Does Your Older Home Suffer from Poor Insulation in Sacramento, CA?

Building codes today are drastically different than they were decades ago. Homes built today offer more safety features, higher standards and better insulation in Sacramento, CA. If you live in an older home, it’s likely your surroundings are poorly insulated. This can cause a host of problems for you and your property. Following are a few of the top issues resulting from old-house insulation.

Attic Issues

A poorly insulated attic wastes incredible amounts of energy. Your HVAC unit works hard to keep your home heated and cooled, and your attic sends all that air through the rafters. It’s a common site of poor insulation in Sacramento, CA. Even if you don’t intend to use this space for living areas, it is worth insulating the attic of an older home to reduce this energy waste, increase HVAC efficiency and reduce drafts.

Better insulation can also help seal your home from pest invasions. Mice, squirrels, bats and other creatures are always on the lookout for inviting places to nest, feed and breed. Filling cracks and holes in your attic with insulation can help keep out these unwanted guests.

Wall Issues

Are your exterior walls cold to the touch during the winter? It wouldn’t be surprising if your exterior walls held no insulation or very little insulation. What small amounts they do have may have settled to the bottom of the wall by now. When it was constructed, your home’s builders were probably not focused on this aspect of the project. As a result, your walls offer little protection against hot and cool air. They are another source of waste for your utility bills.

This lack of insulation in Sacramento, CA not only wastes money—it also causes discomfort. The drafts it causes makes your home less inviting to both yourself and guests.

Additionally, without insulation, your walls lack noise prevention. Sounds travel much easier through the frame of your home, bringing in traffic noise and voices from the neighborhood. The noise you create inside your house also travels more easily to the exterior.

Crawl Space Issues

Many older homes offer crawl spaces instead of, or in addition to, basements. These areas are rarely well-insulated. As a result, the living areas above them are less comfortable. Depending on the season, either cold or hot air accumulates in this space and affects the floor above it. You must work extra hard to properly cool or heat your home due to your uninsulated crawl space.

As with attics, crawl spaces that are poorly insulated can also welcome pests. A mouse only needs a hole the size of a dime to enter your home. Filling in all potential entrances with proper insulation can help keep these pests out.

Poor insulation can also create damp crawl spaces. As moisture seeps in, mold and mildew are likely to grow. This can cause a host of potential health problems for you and your family.

Fix the Issues

Fortunately, solutions to these issues are available. Older homes can be insulated to make your surroundings more efficient, comfortable and safe. Contact your local experts on insulation in Sacramento, CA today to get started.

Leave a Reply