A properly insulated attic helps reduce the amount of heat from the roof that comes into the house below. As a bonus, that means you can run your air conditioner less and enjoy lower energy bills. A properly insulated attic can save you a few hundred dollars per year on your energy bills!
There are many reasons heat enters your home, such as leaks and opening doors and windows. Cool air escapes when hot air enters. When you add an improperly insulated attic to the equation, you are inviting heat to enter straight from your roof into your home below. Insulating and properly sealing your attic helps stop heat from entering the living spaces of your home.
Not only does your attic need to be properly sealed, but the insulation must be correctly installed. Common insulation mistakes include:
- Gaps
- Covering vents with insulation
- Covering wires with insulation (not leaving space for the wires)
- Not using enough insulation
- Using too much insulation
- Using the wrong materials
- Placing insulation on top of recessed lights on ceilings
All these insulation goofs can mean your insulation is not performing as well as it should. They can also be dangerous.
Call (702) 944-8838 Today or Book Online for Heating and Cooling Service!
The Best Type of Insulation to Help Keep Your Home Cool
There are many types of insulation — the higher the R-value, the more insulation it provides.
- Fiberglass insulation (containing fibers of very fine glass) is a budget-friendly choice that comes in rolls or can be blown-in. It is both fire-and moisture-resistant. Fiberglass insulation has a low R-value.
- Made from recycled wood or paper, cellulose insulation is an Earth-friendly and fire-resistant choice. But it is susceptible to moisture damage.
- Mineral wool is made from byproducts of metal smelting and refining. It is water- and fire-resistant and provides both temperature control and sound insulation.
- Cotton insulation is made from recycled jeans, is blown-in, and is highly effective when it comes to trapping heat. It is susceptible to water and moisture damage, however, and can be attractive to pests like insects and rodents.
- Both types of foam insulation — open cell and closed cell — are waterproof and offer protection against air leaks.
Call us at to schedule an appointment. We’ll make recommendations for the best type of insulation based on your home’s needs.
If your goal is to help keep your home cool, adding a radiant barrier to the insulation in your attic can make a big difference.
Radiant barriers are made of reflective foil sheeting. It is added to the walls of an attic to help reflect heat away instead of absorbing it into the space. These barriers do not reduce heat conduction (the movement of heat from one space to another), so it’s important to use them with other insulation to get maximum benefits from both. When used in conjunction with companion insulation, radiant barriers can actually reduce your cooling costs up to 10%. And, since radiant barriers work in partnership with insulation, they are not measured by their R-value.
Let Us Help You Keep Your Home Cool
The average attic temperature can soar above 130 degrees! Having a properly ventilated, sealed, and insulated attic can keep heat out of the attic. It should also keep it from entering the rest of your home. Proper insulation can also reduce the moisture and condensation that can lead to mildew and mold. The correct amount of insulation can also be valuable in preventing heat from becoming trapped in your roof, which can cause damage to shingles and other roofing materials.
The insulation experts at Ambient Edge will work with you to make sure your attic is working in your favor to help keep you cool and save you money. The Ambient Edge team is licensed and certified. We have the experience to help you find the solution that fits your budget and your needs. We explain in plain language where your problem areas are and why we are making the solutions we’re making. This is because we value superior customer service. Our professional team members work hard to ensure we leave the work area as clean as when we arrived, with no excess insulation blowing around your home. Call or send us a message today to schedule an estimate.
