We are often asked, “Can Adding insulation save on my cooling bill?” The short answer is “yes”. According to the US Department of Energy, adding insulation to your attic, ceiling, walls and flooring can reduce your utilities by 30%. That’s quite a savings for something that is relatively inexpensive.
How Much Insulation Do You Need In Kentucky?
Insulation is rated by R-value. R stands for resistance to heat flow. There are recommended R-values for insulation in various parts of the home. An attic in Kentucky should have insulation installed around R49. This requires insulation to be 17-18″ thick in the attic. The walls can be around R-18 and the floor around R-25.
Cooling The Attic Down
Although it’s true you can lose quite a bit of your cooling and heating energy through your windows and around door frames, when we are asked “can adding insulation save on my cooling bill?” we often tell customers that cooling the attic down will help too. This starts of course with adding the right amount of insulation. But you might also consider some of following ways to cool down your attic.
- Add a radiant barrier
- New roofs should have Ridge vents
- Make sure vents and especially soffit vents are clear of insulation and debris so air can circulate.
- Properly install “Turtle Vents” and make sure you install enough.
- Talk to your HVAC technician about adding proper ventilation
Can Adding Insulation Save On My Cooling Bill?
When you begin to add insulation or make sure you have enough insulation, think about other areas where insulation can make a difference. The DOE recommends insulating around water heaters, pipes and heating and air ducts. ADA Heating and Air can help you maintain good insulation around your heating and air ducts.
Proper attic ventilation is important. Your attic vents should be spaced correctly and the air should flow freely. You should make sure that air is sealed around doors and windows. Which brings me to our next question.
What About Air Flow?
Indoor air quality is a hot topic. With houses being built as energy efficiently as possible, you can imagine that no air is coming in or going out except through the HVAC system. This can sometimes result in stale air or poor indoor air quality. This is not good for individuals with lung conditions, asthma or a poor immune system. If you have concerns about air quality, talk with your HVAC repairman about how you can improve your air quality.
If you have questions or want to know, “can adding insulation save on my cooling bill?” call ADA Heating and Air and we will be happy to help you.
