3 Signs Of A Poorly Insulated Roof

Posted on: 30 November 2021

A well-built roof not only protects your home against external elements but also ensures your indoor comfort. Without insulation, your home will lose heat or cooled air through the roof. As a result, your HVAC system will struggle to maintain consistent temperatures. Consequently, your energy bills rise significantly. 

Below are signs that your roof lacks sufficient insulation and what you can do to help. 

1. Temperature Variations in Your House

If you notice inconsistent temperatures in different rooms (even on the same floor), that's a surefire sign your home roof is under-insulated. Generally, your home should have even temperatures, especially if rooms don't differ much in size. 

Sometimes open windows or doors are to blame if certain spaces in your house are hotter or colder than others. However, if you close the windows and the temperature fluctuation persists, the room might have gaps that allow cold air to infiltrate your home. 

You should call a roofing professional for a thorough roof inspection. During their visit, the roofing expert can establish if poor roof insulation is the cause of the temperature variations. Your roofer will also eliminate any existing roofing problems that might comprise the performance of your roof.

2. High Energy Bills

When your roof insulation can't maintain consistent temperatures in your house, your heating system goes into overdrive to regulate indoor temperatures. If gaps exist in your attic insulation, your roof will not retain heated air in your house during winter or cool air during hot summer months. 

Even if you seal all cracks in your house and replace missing shingles, you will still need good attic insulation to improve your home's energy efficiency. So, if you have a thin layer of insulation, you should add more layers for proper temperature management. 

Attic repairs will suffice if your insulation only has minor issues. However, if your insulation has deteriorated due to old age or water damage, you should hire roofing service providers to install new insulation. Such measures will lower your energy bills significantly. 

3. Frozen Pipes and Ice Dams

If your location experiences long periods of cold winters, inadequate insulation in your attic can cause frozen pipes and ice dams. When temperatures plummet, your water pipes may not be able to handle the pressure of the ice. As a result, the pipes rupture and cause water damage, followed by costly repair work.

Ice dams form when heat emerging from a poorly insulated roof melts the snow on your roof. The melted snow then slides to your gutters and freezes upon exposure to low temperatures. Ice dams can compromise the structural integrity of your roof and also cause leakage issues. 

If any of these issues sound familiar, then the chances are that your roof is poorly insulated. You should contact a residential roofing contractor to inspect your roof and restore proper insulation for a better indoor experience.   

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