We do not do installations. We only provide information to help save you money.
• Is your home over 15 Years Old?
• Is it difficult for your air conditioner to keep up on a hot summer day?
• Can you see the tops of your ceiling joists (wood boards) inside the attic?
• Do you have recessed lights (can lights)? They are a big problem for many homes.
If you answered “YES” to any of these questions, you probably need more attic insulation!!
Don’t Get Scammed!! Unfortunately, the insulation business is full of less than honest installers. They will usually do one of two things: Fluffing – this is when they put excessive air in the insulation and make it fluff. For Example, you buy 12 inches of insulation and 6 months later it settles to 6 inches. Cheating – They tell you they are going to install for example 50 bags of insulation and only install 30. KEEP THEM HONEST!! Physically watch them or count the bags on the truck before and after they do the install.
DON’T GET RIPPED OFF. Watch out for companies that are offering a significant price savings. You may actually end up paying more. For more info on fluffing, click here.
Attic Insulation has the Single Biggest Impact on both Comfort and Savings – Winter & Summer!! Below is a typical Scenario:
BEFORE ADDING INSULATION: A homeowner will have trouble keeping the home comfortable on a 90-100 degree day. Often by 4-6 pm the home can only be cooled to 80-85 degrees.
AFTER ADDING INSULATION: Once again, same 90-100 degree day. The home can NOW reach the desired thermostat temperature of 75 degrees or lower. In fact, the air conditioner will actually TURN OFF instead of running until the middle of the night.
People Always Ask “Why Didn’t I Do This Sooner?”
Additional Insulation = Comfort + Savings
Attic Insulation Requirements – Fiberglass and Cellulose Insulation
Attic Insulation is part of a complete system to keep your house cool in the Summer and warm in the Winter. Current building codes suggest an R-Value of 38 -49 Depending on whether you have gas or electric heat. This is basically 15-18 Inches of Blown Fiberglass or 10-12 inches of Blown Cellulose.
Take a look in your attic today and then answer these questions:
1) Can I see the tops of my ceiling joists?
Yes, then you probably have less than 5 inches of insulation. You should add insulation to increase the level to about 10 -15 inches.
2) Can your home “Keep Up” and stay comfortable?
No, then it’s probably one of three things: Dirty A/C Coils, Leaky Ducts or Low Insulation.
3) What about My House?
If your home is over 20 years old, it probably It probably has less then the recommended level of insulation. See: The Department Of Energy Fact Sheet and R-Value Recommendations
A good way to check is to look in your attic. If you can see the tops of the ceiling joists, you need more insulation TODAY. By adding insulation, you can start saving money and be more comfortable. No matter what your current level of insulation, it is recommended to get up to the R38-49 range by
adding more attic insulation. This is especially true with rising gas and electric prices.
Insulation Advantages
Insulation acts to slow the transfer of heat from the warmer area to the cooler area. The thicker your attic insulation, or higher the R-Value, the longer it will take for the heat to move through the insulation. This is similar to wearing multilple layers of clothes on a cold day. The more layers you have on, the less heat will escape and you will feel warmer. The effect on your home is that your home will be cooler in the Summer and Warmer in the Winter.
Honesty and Quality Work
Find a contractor who will do your job on a “Bag Count” basis. Be hesitant of any company that is not willing to give you a bag count for your particular needs. Or, any company that offers significantly lower prices.
Coverage: Studies have shown that just missing 5% of the area can reduce the effectiveness of the insulation by a significantly larger percentage.