ORLANDO CENTRAL Blog

5 Ways an Under-insulated Home Can Cost You

If you're looking for areas to save on household expenses, it makes sense to look at things like grocery costs, water usage, and utility bills. But how deep of an understanding do you have in each of these categories? Your grocery list is probably the easiest - cutting down on snacks, looking for alternative brands, or starting a coupon book. You may start looking to cut down on time in the shower or restructure your sprinkler schedule to reduce water waste. But will sacrificing comfort for a lower AC charge on your utility bill really save you money? 

Instead, if you’re seeing a high energy use, there may be a much more effective solution: checking your insulation. Many homeowners are surprised to find just how much insulation impacts their home’s safety and comfort. If you don’t have proper insulation coverage or poor quality material, insulation could be a major contributing factor to your home’s expenses. Here are a few areas an underinsulated building could be costing your household. 

Higher Utility Bills 

One of the most notorious areas affected by an underinsulated home is the utility bill. This is because there isn’t enough insulation installed for the material to perform its primary function: reducing heat transfer. Insulation reduces the rate at which heat escapes and enters a building, giving a significant helping hand to your HVAC system when it comes to regulating temperature. 

If you start to notice your AC needs to run longer, rooms within the house feel hotter or colder than the rest of the house, or you’re experiencing drafts and cold spots, you’re more than likely underinsulated. Now, your HVAC system has to pick up the slack to try to keep your home comfortable, all while you’re losing air quality and money. Having an underinsulated home is practically the equivalent of leaving your doors and windows open with every fan and AC unit on in the house. 

HVAC System Repairs 

As mentioned earlier, when your home is underinsulated, your HVAC system now has to put in overtime in an attempt to make your home more comfortable. While this obviously takes a toll on your bills as it runs for long periods of time, this can also lead to more fees in maintenance and repair down the line! Your HVAC system needs to be regularly maintained anyway in order to continue working at its peak - however when the system works harder for longer periods of time, you're increasing the risk of damage, overheating, and potentially shortening its lifespan. 

Pest Infestation Risk 

One of the significant areas that insulation can contribute to your household is preventing significant pest infestation. Each insulation type will have its own benefits to combat these unwelcome guests. For example, cellulose is treated with boric acid which is a pest irritant and hazardous to insects and small rodents that may try to ingest it. Other types like blown-in or loose-fill insulation get into smaller, unnoticed cracks and holes that are the perfect areas for pests to make their new home in. 

However, a building with poor quality or too little insulation might as well put a welcome mat out for bugs and critters. Especially in Florida, where Palmetto bugs and ants are always looking for a cozy space, old insulation is the perfect material for burrowing and nesting within. If you haven't had material as blow-in fiberglass checked within the last few years, you could be contributing to a potential pest party. 

Moisture Damage and Mold Growth 

Similar to being both the solution and agitator of pest problems, insulation can either help or hinder moisture damage and mold growth. If not inspected and properly installed, insulation could trap moisture and lead to wet spots in the roof and walls and slowly deteriorate your foundation. Especially for older buildings that haven't had an inspection in the last five to ten years, under insulation could be an easy target for mold to make its home within. 

However, with regular inspections, necessary reinstallation, and the right material, insulation can also be what prevents moisture and mold issues. Over time, the small cracks and holes in your home allow for moisture to set in, leading to bacteria and mold growth. An insulation like closed-cell spray foam is used to cover these areas since the material quickly expands to fill the spaces, reducing places for moisture to cling to. The closed-cell spray foam material itself also contains an inert polymer, meaning mold and bacteria have nothing to feed off of in order to grow and fester. 

Material Waste and Fees 

Finally, establishing regular inspections and knowing when it’s time to reinsulate pain points in your home can significantly reduce waste and additional costs. You can see a similar 

comparison in changing out your AC filter: what you think you're saving by not changing the filter every month can end up costing much more in repair fees later when the unit takes too much damage. 

It's also crucial to consult an industry expert on what type of insulation is best for the different areas in your home. They can explain the benefit of changing your blown-in fiberglass to cellulose or applying open-cell spray foam to your attic ceilings. Your local technicians will also be able to break down the return on investment that changing and re-insulating your home will bring every year. 

Reduce Risky Costs from an Underinsulated Building 

When insulation isn’t properly installed and updated, it can wreak havoc on your utility charges and maintenance expenses. A regular inspection and free evaluation from your local insulation experts could help you reduce the risk of outrageous bills and fees. Without establishing a regular routine, your building’s health and energy efficiency could begin deteriorating at a faster rate, especially in homes throughout the Orlando area of Florida. 

With help and guidance from Koala Insulation of Orlando, you’ll be more than prepared to combat problems like mold growth, pest infestation, and moisture damage. Our trained technicians are ready and available to not only evaluate pain points and provide multiple solutions to choose from, but they’re also here to help educate you further on the importance of adequate insulation. Contact our team today for more information on how you can avoid additional costs from an underinsulated home.