Get Ready to Insulate

Mar 03, 2010 | Energy Efficiency

Insulation... It's hard to miss the marketing message that we should all add insulation. And even President Obama said: "Insulation is sexy." (The marketing message can't get a stronger endorsement!)

When you evaluate insulation for your home, consider some of the tips and insights in this article. We'll talk about products and techniques as well as.....

The Golden Rule of Insulation: Air seal first! Closing up those air leaks with caulking makes the best use of your insulation dollars. Without air sealing, hot air leaks out of your house and moves under the insulation. This moving air prevents insulation from being that cozy blanket we want. So stop the air leaks and the insulation will provide a nice comforting-increasing layer of protection.

Fiberglass batt insulation: Photo WattzOn
Adding insulation to existing homes

There are three places in the home where insulation can be added: attics, crawlspaces, and walls.

In the attic, it is common to use a combination of blow-in and batt insulation. Batts, which look like thick blankets, are wrapped around skylight boxes and other protrusions. Then a layer of soft, fluffy loose insulation is blown in. Blown-in insulation falls into those hard to reach places, as it settles to cover all the nooks and crannies.

Underneath the floor of the house -- in the crawlspace or basement -- batts commonly are pushed up against the underfloor and held in place with netting or wires.

Crawlspace insulation: Photo WattzOn

To insulate your walls, the installer will drill an access hole every 16 inches or so between studs, blow in the insulation, and then cap the hole. Most often, loose insulation is used, but a non-expanding foam is also available.

During a remodel, it might make sense to remove the inside wall covering (the drywall), spray in foam, and then replace the wall. Or you can attach rigid styrofoam sheet insulation directly to the inside of the wall, and then add drywall on top. Sometimes just adding a drywall layer can add important insulation comfort and saves the trouble of serve opening up the wall.

When putting on a new roof: Reroofing is a great time to add a layer of insulation. Your roofing costs may go up by a few hundred dollar, but you'll be more comfortable and save money for years to come.

And remember The Golden Rule: seal air leaks first. We have had plenty of calls where the homeowner was still cold after installing insulation. It's wasted money unless you air seal first.

Want to talk over your options? Have questions? Speak with a WattzOn Green Home Expert for free. Call 1-800-314-5997. How much insulation do I need?

Insulation is measured by its R-value, its ability to resist heat flow. (R stands for resistance). R-2 insulation is twice as effective as a piece of paper, while R-15 is 15 times more effective, and so on. Insulation math is easy: If the insulation product is rated R-2 and you have 4 inches of it installed, the total insulation installed is R-8.

In the Bay Area, R-value recommendations are:

* Attic: R-30 minimum, and R-38 is better. (This is about 12 to 14 inches of loose-fill insulation.)

* Wall: R-11 to R-13.

* Crawlspace: R-19 or more. This is a challenging area to insulate.

Federal tax incentives are available for all insulation projects. Some utilities offer rebates for attic and wall insulation. None offer rebates for crawlspace insulation.

See our companion pieces on attic, wall, and crawlspace insulation for more detail.

Before you insulate

The two most important things you can do before starting an insulation project are:

Check for air leaks. Look around seams, light fixtures, and other wall openings, and caulk them up with caulking or bottled plastic foam. If you hire insulation contractors, make sure they are experienced with air sealing and do a round of air sealing first.

Choose an experienced installer. Insulation is much less effective when improperly installed. For example, experience in new home construction has found that improperly installation has only half the R-value Look for a contractor who will do a round of air sealing first. A good insulation installation will leave no gaps in coverage, and will have no compression in the insulation once installed. Call WattzOn to get connected to our network of green and qualified contractors.

Other considerations before jumping in:

Do you have older electrical wiring, such as knob-and-tube type, it might make sense to upgrade your wiring before upgrading your insulation. The access will be easier now than it will be later. (In fact, older wiring might require an electrician's certification before insulation can be installed.)

Do you have recessed lights? With older recessed light fixtures insulation cannot be pulled up tight, creating heat-leaking gaps across the ceiling. Insulation touching these fixtures could catch fire. But, starting 15 years ago, changes in recessed light fixture solved this problem. Look at the label of the fixture to find a label stating "IC rated," this means the fixture is ready for insulation contact. So replace your older recessed light fixtures for energy savings and fire safety. These upgrades can be a bit of a hassle, but the benefit is few air leaks -- increased comfort and energy savings for years to come.

Are you replacing your siding? When replacing the exterior siding on your home, consider adding insulation at the same time. Check with your siding installer to coordinate the insulation and siding, so they that work effectively together.

Leave it to the pros. Generally, insulation is a job best done by professionals. It is messy work with health issues. When working with insulation, always cover your hands and face, so that you don't touch or breathe the unhealthy loose fibers and dust.

Want to talk over your options? Still have questions or concerns? Want to find a quality contractor?

Speak with a WattzOn Green Home Expert for free. 1-800-314-5997

We are your free, independent, qualified, green home energy experts. We don't sell windows, furnaces or insulation or anything else for that matter. What we do provide is informed, expert and unbiased guidance on your best and most-effective opportunities to save energy, save money and make your home more green. We can recommend products, but we don't get paid by manufacturers. We can also connect you to our network of qualified and verified local green home energy auditors and green home contractors who do great work. Keywords: insulation, adding insulation, insulate, rolls, batts, wool insulation, rockwool, fiberglass insulation, fiberglass batts, R-19 insulation, R-21 insulation, R-30 insulation, R-38 insulation, rigid foam insulation, foam-in-place insulation, spray-in insulation, spray insulation, spray in insulation, green insulation, eco-friendly insulation, eco insulation, eco friendly insulation, environmentally-friendly insulation, environmentally friendly insulation, blue jean insulation, insulation contractor, floor insulation, wall insulation, attic insulation, roof insulation