Top 10 Benefits of Insulating Your Attic

Written by Michael Myers

Attic Insulation

February 16, 2024

You can lower your energy bills and make your home more eco-friendly by insulating your attic roof in colder climates.

This helps trap heat inside, making it easier and cheaper to keep your house warm during winter.

The Department of Energy forecasts that the prices for natural gas and heating will continue to increase this winter compared to last year’s—and this is after a year where heating already saw a significant price hike in most areas across the country.

The attic is often one of the most accessible places to overlook when people try to make their homes more energy-efficient. An excellent way to begin saving money would be by improving its insulation. You could save yourself 10-50% on energy costs, according to estimations from the Department of Energy (DOE).

One of the most straightforward ways to reduce your heating bill this season is by properly insulating your attic if you have one that is unfinished. Preventing air from escaping or entering the house also helps maintain your roof in better condition as it prevents ice dams and condensation.

A properly insulated attic for maximum energy efficiency is by having an R-60 value, of approximately 20 inches of insulation, with baffles installed over your soffit channels and all visible air leaks foam sealed up.

If you’re thinking about insulating your attic, below are 10 top benefits that may convince you to do it sooner than later.

Top 10 Benefits of Insulating Your Attic

Insulating your attic provides many benefits throughout the year and can make a big difference in the comfort of your home. Here are ten reasons why you should protect your attic:

Extend Your Roof’s Lifespan

Your home is one of your greatest assets. You want to protect this valuable asset, correct? In the winter, good insulation and air sealing prevent heat and moist air from entering your attic. This protects your roof shingles and removes moisture in the summer by allowing natural airflow to occur.

Attic insulation also prevents condensation, which can lead to wood rot on the underside of your roof. Replacing your roof can be costly, so you want to ensure it lasts for as many years as possible.

Saves You Money on Energy Costs

By insulating your attic, you reduce the heat that escapes, lowering your heating bills in winter and air-conditioning costs during summer.

More specifically, hot air rises. In the winter, heat escapes your home through the attic, and in the summer, hot air flows into your home through the attic. Proper insulation is key to slowing down this airflow if you want to be energy-efficient.

Improves the Efficiency of your HVAC System

Upgrading your home’s attic insulation prevents the escape of already warmed or cooled air, resulting in a more comfortable home year-round and less time spent running your HVAC system.

By installing attic insulation, you make your HVAC system work less to maintain a comfortable temperature in your home. Over time, this reduces wear and tear on the system.

Helps Prevent Pipes from Bursting or Freezing

You can help protect your pipes from freezing by insulating the unheated areas in your home, like your attic. This will keep the pipes warmer and less likely to freeze and burst.

Freezing can cause extensive water and plumbing damage throughout your house. Adequate insulation will make your home cozier in the winter and decrease the likelihood of frozen pipes.

Prevents Structural Damage from Moisture

Insulation prevents heat from escaping and safeguards your roof’s structural soundness. Consider insulation as a moisture-resistant barrier between you and bad weather. It restrains condensation formation and protects against heat transfer from warmer to colder areas.

Insulation prevents extreme temperatures from entering your home and stops water vapor, otherwise known as humidity, from wreaking havoc on your house. Water vapor can damage wood beams and rot interior walls if left unchecked, allowing mold and mildew to grow.

Helps Maintain a Consistent Room Temperature

During winter, attic insulation captures the heat given off by your heating system. In contrast, attic insulation slows the movement of hot air from your attic to other parts of your home during summer days, when temperatures in attics are highest.

Inconsistent temperatures throughout your home can cause discomfort and even chillier upstairs rooms. Insulating your attic protects against temperature fluctuations and provides heat retention in the winter.

Reduces Air Leaks

Using fiberglass insulation and products such as air-seal foam for gaps, you will form a tight seal to minimize air leaks. In both the winter and summer, it will help maintain your home’s temperature by preventing heat from escaping or entering.

Around 20-40 percent of heat escapes through walls, floors, and ceilings, resulting in higher energy bill costs. Insulating your attic saves you money on utility costs by preventing air from escaping your home.

Improves Cleaner and Healthier Air

By installing this insulation, you will trap pollutants at the surface, keeping them from entering your home. This increases indoor air quality for you and your family to enjoy.

By installing insulation in your attic, you can guard against the health concerns of breathing contaminated air. Not only do unsealed air leaks let in cold drafts, but they’re also how pathogens, mold, and allergens enter your home. Sealing and insulating your attic will improve the health of everyone living inside your house.

Ice Dam Prevention

Properly insulating your attic, specifically to an attic’s roof deck, will be especially effective in combating this issue. Ice dams usually result from heat escaping through the roof. To better manage how much heat leaves, insulate your attic to 20 inches of material rated R-60 or higher, especially in Indiana.

As temperatures rise and snow melts, the melted snow drains through the gutter channels. Ice dams form when water cannot exit the roof, causing a backup that often leads to leaks through your roof. Water leakage into your home will occur when the water level rises and breaks through the waterproof protective barrier.

Increases Your Home’s Value

On average, homeowners earn back more than 95% of the total project cost when they resell their houses, and other estimates show that report ROI is as high as 107.7%. But even before selling, homeowners save money monthly on energy costs and utilities.

Many people need to realize the importance of attic insulation, but it can save you money in the long run. Not only does it reduce energy costs, but it also protects your roof and keeps your home comfortable. Installing new attic insulation is worth the investment, as it will add value to your home. Even though buyers can’t see it, they will appreciate knowing that the house has high-quality insulation.

We hope you will find this helpful in your quest to find the most excellent attic insulation contractor. If you’d like to learn more about attic insulation, check out our attic insulation page.

In addition, here are some excellent resources for you:

Also, here are some resources to help you select a reputable contractor:

Get A Free Attic Insulation Inspection

At Myers Roofing & Exteriors, we always work hard to ensure our customers get the best possible service for their Attic Insulation needs. We can help with installation, repair, removal, and replacement – everything you need to keep your attic insulation working best for you and your home.

Myers Roofing & Exteriors is proud to be recognized as a top provider of excellence and quality in the Hamilton, Boone, & Tipton County areas.

Let’s schedule a time for your Free Attic Insulation Inspection. Book Online Here!