Is your home sufficiently insulated?

In the winter it is important to think about your home’s thermal barrier. Two consistent defects I see in homes that I inspect in the High Country and surrounding areas are the lack of insulation in crawlspaces and settlement of insulation in attics in homes that were built before 1990 or so. Homes during this era were often constructed with little oversight and built with the bare minimum mentality of just needing to get into the home. Fast forward 40 or more years and these homes are still being lived in or bought and sold without any updates or upgrades to the insulation.

We all dislike high electric or fuel bills and often do not understand why our home is more expensive to heat during the winter months than our neighbor’s home “up the road” that may have been built in more recent times. This can lead to frustration and lost trust towards power and fuel companies as well as HVAC installers.

By installing insulation and mitigating air leakage you can save 10% or more on heating costs during the winter months (and yes, also save money during the summer if you have a heat pump or air conditioning unit).

See a general guide with illustrations.

Installing or adding insulation may be an investment that does not make sense for you if you are planning on selling your home within the next handful of years, but if you are planning on staying where you are for an extended period of time take a peek in you crawlspace and attic to determine if your house is sufficiently insulated. Your wallet will thank you for it.