COASTAL CAROLINA Blog

How to Tell if Your House Is Well Insulated: Signs of Poor Insulation

You can never take someone’s word on when they got the house insulated. No matter how much your realtor emphasizes on the insulation part, it’s always safe to check for yourself for confirmation. Even if you’ve been living in your house for years, always keep an eye out for the signs of poor insulation. Home builders usually install the minimum insulation for cost and effort purposes. This is why it’s up to you to install an extra layer or maybe two. But first you need to watch out for the signs. Read on to note how to tell whether your house is adequately or poorly insulated.

Fluctuating Temperatures

One of the first and foremost signs of poor insulation is varying temperatures in different rooms. If you freeze in the living room and find it cozy in the dining room, note that there is a problem. The change in temperature can be felt as you move from one room to the other. The reason for this is that heat gets retained in specific areas where the insulation is intact. Areas with poor insulation can easily make heat slip away.

The Electricity Bills Are Soaring

Heating and cooling appliances will have to work 24/7 to keep the temperatures under control if your insulation is out of order. More energy usage leads to heavier bills. Getting proper insulation will make your living space more comfortable. The air conditioners won’t be needed as soon as they were needed previously. Similarly, heaters won’t be needed in the initial weeks on winter.

The Walls Are Cold To Touch

Insulated walls shouldn’t be cold to touch unless the insulation installation needs to be redone. The overall room can be feeling cold during the winter, but the walls must maintain their temperature. Cold walls are an evident sign of poor insulation. The best time to check the wall’s temperature is during the night. If the box checks, call a professional to get insulation removal done to substitute it with new insulation.

Frozen Pipes

Regions that experience extreme temperatures are vulnerable to some of the fiercest winters. Brutally low temperatures can make pipes freeze and cause abrasions. Insulation installment doesn’t cost as much as pipe repairs and reinstallation. Insulated walls protect the pipes by housing them in a warm and cozy environment. This will be a difficult sign to observe, however, it’s certainly an important one.

Wrapping Up

Some signs of poor insulation are very apparent while others are often well concealed. Even so, you'll need to keep your eyes open and senses active at all times to notice the problem before it starts doing any damage. The earlier you recognize the signs, the better it is. Make sure that the temperature is consistent in all rooms. Touch the walls and ceiling to check whether they're cold or not. If your electricity bill is soaring even when you’re not consuming too much energy, call insulation professionals.