If you want to try adding attic insulation to your house, consider some tips to get started. If you have questions or doubts, think about hiring a professional.
You are advised to get a professional to add attic insulation to your home. The result is that your house should use less energy so that your utility bills are reduced. However, there are a few steps to take if you want to attempt this task on your own. Consider how to get started so that your bills can be lowered as soon as possible.
First you need to find out whether your house really needs more attic insulation. Believe it or not, there is such a thing as too much, so to avoid paying to put an overabundant amount in, you should measure the number of inches already there. You should be able to find this out from your home's builder if it is rather new, and it should be listed as the R-value. If you cannot get this information, or your home is older, you may want to pay for an energy assessment. This will tell you whether you would benefit from insulating even more, or of your money would be better spent elsewhere when trying to reduce your electricity costs.
If you have decided that more attic insulation is what you need, and you want to do it yourself, you should find out the type to use. Loose-fill is one popular kind, as it is easy to spread out evenly, and simple to install. The batt kind comes in a roll, is harder to install, and is often attached to foil. If you are not sure which is the best for you, it is advised that you talk to an employee at the home improvement store that you get the materials from.
Next you need to ensure that the area is all properly sealed. There is no point in adding attic insulation if the air will just seep in or out through small leaks. If you have a chimney, apply caulk that can withstand high temperatures, while you can just use durable caulk for any holes in walls and around windows. In general, you should not be able to see the light coming through in cracks, holes, or gaps in the area, as this is where air will flow when you do not want it to. In addition, you should not see any wet areas in this room, and if you do, try to find and fix the leak. Getting your materials wet will make them ineffective, for the most part. Finally, make sure to also insulate the access door for the area, at least if it is located where there is air conditioning.
Even when you do the labor on your own, the materials still cost money, so you will end up wasting it if the task is not done right. Plus, the entire point of the procedure is to save energy, which should save you money on your utility bills, so not getting it done right can defeat the purpose. For this reason, you may want to spend a little extra on having a professional do this task.
