There’s no question about it: energy bills can be a serious financial burden for homeowners. It’s the heating and cooling systems that are usually the problem, as they make up more than half of most energy bills. You might think you already do everything possible to reduce these costs. You already have insulation, and you keep the heat relatively low during the wintertime, and fairly high during the summertime. However, it’s often not enough.

Insulation is especially important for homes during the wintertime. Your valuable heat rises - and with it, your energy bill. Insulation is one way to bring both of these things back down where you want it.

You have insulation, but how effective is it? When was it installed? And was it properly installed? These are all questions to consider when assessing ways to reduce your energy bill. In 2010, a study found that the majority of homes in the United States are not insulated well enough. Without realizing it, your money could be leaking out of the roof right as you are reading this!

Even the insulation in new homes can often be improved to lower costs while also increasing the value of your home. Additionally, it can reduce your risk for the development of mold.

So how can you upgrade your attic to make it an asset to your home, rather than a financial burden? There’s no single correct way of doing it; one that will work for everyone since every home is unique. You can start by arranging an assessment of your home from a company like Energy Home Pros.

One way of identifying if your existing insulation is properly distributed is simply by going up to your attic and taking a look. If it is thick in some parts and thin in others, it is not ideal for energy efficiency in your home. Even if it has even thickness, it could be old or worn out - and this can be equally damaging to your energy efficiency as any other kind of poor insulation.

Insulation has a specific R-value, which is a rating that varies according to the type of insulation. As a general rule of thumb, a higher R-value means the insulation has a more effective thermal performance. There is no need to keep only one type of insulation in your attic, so a full replacement is not always necessary. Sometimes all that is needed is adding a type of insulation with a different R-value on top of your already existing insulation. In general, it is recommended to have insulation with an R-value around R-38, which should approximately be between 10 and 14 inches. This, of course, can vary based on the type and age of your insulation.

Energy Home Pros can provide whatever type of home insulation that you need. Whether it’s a loose fill made of cellulose, fiberglass, mineral wool or batts made of fiberglass, Energy Home Pros can help you out. Why not get your free consultation today?