Does Your Attic Need Insulation?

We got hit with snow here this weekend and driving around my neighborhood (of older homes) I had a thought. The thought was that I remembered there being some connection between the way snow accumulates on your roof and the need for insulation; I just couldn't remember what the connection was. So, when I got home I looked it up and here's what I found on extremehowto.com:

After the first snowfall, compare the snow on your roof with the snow on your neighbor's roof. If the roofs are similar in slope and direction of wind impact, the snow accumulation should be similar to your neighbor's. If you have considerably less accumulation as compared to a similar roof, it could indicate heat loss due to inadequate insulation in the attic. Also, check the snow around the basement wall. Snow around the basement that has melted more than the snow on the lawn indicates heat loss. Seal it and install insulation accordingly.

The good news, for me, is that the snow seems to accumulate on our roof (and doesn't melt away very fast), so our attic is evidently well-insulated and holding heat (rather than losing it). The other good news is that this was exactly the opposite of the way I was thinking the correlation works.

So, go outside and look at your roof and determine if you need insulation. If you don't AWESOME! If you do, I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but the upside is that this investment now will save you a ton down the line.