If you suspect the insulation in your Miami home isn’t sufficient, borrow or buy a non-contact infrared thermometer and tour your home with it on a hot day. Note places where the temperature is higher than room temperature. Taking temperatures around curtains or window frames is more accurate, because glass can reflect readings from elsewhere. The more spots where the temperature is more than a few degrees hotter than room temperature, the more likely your home would benefit from insulation.
Insulate Under Roof Sheathing
When you insulate directly under your roof sheathing, you lower the amount of air loss through the roof and attic. With this procedure, you won’t need soffit vents or roof vents. Furthermore if you have air conditioning ducts in the attic, they won’t need as much insulation. Insulating directly under roof sheathing can keep your attic temperature closer to that of your living space, minimizing heat transfer.
Attic Ventilation is Important
If your home is designed with soffit ventilation, you should not block these off with attic insulation. The soffit air helps ventilate your attic and keep moisture from building up and causing problems with mold and mildew. Some homeowners add exterior roof coatings that are more reflective than an untreated roof to block hot summer sun from penetrating the roof. However, some homeowners’ associations don’t allow these coatings.
Vapor Retardants and Warm Humid Climates
Whenever you cook, wash dishes, or do laundry, you add moisture to your home. It can become trapped in walls, causing mold or mildew problems. Vapor retardants keep moisture from condensing in wall cavities. In hot climates like Miami’s, vapor retardants should be placed toward the outside of wall cavities. Your Miami insulation company can advise you about building codes and vapor retardant requirements.
Lower Bills Offset Insulation Costs Quickly
The work done by a good Miami insulation company will generate a return on investment due to lower utility bills. Furthermore, your home will be more comfortable and you will have less of a problem with noise from outside. And should you choose to sell your home, your lower energy bills will be a strong selling point (Read more about energy savings here).
