Fiberglass Home Insulation: What You May Have Done Wrong

If you start to feel a draft, there may be a problem with your home insulation. Installation mistakes, especially on DIY projects, are all too common. Putting up fiberglass batting seems like a very easy and straightforward job, but the results are all in the details and care taken when placing each piece. It isn't as simple as covering every wall in pink and then dusting your hands of it. Here are some mistakes people make when installing fiberglass into an attic or another room of their house.

Fiberglass home insulation is a material that has a high probability of creating mold. It's spongy and soft, which is why it's used. However, that doesn't mean you can manipulate the bats anyway you see fit. If you bunch up portions, cram it into tight areas, or squeeze it into place rather than taking the time to properly fit it, the results will not be good. Gaps can develop, mats can fall out of place, and tears can be made. All of which will reduce the efficiency, in some cases by several percentage points. The batting should fit deep into the area with no openings or looseness. Always fit first and then cut away the excess with a box cutter or similar tool. There should be a little fringe on the edges that can be tucked into the frames to hold the piece in place. Use a tape measure if necessary.

For home insulation to work at its best, you need to be thorough and cover the entire area. Leaving the spaces around windows, electrical boxes, or other hard to reach spots will render much of the job useless. While not difficult, it does take some trial and error to cut out smaller pieces of fiberglass and place them just right in these hard to reach areas. Using a putty knife, you can insert small strips of batting into window and door shim spaces. The material shouldn't be forced in, but rather sit flush with any borders. Spray foam home insulation can be used in these tight spots for faster and more complete coverage. For obstacles that may be in the way, cut batting pieces in half in order to fit in front of and behind electrical wires, boxes, or any pipes. Using tape can help keep these in place.

A big safety hazard can occur when people attempt to insulate recessed lighting fixtures with fiberglass or other home insulation materials. This can heat up and cause a fire in the house. There needs to be a barrier around the recessed fixture and any batting that prevents heat buildup. Most builders recommend using a minimum of a 3 inch gap and installing some sort of barrier such as a thin plywood border or box is highly suggested.

If you're not happy with the efficiency of your current fiberglass home insulation, maybe it's time to redo the job and get it done properly. A quick afternoon fix could fill in any problems and help you start saving money again.