Best Spray Foam Insulation

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This page will give you places to look to find the leaks in your home which allow for the exchange of your warm household air with cold outside air.

There is more energy lost in your home through moving air than with stable materials. Anywhere this air exchange occurs is lost energy for your home. You can save up to ten percent on your energy bills by finding and filling these leaks.

The following areas are prime locations for air exchange:

* Recessed lights
* Dropped ceilings
* Attic entrance
* Chimney flashing
* Thresholds
* Plumbing vent stack
* Furnace flue
* Window frames
* Door frames
* Plumbing and utility penetrations
* Electrical switches and outlets

Once you have isolated the spots were air is leaking through you should immediately takes steps to correct the situation to save money on your heating and air conditioning bills.

Vapor barriers and ventilation are an important part of an insulation job. They help to ensure the appropriate movement of both air and moisture throughout your home.

What are vapor barriers?
Water from the warm air inside your home will seek out the cooler areas of your home in cold weather. Some of the places where it commonly collects include the underside of your roof, exterior walls, and your insulation.

Left unchecked this condensation can damage your home in a variety of ways, including causing paint to blister, damaging the roof, rotting wood framing, and destroying insulation. These problems can be minimized by the use of a vapor barrier installed between insulation and interior surfaces.

Vapor barriers, usually in the form of coated kraft paper or foil-backed paper, are sometimes attached to batt or blanket insulation. When using insulation that does not include a vapor barrier you can four- or six-millimeter thick polyethylene sheeting. This also works well if you are using a loose-fill or foam insulation.

Following are some important tips for installing a vapor barrier with your insulation:

* The vapor barrier should be placed toward the warm side of any installation, downward on the attic floor or on the interior side of walls for example
* Do not add a second vapor barrier when installing a second layer of insulation, as this can trap moisture in your first layer of insulation. If you have existing insulation be sure to use batts or blankets that do not have a vapor barrier attached, or if that is not available be sure to cut holes it the vapor barrier every few inches to achieve proper air flow
* Tightly tape any sections of vapor barrier that tear during installation
* You can reduce condensation in your crawlspace by adding a polyethylene vapor barrier to the floor of the area

Important points about ventilation
You need to have vents in your attic to ensure proper circulation of fresh air throughout your attic. During the warm summer months heat can be trapped in an unventilated attic that will increase the temperature of your home and make your cooling appliances work harder. During the winter months ice dams that can damage your roof can be caused by warm air trapped in your attic.

There are several choices when it comes to placing attic vents. Newer homes, especially in the Midwest, often include both soffit and continuous ridge vents.

Attic vents should never be covered by your insulation. You should add several vents if you are adding insulation to an attic that does not have vents. You can get information on the proper products to use from your local contractor or home center.

A heat recovery ventilator will give you the best energy savings and improved indoor air quality. The keep the air in your home healthy a heat recovery ventilated provides for the continuous circulation of air throughout your home.

Insulating your home can be a messy and exhausting job and making mistakes can eliminate any money you save by not hiring a professional.

You can add your own attic insulation if you spend some time planning the job ahead of time. Don’t assume that adding your own attic insulation will be as easy as it looks on those home improvement shows. Insulating your home can be a messy and exhausting job and making mistakes can eliminate any money you save by not hiring a professional.

You are probably qualified to do the job yourself if:

* You were able to do a thorough inspection and know what type of insulation you already have
* You have already successfully completed other home improvement tasks
* Your installation does not require structural changes to be made to your home
* You can already determined how to apply an appropriate vapor barrier
* You are prepared to carefully follow the manufactures instructions
* Your roof is in good repair
* You have access to a knowledgeable local insulation supplier
* Your current insulation is free from water damage or installation problems

You can significantly reduce the R-value of an insulation product by installing it improperly. This would be a tremendous waste of your time and money. Prior to staring the job make sure you have adequate supplies and plenty of time to do the job correctly.

Additionally, you should keep the following tips in mind:

* When working with fiberglass insulation the new “no-itch” products are well worth any additional money as they are safer and easier to work with
* Always wear protective clothing when installing insulation, including gloves, goggles, dust mask, and long shirt and pants. You will make the most of your protective gear by tucking your pant legs into your socks and your long sleeve shirt into your gloves
* Do not disrupt existing insulation, especially loose fill, as that can reduce its R-value
* Install all new batts or blankets at a 90 degree angle to your existing insulation
* You will need to ensure that your attic has adequate ventilation by not coving attic vents and being sure to leave at least one inch of air flow between the roof and the insulation
* Remember to weather strip and insulate the attic opening
* Always exercise caution when moving around your attic. Always walk only on the ceiling joists and watch out for overhead dangers. If you can it is helpful to lay plywood across your ceiling joists to work on
* You should avoid installing insulation over ceiling fans, ventilation fixtures, or light fixtures. You will need to create barriers around these openings with sheet metal if you are using loose fill insulation. Insulation should always be at least three inches from gas flue pipes or chimneys.