I’ve figured out that my attic serves a bigger purpose than a storage space.
It’s actually designed to create a barrier between the living space and the outdoor elements. However, if it’s not properly insulated, the space is not effective. The attic can actually cause energy waste and higher heating and cooling costs. Warm air naturally migrates to cooler locations. If the attic is freezing cold in the winter, the heat from the furnace heads that direction and escapes through various leaks and cracks. When the attic is overheated in the summer, that heat works its way into the house, causing a bigger workload for the air conditioner. After reading an article about the importance of insulating the attic, I checked out my house. I found that the insulation in the attic was damaged from moisture and mice infestation. It definitely needed to be replaced. Rather than hire professionals, I tackled the job myself. It was in the middle of July and the temperature in the attic was upwards of a hundred degrees. The old insulation was disgusting. I sweated profusely and was very unhappy. The project took me an entire day to complete. I’d like to say I notice a huge improvement in the comfort of my home. I would like to say that my energy bills were suddenly a lot lower. It does seem that the furnace and air conditioner aren’t running quite as often for as long of cycles, but this might be wishful thinking. I am glad that I made the effort to increase the energy efficiency of my home. The attic is definitely not as horribly hot in the summer and as terribly cold in the winter.