Overall, the best way to keep the heat inside and outside (depending on the conditions), is to insulate your roof, as this is the main area that heat will escape from. A thorough evaluation of the attic is necessary, as this will ascertain your current level of insulation, as well as how well it’s stood the test of time.
As with most things in life, quantity doesn’t always mean quality; in the case of insulation, looks can definitely be deceiving.
One common misconception among homeowners is that if they have an ample amount of insulation in their attic, that automatically means that their home is protected against heat loss.
Unfortunately, this is far from the case.
Traditional materials, such as fibreglass and cellulose, may function effectively to start with, but over time, their overall thermal performance is compromised, as the insulation loses contact with the framing.
This inevitably leads to air leaks, which, consequently, increase reliance on external appliances to make up for the shortfall of heat.
Let’s get into math and science for a moment. The best way to determine whether you need more insulation and the heat loss of your home is by the U-value.
This is the ratio of the temperature difference across your house. U-value calculates the watts per square meter kelvin [W/(m2K)].
In simple terms, this is the amount of energy lost. You can always check the U-value calculator online to see if you need more insulation.
