Summer is upon us, and if you live in Southern California and not right by the beach, you know you’ll probably be using your air conditioning system consistently for the next few months. High energy bills are something we’ve all been very familiar with. Perhaps it even leads you not to use your HVAC system and just suffer, to save money. Have you ever noticed that one room in the house never cools down, while another is too cold to stay in? This is a sign that your house might not be properly insulated – and air, whether cool or warm, is either escaping or coming in. 

Here are some signs that you may need upgraded insulation:

Your utility bills have increased – if you’ve noticed that your cooling or heating bill is increasing for no apparent reason

Room temperature differentiates – if your cooling or heating system is not producing the same average temperature in every room 

Drafty rooms – if you feel a draft and a window or door isn’t open

If your insulation is crumbly, outdated – old insulation does not meet today’s standards and codes

Water coming through your ceiling – if you detect moisture in the attic or detect water coming through, you likely have insulation problems

Bugs and mice in your home – we know, it’s gross. But if you find critters in the home, they most likely got in through cracks and openings that need to be sealed and an attic with proper insulation

In the average American home, roughly 50% – 70% of energy used is due to heating and cooling. Reducing air leakage by properly insulating your home and air sealing can greatly reduce energy consumption and cost. Energy codes have been progressing and getting more strict over the years, so newer built homes are made with these codes already in place and have better energy efficiency, but this doesn’t mean that they are properly insulated or insulated at all, for that matter. So imagine if you have an older home, and haven’t done anything for its energy efficiency. The point here is that, you should have a professional take a look at your attic and insulation to determine if you could use some updating, sealing, and cleaning. The EPA estimates that the average homeowner can save 15% on energy costs by adding insulation to attics and crawl spaces. A well-insulated attic can often bring a higher market value for the home. You may also be eligible for tax incentives to help with financing the upgrade.

We know it’s not always easy to make rather significant investment improvements to your home when it’s something that isn’t even outwardly visible. But the return on investment is worth it, and will definitely save money while also protecting your home and structure. Insulation has a three times greater impact on the energy and comfort of the average home than windows and doors. The pros greatly outweigh the cons here, in cost, energy consumption, cleanliness and air quality, and temperature comfort throughout the home.