3 Signs You Need New Attic Insulation in Toronto

This summer has been a hot one in southern Ontario. If you haven’t switched the air conditioner off in the last month and a half, you’re not alone - Statistics Canada reports that approximately 74% of Ontarians have an air conditioner in their home, and a recent CBC article reported that the province has set a record in our demand for electricity this year. But what does that all have to do with home insulation?

Increased air conditioning needs (and therefore increased electricity needs) is one of the many signs that you need new attic insulation. An awareness of the different problems that old or outdated attic insulation Fatttmay be causing can help you make positive choices for your home that have long term value and impact. Read on for our top three signs that you need new attic insulation.

1. Your home has trouble staying warm or cool.

One of the most common signs that you need new attic insulation is that your home can’t seem to hold the temperature you set on your thermostat. Drafts, hot or cold spots, and inconsistent temperatures between floors or different rooms on the same floor all may point to a problem with attic insulation. Over time, insulation can degrade, become damaged by pests, water, or age, and, once damaged, it can very rapidly lose its ability to help keep heat where it belongs.

Once insulation loses its efficacy, it’s like taking off a hat - your head is exposed to the elements. In the winter, that means you might constantly be running your furnace in order to keep your house warm, and in the summer months, it means that you air conditioning is likely leaking into the attic, and hot, warm air created by the sun beating onto your roof all day long is infiltrating your indoor environment.

Sometimes the problem isn’t with old insulation, it’s simply that there just isn’t enough. The easiest way to solve this problem is to top up your attic insulation with a product like blown-in insulation. Quick and easy to install, blown in insulation can be installed on top of existing attic insulation that’s in good repair, and help reduce the signs that you need new attic insulation. Blown in insulation also helps to fill cracks and gaps that conditioned air sneaks through, making it a great option for attics with a lot of architectural details and small spaces.

2. Higher Energy Bills

After this hot summer, it’s likely that we’re all going to cringe when we receive our electricity bills. But high utility costs every month is another one of the signs that you need new attic insulation. When you have inadequate or damaged attic insulation, you’re letting one of the largest rooms in your home have extraordinary control over the temperature in other spaces and how much you pay monthly to heat and cool your home.

As one of the signs that you need new attic insulation, energy loss in the home is also caused by a number of different things:

• Open windows or doors
• Poorly insulated windows
• Cracks, gaps, and roof leaks in your home’s building envelope

Constantly running your air conditioner not only costs you more on your monthly bills, but will also incur long-term costs for maintenance, repair, and replacement on your unit. While the attic is the first place we recommend to help cut down on high utility bills, the walls and floors of your home can also benefit from new insulation and help to keep your air conditioning where it belongs.

3. Increased Indoor Moisture

One of the signs that you need new attic insulation that can be difficult to identify is having more moisture in the home. Moisture is present in many of our daily habits and task: cooking, cleaning, and washing are three ways that we all add moisture to our indoor environment. Some of this moisture can be removed by running fans when you’re showering or cooking, but if you find that this moisture is sticking around, it’s worth paying attention to.

Moisture can stay in our homes in a number of different ways:

• Humidity
• Condensation
• Puddles or drips

The biggest problem with added moisture in our homes (other than comfort) is mould growth. Water is mould’s magic ingredient, and increased levels of water or moisture in your home can quickly help to spawn a mould colony. Mould is dangerous to have growing in your home because it can cause serious health problems and irritating and uncomfortable allergies.

Moisture is a good reason to regularly check to see what’s happening in your attic. A leak or increased condensation because of trapped heat can easily generate mould problems, resulting in costly remediation as well as insulation replacement.

New Insulation Can Help Make Your Home More Comfortable

This year, think about replacing or topping up your insulation if you’re experiencing any of the top three signs that you need new attic insulation. Replacing or upgrading your attic insulation will have a big effect on your indoor comfort all year round, leading to:

• Lower energy bills
• Stable indoor temperatures
• Less maintenance on your HVAC equipment
• Fewer problems with humidity and mould problems
• Less drafts, hot and cool spots indoors

Installing new installation is one of the greatest return on investments that you can do for you home - which is one of the reason many of the major municipalities offer rebate programs designed to help you get new insulation into your home. Not only do you save money, but you help tackle the problem of an overloaded grid and reduce your energy consumption needs, which is better for the planet.

If you’re experiencing any of the signs that you need new attic insulation in Toronto, give us a call at EcoComfort Insulation for more information on upgrading your home insulation.