Good roofing isn’t limited to just the roof itself. Part of any sensible roof maintenance strategy includes installing adequate insulation in the building’s underlying attic. It doesn’t matter if you live in sunny Alabama or snowy South Dakota – you stand to gain a lot when your attic’s insulation needs are met in full!
Many of the same benefits that attic insulation provides to a residential roof also extend to farm roofing and grain elevator roofing. Let’s review seven of those benefits right now to give you a better idea of what’s at stake!
- Attic Insulation Saves Money
Heat forces its way into a property during the summer. It rises up through its roof during the winter. Almost half of the heat a homeowner pays for ultimately leaks through their ceilings, walls and floors! That’s why a homeowner can easily save 15% on heating and cooling costs simply by air sealing their house and adding insulation to their attic. Industrial insulation serves the same purpose – it just conserves energy on an entirely different magnitude.
- Attic Insulation Repels Moisture
When it infiltrates a property, moisture weakens wood and creates an optimal breeding ground for black mold. That’s damaging to any house or commercial property, and can quickly spoil the contents of a grain silo as well. Closed cell spray foam insulation is relatively expensive to install, although its superior R-value, ability to conform to irregular surfaces and complete impermeability to moisture all make it ideal for insulating attics and other awkward spaces. (Open cell spray foam insulation is cheaper, although it also has a lower R-value and requires the installation of a separate vapor barrier.)
- Attic Insulation Prevents Ice Dams
An ice dam can only form on a roof under two conditions: snow has accumulated there, and the roof’s surface is not a uniform temperature. When an ice dam forces liquid water to accumulate on a roof, that water will inevitably seep through the roof’s exterior and saturate the underlying property. In addition to raking your roof after each snowfall, you can prevent ice dams from forming by installing additional insulation in your attic. That will stop rising heat from making any part of your home’s roof warmer than freezing – precisely what causes an ice dam to form.
- Attic Insulation Improves Air Quality
Attic insulation creates a barrier against dust, pollen and other pollutants. Granted, your HVAC system is also effective at preventing microparticles from circulating throughout your property, although your furnace and air conditioning system both have less work to do when your attic is sufficiently insulated. In effect, attic insulation will also save you money by decelerating wear and tear on your HVAC system’s moving parts.
- Attic Insulation Prevents Frozen Pipes
If your furnace breaks during the winter – or if your property is weathering an unusually cold winter – then the temperature inside your property can eventually drop low enough to freeze and burst your pipes. Any plumber will tell you that burst pipes are not an inexpensive problem to fix. Adequate attic insulation isn’t enough on its own to prevent burst pipes without fail, but it does provide greater protection against a catastrophic plumbing issue.
- Attic Insulation Prolongs a Roof’s Lifespan
Attic insulation does two things that significantly extend a roof’s lifespan: It prevents rising heat from degrading roofing materials, and it prevents condensation that can cause wood to rot. If your attic’s insulation is made of fiberglass, then it probably requires replacement every 15 to 20 years. Otherwise it can become too damp and dirty to serve those important purposes.
In addition to blown and spray insulation for attics and other spaces, NIJAC Roofing & Insulation provides the metal roof restoration and concrete silo roof restoration services that commercial, industrial and agricultural property owners need in order to keep their investments safe and secure. If you would like to learn how we can help protect your property all year round, then we welcome you to contact us today!