Useful Tip - Insulation

"The weather outside is frightful, But the fire is so delightful" – Well, delightful until you realize the warmth is being lost due to inadequate insulation on the home. One of the most common problems Peace of Mind Home Inspection’s certified inspectors encounter during a majority of their home inspections is the lack of insulation. Today, nearly 60% of existing homes in the US are not insulated properly. A well insulated home has many benefits to the homeowner. Besides reducing energy costs, it also allows for even temperature distribution within the home, it provides better moisture control, has potential for increased resale value, and contributes to a quieter more environmentally friendly living area.

As the industry leader in professional home inspections, our certified inspectors know what is required for a home to function efficiently and properly according to local building standards. This month's questions and answers are regarding the insulation of a home.

Do I need to inspect the attic insulation of this home? Although inspecting attics is rarely foremost on a buyer's mind, there are a lot of good reasons why buyers need to get into an attic or send their home inspector into the attic before completing a home inspection. Attics should not be overlooked. An attic reflects the history of a home. It can provide clues to serious problems that might not be disclosed or even known by the current occupant of the home.

How can you tell there is enough insulation in the home? No matter what kind of insulation is currently in the attic, one quick way to determine if you will need more is to look across the span of the attic. If the insulation is just level with or below the home’s floor joists (i.e., you can easily see the joists), it is recommended to add more. If you cannot see any of the floor joists because the insulation is well above them, the home probably has enough and adding more may not be cost-effective.

Should certain areas of the attic be more insulated than others? Should there be high or low areas? It is important that the insulation be evenly distributed with no low spots; sometimes there is enough insulation in the middle of the attic and very little along the eaves. If the attic insulation covers the joists and is distributed evenly, the home probably has enough.

What are the signs I should look for during my walk through to know that this home needs more insulation? How do I know if my home needs insulation? You can benefit from re-insulating the home if you notice any of the following: ice dams, drafty walls, high heating/cooling bills, moisture in the attic, or if the furnace or A/C unit runs constantly.

How much insulation should there be? If more is needed, how do we know how much to add? Insulation levels are specified by R-Value. R-Value is a measure of insulation's ability to resist heat flow. The higher the R-Value, the better the thermal performance of the insulation. The recommended level for most attics is to insulate to R-38 or about 10 to 14 inches, depending on insulation type.

 Insulation for the home is like a hat. You wear a hat to keep warm in winter and keep the heat out in summer.

Did you know that attic insulation does for your house what a hat does for you? You wear a hat to keep warm in winter and keep the heat out in summer. Essentially, insulating your attic is one of the most energy conscious, cost-effective improvements you can make to your home. Shockingly, around half of your home's heat can escape if your home isn't insulated. Instead of turning up the thermostat, get insulating! Insulating your home will help you save hundreds on your energy bills, as well as making a massive reduction to your carbon foot print – everyone's a winner. For valuable tips and step-by-step information on how you can insulate your home’s attic/lofts, doorways, windows, floors, pipes and hot water please visit Home Serve.