Are you losing money through your roof?

With the winter season just around the corner, now is a good time to have your attic checked to ensure it is functioning properly.  Attics can have a huge impact on your home's energy efficiency, which could lead to higher bills each month.  This is especially true in the St. Louis region, as we face both extreme heat and extreme cold temperatures throughout the year.  An improperly functioning attic could be costing you money each month!  There are many things to consider when checking your attic:

1. Do you have the proper amount of insulation for your region?
2. Are your exhaust fans vented to the exterior?
3. Do you have sufficient ventilation?

Below are two diagrams of how attics function in both the winter season and summer season.

Photos courtesy of www.letitrain.ca

As you can see having a properly functioning attic is important year round, not just in the winter when it is cold.  A general rule of thumb is if you can see the rafters supporting your ceiling, you do not have enough insulation.  Below are before and after pictures of a recent attic which we cleaned and insulated as part of a larger project:

In the before picture, note the insulation does not even cover the rafters supporting the ceiling below.  This definitely indicates there isn't enough insulation.  There is also trash scattered throughout, which needed to be cleaned up.  The after picture shows the same space well insulated, with the recommended minimum R-38 insulation for our region.  The map below from Energy Star depicts the recommended levels of insulation by region.  Follow the link to see the associated table depicting the level of insulation you should have for your region.

Photo courtesy of www.energystar.gov

So we once again pose the question: Are you losing money through your roof?