Cooperative Living October 2016 - 28

EnergySense | by Pat Keegan and Amy Wheeless, Contributing Writers
Is your attic haunted
by lack of insulation?
D
ear Pat: Winter will be
here before we know it, and
I'm wondering if more
insulation could help keep my
heating bills low. Where in my
home should I look to add
insulation? - Loreen
Dear Loreen: When you venture
outdoors in the winter without a hat
and coat, you obviously will feel
much colder, much faster. Similarly,
when your home is not properly
sealed and insulated, cold air sneaks
in and heat escapes, making your
heating system work harder and
your home less comfortable. Sealing
and insulating your home to
efficient levels can cut your heating
and cooling costs by an average of
15 percent, and sometimes much
more - all while making you more
comfortable in your home.
Your attic is one of the first places you
Insulating your home to efficient levels can
cut your heating and cooling costs by an
average of 15 percent ... all while making
you more comfortable in your home.
* Be sure that you or your contractor
seals any air leaks, such as around
furnace flues and around any
exposed air ducts in the attic. Air
leaks can bring warm, moist air
from your home into the attic,
which can reduce the insulation
value and create mold.
* Pay particular attention to your
attic door or hatch. This entry point
is a significant contributor to heat
loss and heat gain in the home.
* If you have existing attic insulation,
it is usually not necessary to
remove it unless it is wet, moldy
or contains animal waste.
Blown-in insulation can fill spaces better than batt insulation,
but requires special equipment. This equipment can
sometimes be rented at home-improvement stores.
Once you have determined that you
should consider insulating since it is
usually accessible and easy to inspect for
air leaks and insulation levels.
Additionally, most homes do not have
enough attic insulation. Insulation
standards for new homes increased in
2012, and many homes built before then
do not have the current recommended
amount of attic insulation.
Insulation is graded by its " R-value " -
the higher the R-value, the greater the
insulating power. If you live in a mild
climate, your attic should have a minimum
grade of R-38, or about 13 to 14 inches of
insulation. If you live in a colder climate,
R-49 is the minimum recommendation, or
about 16 to 18 inches of insulation. More
may be needed depending on your home
and exact climate.
How can you tell if your attic is lacking
in insulation? As a general rule, if you go
into your attic and can see the ceiling
joists on the attic floor, there is not
enough insulation. Hiring a trained
energy auditor is the best way to diagnose
shortcomings with insulation or any other
energy-related issue.
26 | Cooperative Living | October 2016
need more insulation in your attic, there
are a few things you can do before laying
down additional insulation:
* If you currently store items like holiday
decorations in your attic, consider
another suitable storage location in your
home. If you must use your attic for
storage, build a platform high enough to
allow installation of the recommended
level of insulation.
* If you live in an older home, you should
check your attic's electric wiring. Is the
insulation around the wires degrading?
Do you have knob and tube wiring? In
either case, you will likely need to
replace the wiring before proceeding.
You will then need to decide who will
do the insulation work. If a " DIY " project
interests you, you'll need to do some
homework. Installing insulation is messy,
potentially dangerous and requires
special equipment. Fortunately, there
are many experienced insulation
contractors. You should discuss a few
things with the contractor before you
finalize an agreement:
* Make sure there is sufficient
ventilation in the attic. Warmth
and moisture can build up in an
improperly ventilated attic, which
can lead to roof problems, such
as roof rot or ice dams.
There are two types of insulation that
you could place on your attic floor:
batt/roll or blown-in/loose fill. Blown-in
insulation requires special equipment to
install, but it fills the space better than batt
insulation, which can leave gaps and voids
without careful cutting and placement
around ceiling joists, vents and other
attic impediments.
Insulation is most commonly made
from fiberglass, cellulose or mineral wool.
Many energy advisors recommend blownin
cellulose insulation due to its superior
coverage, high R-value and air-sealing
abilities; blown-in cellulose insulation
is treated with boric acid, which acts as a
fire retardant and insect repellent.
Before you get started, consult with
your local energy auditor or insulation
contractor. They can help determine what
type and material of insulation will work
best in your home. 
This column was co-written by Pat Keegan and
Amy Wheeless of Collaborative Efficiency. For
more information on sealing and insulating your
attic, please visit: www.collaborativeefficiency.com/
energytips.
www.co-opliving.com
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Cooperative Living October 2016

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