Top Signs Your Home Needs More Home Insulation

It’s one thing to endure the extremes of an Illinois winter or a sweltering summer outside—but if you’re uncomfortable inside your own home, there may be an issue with your home’s construction that’s preventing it from providing the comfort you deserve.

In many cases, the culprit is aging, damaged, or insufficient insulation. When your home can’t hold warm air in the winter or keep cool air inside during the summer, your comfort, energy bills, and even your health can take a hit. So how do you know it’s time to upgrade?

Here are the top signs that your insulation needs to be replaced—and how ARC Insulation can help restore year-round comfort to your Chicagoland home.

1. Hot and Cold Spots Between Rooms

Does your living room feel perfectly comfortable, but your bedroom is freezing? Or is your upstairs unbearably hot while your basement stays cool?

Uneven temperatures from room to room is a common sign of inadequate or unevenly distributed insulation. Over time, insulation can settle or become compacted, reducing its ability to perform. Certain areas—like attics , basement or crawl spaces, and rim joists—may have never been properly insulated in the first place, leading to frustrating temperature fluctuations.

2. Condensation on Drywall or Ductwork

Another symptom of an underinsulated home could manifest as condensation on drywall throughout your home, or on the outside of any visible ductwork. This happens when warm, moist indoor air comes into contact with cooler surfaces—like poorly insulated walls or cold metal ducts. Without proper insulation to keep surface temperatures stable and to prevent excess humidity buildup, that moisture condenses into water droplets. Over time, this can lead to mold growth, staining, or even structural damage.

3. Pest Infestations and Strange Noises

Insulation doesn’t just keep air in—it helps keep pests out. Rodents, insects, and other unwanted guests can squeeze through small openings and use certain types of insulation, especially older fiberglass or cellulose, as nesting material.

If you’ve heard scratching or movement in your attic, found droppings, or seen evidence of insects, it’s likely your insulation has been compromised. Once damaged, it loses its effectiveness and can contribute to air leakage and contamination.

What to do:
If pests have made their way into your insulation, it’s time for removal and replacement. ARC Insulation offers safe insulation removal and replacement services that restore both your comfort and your indoor air quality.

4. Unexplained High Energy Bills

Have your heating or cooling bills crept higher over the past few seasons, even though your usage hasn’t changed? Poor insulation could be forcing your HVAC system to work overtime.

When insulation no longer forms a reliable and continuous thermal barrier, your home loses conditioned air faster. Your HVAC system has to cycle more frequently to maintain your thermostat settings, resulting in higher monthly bills and unnecessary wear and tear on your equipment.

5. Your Home Always Feels Drafty

Drafts around windows, doors, or along baseboards are annoying and signs of air leaks and insulation failure. Insulation and air sealing work hand-in-hand to keep conditioned air inside and outdoor air out.

Suppose your home always feels a bit breezy, especially near exterior walls or in older rooms. In that case, it’s a sign that insulation may need to be updated or that air sealing is needed in tandem with insulation improvements.

6. You Live in an Older Home

Many homes in Naperville and surrounding areas were built before modern energy efficiency standards were established. If your home was built before the 1990s and hasn’t had a recent insulation upgrade, chances are it’s under-insulated by today’s standards.

Trust ARC Insulation—Your Chicagoland Insulation Experts

Since 1993, ARC Insulation has helped homeowners in Naperville and the greater Chicagoland area create more comfortable, energy-efficient homes. Our team performs detailed energy assessments to identify exactly where insulation is lacking and recommends the best solutions based on your home’s unique layout and your comfort goals.

Plus, we’ll help you take advantage of utility rebates and incentives available through programs like ComEd and Nicor Gas, so you get the best value on your upgrade.

Take control of your home’s comfort and energy use. Call ARC Insulation today at 815-293-1250.