MIAMI – Many South Floridians are discovering that adding attic insulation can lower their electric bills.
Ryan Queen had struggled to keep his Fort Lauderdale home cool.
In the middle of the summer, Queen’s electric bill could run as high as $400 – $500. He said it dropped into the $200 range in the winter.
Several insulation companies guarantee that adding insulation can reduce an electricity bill from 15 to 30 percent.
After many attempts to get his air conditioner to work more efficiently, he thought to check the attic of his house.
“We noticed there was an extreme lack of insulation,” said Queen.
Insulation is a material that reduces extreme temperatures by providing a barrier between the inside of the house and the temperature outside.
He called in experts.
“You look around the attic, you can see he has about three inches in some areas,” said David Luderman, owner of Koala Insulation Co.
Florida’s building code requires houses in Broward, Miami-Dade, Monroe and Palm Beach counties to have at least nine inches of insulation.