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9 Signs Your Home May Be Poorly Insulated/Koala Insulation of West FL

9 Signs Your Home May Be Poorly Insulated

Your home is supposed to be comfortable year-round. Good insulation balances your house's temperature and humidity levels while saving you money on heating and cooling costs.

What do you experience in your own home? Depending on the season, do you find your house or specific rooms on the unbearable side? Your home's insulation, or lack thereof, could be the cause. 

Poor insulation can harm your home and health. It can also cost you a fortune in bills and extensive repairs. Before it's too late, check out these warning signs that your house may be poorly insulated:

1. Higher energy bills 

Have you noticed a steady increase in heating/cooling costs over the past few seasons? Even if you have added a new appliance to your house, something else may contribute to your energy consumption. 

One sure-fire sign of an under-insulated home is higher energy bills. The insulation wears thin and can't provide adequate thermal protection. The additional energy expense is your cooling or heating system working overtime to regulate the temperature. 

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), by having proper insulation and air sealing the attics, basements, and crawl spaces of your home, you can save up to 20% on your heating and cooling costs. 

2. The temperature difference between rooms

Is your upstairs consistently warmer than the downstairs, or maybe one room is always hotter than the others in the house? Excluding external factors like windows and HVAC, the temperature variations between rooms are likely caused by poor insulation. 

Some rooms may have air leaks from which the indoor air escapes. Systems would then have to work harder to keep the temperature balanced. 

4. Chilly Drafts

Constant fluctuations in temperature cause chilly drafts. The warm air exits, and cool air fills the room. This air exchange comes from gaps in window sills, doors, and sometimes, light switches and outlets.

Seal gaps where hot air may escape during the winter season.

5. Hot Floors, Hot Walls, and Hot Ceiling

The internal structure of your home is your barrier against weather conditions. If your floors, exterior walls, and ceiling feel warm to the touch, it may be a sign you need to check your insulation. 

In a house with good insulation, the temperature in the room and the walls are the same.

6. Hot summer and cold winter indoors 

Your heating and cooling system are actively working, but they can't keep up if your home is poorly insulated. We previously discussed hot spots, but you may notice your A/C constantly running. This issue is all too common for many customers throughout the West Florida area during our intense summers. We have customers comment all the time that their A/C runs non-stop. Your A/C working overtime is a definite sign that your home may not be properly air sealed or that you do not have enough insulation to help regulate the temperature inside. Lack of proper insulation is costing you money and comfort every day.  

7. Humidity and condensation in the attic

Have you ever entered your attic and it feels like a sauna? This humid air can be caused by various factors, from a lack of ventilation to condensation build-up due to improper or poor insulation. 

A typical scenario is around HVAC vents that are exposed or improperly insulated and exposed to the hot attic air. Condensation forms here and could eventually cause drywall damage or even mold. If you see water leaking on your ceiling or mold forming in the attic, there's a possibility the insulation is also damp and needs replacing. Bring in an expert to assess the situation, especially if you locate mold.  

The humidity build-up could be due to poor ventilation if you don't see any immediate leaks. One quick check you can do to review your attic's ventilation is to ensure your soffits are not clogged and that you have some active system to help air flow through the attic and exchange with fresh air from outside. 

8. Critters like mice, rats, and yes, even cats… 

Does your attic smell more like a bathroom than a fresh open space? Does your insulation look matted down, or can you see droppings from little furry friends? I use the term "friends" loosely here. If so, not only has your insulation seen its last days, but you could also be living with a health hazard. As insulation breaks down over time, rodents and pests of all sorts break in and use it as a home base and bathroom. 

Suppose you ever see or smell pest excrement in your attic space. In that case, we highly recommend you get a pest expert out to take care of the problem, and secondly, get a professional out to remove the old, compromised insulation. We at Koala Insulation of West Florida specialize in removing old insulation but can also disinfect the attic space before air sealing it and blowing back in new insulation.  

Please book your free insulation evaluation with one of our consultants today.