How Attic Insulation Affects Air Conditioning?

As the summer season gears up, your air conditioning will be exerting more and more to maintain cool interiors. Ideally, your air conditioning should be able to run at an optimum level. At this level, the AC is able to deliver a good amount of cooling while incurring average energy bills. However, a number of factors can affect the performance of the AC. One of these is attic insulation. You should contact our Greenville HVAC experts today.

The Importance of Attic Insulation for Air Conditioning

The insulation in the attic area plays a crucial role in maintaining cool interiors during summers. When sun shines on your attic, the attic absorbs heat. This heat then transfers to your living space, warming up the air conditioned air. As a result, the AC has to exert more to maintain the same degree of cooling.

Attic insulation effectively resolves this problem by adding a layer of insulation in the attic space. This insulation plays a dual role. At one hand, it prevents cool air from escaping into the attic and through the walls. At the other hand, it traps the heat and stops it from seeping into the living space. In this way, attic insulation helps you achieve comfortably cool interiors without overburdening your air conditioning.

Signs You Have Poor Attic Insulation

Homeowners can often neglect the upkeep and maintenance of attic insulation. Here are some common signs that you can look for to determine whether or not you have poor attic insulation.

Unusually High Bills:

When you have poor attic insulation, the air conditioner is not able to work at its optimum. This results in poor energy efficiency, forcing the AC to consume more energy to keep your home cool. As a result, you can expect higher energy bills.

Dust and Debris:

Poor attic insulation means that you home is not fully sealed to the outdoor air which can seep in. As the air from outside leaks in, so do airborne particles such as dust and other forms of debris. If you can see that such particles are leaking into your indoor air and are not sure where they are coming from, it may be time to check up on your attic insulation.

Poor Cooling:

When the attic insulation is in an exceptionally poor condition, you will experience poor indoor cooling even when your AC is exerting more. This is because the cool air will quickly leak through the attic and walls to the outdoor environment. When you experience poor cooling despite all regular measures, this may indicate that your attic has poor insulation.

Type of Attic Insulation

When it comes to attic insulation, you have plenty of options to choose from. Ultimately, the aim of all insulation types is to create thermal pockets which serve as a barrier between the attic air and the living area. Here is a look at some of the notable types of attic insulation.

Expanding foam insulation:

Expanding foam insulation is particularly suitable in plugging smaller air leaks and gaps. If you suspect that smaller leaks exist between the attic and the living area, you may want to choose this type of insulation.

Blown insulation:

This type of insulation is made by using fiberglass, cellulose and other materials in a pelleted form. The great thing about blown insulation is that it is particularly suitable for attics that are irregularly shaped. If your attic has hard-to-access nooks and corners, you should go with blown insulation.

Batt insulation:

This is the most common type of insulation typically used by homeowners. It is often available at the local home improvement stores and you can get it off the store to install it on your own. Batt insulation comes in large rolls which are pre-cut.

Foam board insulation:

Foam board offers superior insulation but it isn’t suitable for use over larger areas. In the attic space, foam board insulation is usually used around regular openings such as hatches. So you only need to use small amounts to ensure all standard openings are perfectly sealed.

Hiring Greenville Heating and Air Experts

If you are experiencing high energy bills, poor cooling and sub-par AC performance, you may want to have your home inspect by Greenville heating and air experts.

Here at General Air, we are equipped and trained to identify problems such as poor attic insulation. We also work with you to resolve these problems and ensure better overall energy efficiency of your home. Our experts can advise you on what type of attic insulation is best for you and how to go about insulating the attic space most effectively. Call us today to book a FREE consultation and get in touch with our experts.