Few people would go outdoors on a cold winter day without a warm coat. But many of us live in homes that are, for all intents and purposes, standing out in the cold wearing nothing more than a light sweater. On cold winter days, we either shiver inside our underinsulated homes, or we crank up the heat — and that wastes a lot of energy. If your home is underinsulated, adding insulation is one of the easiest and most cost-effective measures you can take to save energy and money.
While you may choose to do some of the insulation work yourself, you also have the option of hiring a professional. If you hire an energy auditor, he or she will assess your home’s insulation needs and recommend the proper amount and types for the different parts of your home. Another option is to hire a professional insulation contractor, who will recommend the amount and type of insulation and install it. Whichever option you choose, these tips will help you get started.
The Attic. With a ruler, measure the depth of the attic insulation and note which type you have. You’ll most likely find fiberglass, either in blankets or as loose fill. If you have roll- or blanket-type insulation, pull up a piece and look at the backing, which should have the R-value printed on it. You may also find loose, brownish material known as vermiculite. Be careful, as vermiculite is sometimes contaminated with hazardous asbestos (call an insulation specialist if in doubt). If the attic is a finished living area, you may need to remove a floorboard or cut a small hole in the floor to check the insulation between the ceiling joists. If the ceiling is finished, you may need to remove a ceiling light fixture to check for insulation. Be sure to turn off the power to this circuit beforehand. Outer Walls. Now turn your attention to the outer walls of your living spaces. The easiest way to check insulation here is to remove the cover plates on a few electrical outlets or light switches located on outside walls in different parts of the house. First turn off the circuit to the outlet or switch, and then peek into the wall cavity to look for insulation. Using a wooden ruler, pencil or wood skewer, probe the wall cavity next to the outlet or light switch to see whether it’s insulated. If the probe passes through the cavity without resistance, there’s no insulation. If you run into some resistance, it’s insulated. Bear in mind, however, that electricians sometimes trim away insulation from electrical outlets and light switches for fire safety, so the absence of insulation near a light switch or electrical outlet may not mean the rest of the wall is uninsulated. You can also check for insulation by drilling a small hole in an out-of-the- way place, such as in a closet against an outside wall. Floors, Crawl Spaces and Basements. If your home is built over a crawl space or an unheated basement, check the insulation under the floor from below. If you’re lucky, you’ll find insulation batts between the floor joists. Make sure there’s a vapor barrier (plastic or paper backing) on the fiberglass batts. If the spaces between the floor joists are not insulated, measure the depth of the joists so you know the thickness of the batts you need to purchase. Next, check the foundation insulation. Begin by looking at the exterior of the foundation wall for rigid foam that may have been applied to it. You may need to dig a little, but be careful — you don’t want to damage any insulation that may already be there. Chances are, you won’t find any. Interior insulation is common in finished basements and is applied in the space between framing members attached to the foundation wall (behind the drywall or paneling). As mentioned earlier, you can remove a few electrical cover plates to check.
By Dan Chiras
Article Source: motherearthnews.com
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