Much as you might expect an auto mechanic to have a finely tuned automobile or a hair stylist to have great hair, you would expect that someone who has been in the insulation business for any length of time to have a well insulated home. As promised in my last blog, armed with flashlight, insulation rulers and an illustration of common attic problems, I spent some quality time getting to know my attic. As anticipated, I had to give myself a failing grade. I went up looking for three things:

1.) Thermal bypasses/Air leakage

2.) Areas of disrupted /Missing insulation

3.) Areas with insulation levels below recommended code

At first glance it was clear that attic insulation would be needed to bring my attic up to current code for our region of an R-38. After measuring in a number of areas, on average, I found about 8" of insulation, roughly an R-19. More troubling was the color of my insulation. When looking for areas of air leakage, the easiest way to find these is to identify areas where the insulation is darker, or dirty looking. This indicates that air is flowing through the insulation at these points. These are typically found around recessed can lights, open floor joists, whole house fans, attic access areas, electrical boxes and even gaps between the top plates and sheetrock. Sadly, my insulation was dirty in over 50% of the attic which means that a substantial portion of my energy costs are escaping through the roof.

If that wasn't bad enough, I found an area of ductwork which wasn't securely connected and sealed, allowing the heated air and the dust from my cellulose insulation to escape into the conditioned living space, (I know why my house is always so dusty!) thus causing my furnace and AC to work harder to compensate.

To achieve the greatest energy savings with insulation the best course of action in the attic would be to seal first, then insulate. When choosing the right insulation system for the home there are many options. Cellulose, Fiberglass and Spray Foam Insulation are the most commonly used types of insulation in the industry today. Because spray foam insulates and seals it is an attractive option that should be considered.In my next blog I will look at my insulation options, the pros and cons of each, and then the work begins!!