Your home’s insulation prevents unnecessary heat loss and gain. When your house lacks enough insulation to achieve this goal, it’s important to remedy the problem so you don’t have to pay for the extra energy your HVAC system consumes. Fall represents the ideal time to check your Savannah home’s insulation, so have it evaluated by a professional if any of these situations sound familiar.
You’re Conducting a Renovation
If you’re already ripping down walls, relocating fixtures, or conducting other renovations on your home, you might as well have your insulation evaluated. An expert will have an easier job checking the insulation, which means lower labor costs associated with the service.
If you’re adding a room to your home or expanding it in any other way, the addition will need insulation, too. You can have that area insulated at the same time as other parts of your home that lack adequate protection, which further reduces your costs.
You Notice Cool Spots in Your Home
An unexpected draft could indicate that your home needs more insulation. As fall sets in and the temperatures drop, you might notice air leaks more easily than you did over the summer. When you feel a draft, move around the room to find its source.
Maybe you have a poorly insulated exterior wall, for instance, or perhaps your attic or basement needs extra protection. Whatever the case, you’ll save money in utility costs if you increase insulation in areas where you feel drafts. In some cases, you might notice reduced indoor air quality because of the difficulty managing the drier air.
Your Home Has an Attached Garage
When your home sits next to your garage, you might experience more heat loss and gain than if you owned a home with a detached garage. In many cases, this problem boils down to a lack of insulation, especially if you have an older house. The construction regulations have become more stringent over time, so checking insulation in the wall that separates your house from your garage is essential.
Talk with a contractor about the proper way to insulate your garage. He or she will know what type of insulation will create the ideal thermal break and can point out any possible disadvantages to adding insulation.
You’ve Experienced Pest Infestations
Pests, such as insects or rodents, often chew on insulation or use it to build nests for their young. Just one rodent making its home in your attic probably won’t decimate your insulation, but a large colony could. If you’ve had to call a pest control professional to eradicate unwanted pests in your home, insulation should be next on your list of things to check.
During the fall, pest infestations often increase. Animals and insects seek warm shelter from the falling temperatures and increased precipitation. Even if you haven’t noticed pest activity, keep an eye out for it so you’ll know when a problem occurs.
Your Energy Bills Are Inconsistent With Your Thermostat Habits
The transition period between summer and winter sometimes makes it difficult to determine whether your utility bills are consistent with the temperature at which you keep your home. However, if you notice that you’re paying too much for energy, a lack of insulation could be contributing to heat loss and gain.
When your home suffers from air leaks, your air conditioner and furnace have to work harder to maintain the appropriate temperature. Your bills increase because you’re wasting conditioned air. Insulation helps eliminate air leaks and creates a thermal barrier against heat loss and gain.
Your Home Feels More Humid Than It Should
When a home lacks insulation, more than warm air can penetrate to the interior rooms. Moisture will also increase because of the lack of a barrier. Over the summer, you might have noticed that you perspired even while you were inside the house, or maybe your linens felt a little damp. Increasing insulation can keep unwanted moisture out of the home.
Fall is the perfect time to check your home’s insulation and to perform regular HVAC maintenance, so give McDevitt Air a call at 877-692-9402 today.
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