15 Signs it’s time to update your insulation

We're constantly being asked "How will I know when I need to update my insulation?" or "What are some signs that I need more insulation?". We decided it was best to publish a list of 15 common signs we see that help indicate that it is time to update the insulation in your home.

1. YOU HAVE HIGH ENERGY BILLS

If you’re experiencing rising energy bills, it’s a sign that the insulation in your home is not performing optimally. This places added stress on the HVAC system to keep the air comfortable in the home, because the insulation is not holding the conditioned air as it should.

2. YOUR AIR CONDITIONER IS CONTINUALLY RUNNING

Without sufficient insulation in the home, hot summer air can infiltrate your home placing strain on the AC system to keep up. What could be worse, are the costly repairs and the potential replacement of an AC system with the additional stress placed on those units.

3. YOUR FURNACE RUNS CONSTANTLY DURING THE WINTER

Your furnace may be working overtime due to exterior cold air infiltrating your home. This added stress not only wears out the system, but also contributes to rising utility bills.

4. ROOMS IN YOUR HOME ARE EITHER TOO HOT OR TOO COLD

If you have uncomfortable rooms in your home that either stay too hot during the summer or too cold during the winter, it could be due to improper insulation. In the case of a bonus room, it may have been insulated incorrectly when built. It’s best to consult an insulation contractor.

5. DRAFTS COMING OUT FROM WALL SOCKETS

Air that has found its way in to the walls of your home will push it’s way in through any gaps it can easily find - electrical sockets and light switches are definitely no exception.

6. THE WALLS OF YOUR HOME FEEL COLD TO THE TOUCH IN WINTER MONTHS

The cold winter air will push its way into your walls from even the smallest gaps. That cold air in the walls can be easily identified by walls that are cold to the touch. Those cold walls will contribute to the home being generally uncomfortable.

7. THERE IS NO INSULATION IN THE ATTIC, WALLS, OR CRAWLSPACE

Places in the home lacking insulation make it easier for unconditioned, outside air to infiltrate the home. This air infiltration will directly affect the overall comfort of your home.

8. THE FLOORS ARE COLD IN THE WINTER

Not everyone has the luxury of heated flooring. For those of us wishing to rid ourselves of cold floors in the winter, the best course of action is to insulate the floor joist assembly in the crawlspace.

9. FROZEN PIPES IN THE CRAWLSPACE

It’s fairly obvious if the pipes under you home are freezing, your crawlspace is lacking proper insulation. In many municipalities, there is no building code mandating that the crawlspace be insulated, but it’s a great idea to improve the overall efficiency of your home.

10. PESTS HAVE RUINED INSULATION

It’s more common than you’d think. Pests and rodents that have made their way into the home can make their way to fiberglass or cellulose insulation and make their nests. This leads to poor insulation quality, coverage issues, and not to mention the potential health issues.

11. THE ATTIC INSULATION IS IN PILES

Poor distribution of insulation leads to parts of the house that may be lacking insulation, while other areas may have plenty. This presents many problems, but most of all gives areas where unconditioned air can infiltrate the home.

12. ICE DAMS ON YOUR ROOF

Ice dams are usually formed after warm conditioned air escapes through the attic and out of the roof. The heat exchange melts snow in areas of the roof, but not the outer edges where ice dams are formed. The most common reason being poor attic insulation.

13. DISHES IN THE CABINETS ARE COLD

It’s not fun to grab a cold mug for your hot coffee in the morning. This is largely due to the exterior walls of your kitchen behind the cabinets are lacking proper insulation or air sealing and is allowing outside air into the home.

14. YOUR CURRENT INSULATION IS 15 OR MORE YEARS OLD

The nature of fiberglass and cellulose is that it will settle and sometimes even shrink over time. This leaves your home with poor insulation coverage. Furthermore, insulation codes from 15 years ago are likely outdated in most municipalities. So the initial application may not even be adequate today.

15. YOU CAN SEE THE RAFTERS IN YOUR ATTIC

When the insulation levels are low enough you can see the rafters in your attic, it’s definitely time to start looking at upgrading your insulation. Low levels of attic insulation contribute to the loss of conditioned air from within the home.