June in Northeast Arkansas means your AC is working overtime, but are you paying more than you should? Here are the telltale signs your attic needs more insulation — especially obvious during our brutal summer months.
Your upstairs rooms feel like an oven even with the AC cranked. When attic insulation falls below R-30 (the minimum for our climate zone), heat radiates straight through your ceiling. We're seeing 140°F attic temps this week in Jonesboro — that heat has nowhere to go but down into your living space.
Your electric bill jumped 30-40% from May to June with no other changes. Inadequate insulation forces your HVAC system to run constantly. We recently helped a Trumann family cut their summer cooling costs by $85/month after bringing their attic from R-19 to R-49 with blown cellulose.
Ice dams were a problem last winter. Poor attic insulation causes uneven roof temperatures year-round. The same heat loss that creates ice dams in January makes your AC struggle in June.
You can see your ceiling joists when you peek into the attic. Insulation should completely cover the joists with an extra 2-3 inches on top. If you see wood, you're losing money every month.
The sweet spot for Northeast Arkansas attics is R-49 to R-60. That's about 16-20 inches of blown cellulose or fiberglass, depending on your existing setup.
Reply or DM us for a free attic assessment — we'll measure your current R-value and show you exactly how much you could save.