The Energy Source

Winter is coming—are you ready? Every fall ENERGY STAR shares #RuleYourAttic resources, tips, and expert advice to help homeowners seal and insulate their attics in preparation for the colder months.

Here are some of the most common questions from our followers about insulating the attic:

Question: Why is the attic floor typically the most important place to insulate in an existing home?

Answer: Heat rises. So when heating your home during the winter, the warm air rises to the top of the house. By sealing and insulating the attic floor, the warm air is held inside the house saving you money on your heating bills.

Question: Our bathroom gets really cold in the winter; I'm wondering if it needs more insulation?

Answer: Walls behind showers and tubs may be under-insulated, which is tough to correct. You should get a professional audit that uses an infrared (IR) camera to help find and solve the problem. Also check under that bathroom floor to see if it is insulated. To hire a professional home energy auditor, visit the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR website.

Question: How often should we check the insulation? How do we know if it's still working?

Answer: You only need to check your attic once. Use a ruler to see how deep it is and then compare it to recommended levels. Remove any insulation that is wet, rotten, or full of pests. Seal any air leaks and then add more insulation as recommended. The best way to see if your attic insulation is working is to get an energy audit that uses a blower door and an infrared (IR) camera in the winter. Your local utility may have these audits available for a low fee.

For even more tips on how to ensure your home is warm and cozy for the winter, watch ENERGY STAR’s very own Doug Anderson on The Weather Channel’s AMHQ.

• The full series of Rule Your Attic! Energy Source posts
• Sealing and Insulating Q&A with EPA Experts
• Get Comfortable and Save with Rule Your Attic!

Additional Links:

• Visit the Rule Your Attic! landing page
• View the Rule Your Attic Facebook album
• Find the right Seal and Insulate project for your home
• Ask us questions about sealing and insulating your home by tweeting at @ENERGYSTAR and using the #RuleYourAttic hashtag

Share This: