How to Know If You Need More Insulation or New Insulation
Even if you already have some insulation, there are many places that you might be missing protection from escaping heat. All of the places in your home that you should insulation include:
- Attic access door
- Between the studs and rafters of exterior walls and the roof
- Ceilings with cold spaces above
- All exterior walls
- Walls between living spaces and unheated sheds, storage areas, or garages
- Any walls of the foundation above ground level
- Any floors above cold spaces
- Foundation walls of unvented crawlspaces
If you lack insulation in any of these areas, you definitely should consider insulating them. However, you still might need to replace old insulation even if you have it throughout your home.
Areas to Check
The first place you should check your insulation is in the attic or any other area where the beams and studs of your home are exposed. This makes it easy for you to inspect the quality and thickness of your insulation. However, you should not use only exposed material as a guide. You also need to check the insulation throughout your home. However, this proves difficult, since it’s embedded in your wall underneath drywall and plaster. The best way to get a good look at the insulation in your walls is to remove the front plate of an electrical outlet. Make sure you turn off the power to that outlet or entire room. You might not be able to see the insulation, but if you reach in you might be able to pull a small amount out.
Your basement, unfinished crawlspaces, and some other areas in your house may have insulation that is difficult to get to without pulling off pieces of siding. If you don’t have the time or expertise to be pulling pieces of your house apart to check your siding, asking the builder of the house (if it isn’t too old) can help you out. If you have an older house, records from previous owners might indicate how old and what type the insulation is in your house.
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