Insulation is essential in winter, to keep heat inside your home. But what about summer? When the weather is warm, insulation can still help keep your home comfortable and save you energy.
Here's a look at the importance of summer insulation.
Your Home's Air
Heat rises. In the winter, that means the warm air from your furnace rises out of your house and goes to your attic instead. In the summer, the same thing happens. As the temperature goes up, hot air fills up your attic. The problem is, it doesn't stay there.
As you run your A/C, the cool air doesn't stick around for long. It's continually spilling from your home to the outside. When that happens, the hot, humid air from your attic pours into your home to replace it. The more cool air is lost, the longer it takes to make your home comfortable, and the more energy is wasted.
How Summer Insulation Helps
Insulation is about slowing the flow of heat. It keeps the warm air that's outside, and in the attic, from displacing the cool air from your A/C. That way, your HVAC system is able to cool your home more efficiently, reducing your overall energy bills.
Insulation also helps reduce moisture in the air. The humidity that comes with the heat can cause mold, mildew, bacteria, and other problems. However, your A/C naturally dehumidifies the air as it cools. By keeping the cool air in and the warm air out, you ensure that your air stays dry.
Finally, attic insulation in the summer helps protect your roof. Your attic needs to retain the hot air from outside, so that the roof can remain the same temperature both on top and on bottom. When cool A/C air is allowed to leak into the attic, the disparate temperatures between the two sides of your roof can cause leaks and wear it out more quickly. Proper attic insulation helps your roof last longer, in both summer and winter.
For more summer insulation tips, contact us at Hartman Brothers. We proudly serve all of New Haven's HVAC needs.