The Energy Vampire Sucking Money from Your Wallet
While some attic problems threaten safety and health, others are quietly draining money from your bank account month after month, year after year. Old, inadequate, or damaged insulation can turn your home into an energy-guzzling monster that costs thousands of dollars annually in wasted heating and cooling costs.
Patricia Morris noticed her energy bills climbing steadily, but she attributed it to rising utility rates. “I just figured everyone’s bills were going up,” she explains. “I never thought to look in my attic.” When Patricia finally hired an energy auditor to investigate her soaring costs, the results were shocking.
“The auditor told me I essentially had no insulation left,” Patricia recalls. “What was there was compressed, moldy, and completely ineffective. He said it was like trying to keep my house warm with a screen door.” The thermal imaging camera showed heat pouring out of her roof like a sieve, and her monthly energy bills were 60% higher than they should have been.
Insulation doesn’t last forever, despite what many homeowners believe. Fiberglass insulation can settle and compress over time, reducing its R-value significantly. Cellulose insulation can absorb moisture and become a breeding ground for mold. Even newer foam insulation can degrade when exposed to temperature extremes or pest damage.
But the problem isn’t always old insulation—sometimes it’s insufficient insulation from the start. Many older homes were built when energy was cheap and insulation standards were minimal. The Department of Energy estimates that homeowners can save up to 15% on heating and cooling costs by adding insulation to attics, crawl spaces, and basement rim joists.
The financial impact adds up quickly. A poorly insulated 2,000-square-foot home can waste $500 to $1,500 per year in energy costs. Over the life of a mortgage, that’s $15,000 to $45,000 literally blown away through the roof. Yet many homeowners continue paying these inflated bills year after year, never realizing that the solution is just a ladder climb away.