If you’re like most people, you simply assume that your home is well-insulated enough to protect it from the elements – but what if it isn’t? Check out these seven signs your home doesn’t have enough insulation.
First things first: Your home needs sufficient insulation to keep your energy bills and help prevent disaster. For example, if your attic isn’t well-insulated, it can lead to ice dams on your roof – and that can be a severe enough issue to cause your roof to collapse. With that said, check out these seven signs that your home doesn’t have enough insulation:
- Some rooms are colder than others are
- The temperatures inside change a lot
- You feel a draft in your house
- You notice ice dams on your roof
- You pay a lot in energy bills
- Your ceiling, floor or walls are cold
- Your pipes freeze
Here’s a closer look at each.
Sign #1 Your Home Doesn’t Have Enough Insulation: Some rooms are colder than others are
If some rooms (or even just one room) in your home are a lot colder or hotter than others are, there may be a problem with your insulation – especially if they’re properly ventilated. Heat and cooler air can escape anywhere that isn’t insulated well enough.
Related: Should you cover your A/C unit during winter?
Sign #2 Your Home Doesn’t Have Enough Insulation: The temperatures inside change a lot
When temperatures in your home fluctuate a lot because the sun is shining, it’s raining or it’s dark, there’s a chance that your house is under-insulated. Additionally, if different rooms are different temperatures, there’s likely a problem.
Sign #3 Your Home Doesn’t Have Enough Insulation: You feel a draft in your house
You shouldn’t be able to feel drafts in your house unless the windows or doors are open. If you feel air coming in from windows or doors, check the seals – but if you can’t place where it’s coming from, it may be from a gap in your insulation.
Related: How to prevent winter storm damage
Sign #4 Your Home Doesn’t Have Enough Insulation: You notice ice dams on your roof
Ice dams are a sure sign of poor insulation. Ice dams occur when heat from inside your attic rises and melts the bottom layer of snow on top of your roof. When the water trickles toward the edge of your roof like it’s supposed to, it re-freezes (that part of your roof is typically an overhang, and there’s no heated air coming up under it). The result is large chunks of ice and, in most cases, icicles. Ice dams can ruin your roof and your gutters.
Sign #5 Your Home Doesn’t Have Enough Insulation: You pay a lot in energy bills
Because your house can’t regulate its own temperature when you don’t have sufficient insulation, you may pay exorbitant energy bills every month just to keep the temperature comfortable inside.
Related: Ready for winter? Check out this 3-point home preparation plan
Sign #6 Your Home Doesn’t Have Enough Insulation: Your ceiling, floor or walls are cold
You shouldn’t feel cold ceilings, floors or walls in your home – insulation prevents that. Sure, the floors will likely be cooler than the rest of the house. However, if the difference is extreme, you may have a problem with insufficient insulation.
Sign #7 Your Home Doesn’t Have Enough Insulation: Your pipes freeze
Your pipes shouldn’t freeze during winter, but if they do, it may be because they’re not protected enough from outside air. Typically, that’s insulation’s job.
Do You Need a Disaster Remediation Expert in Washtenaw County or Jackson County?
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