Construct This: A Contractor's Blog

Recommendations For Checking And Managing Your Home's Insulation

30 September 2020 by Joyce Rivera

The interior comfort of your home becomes a big deal during the summer heat and especially during the winter freeze. You will know if your home is under-insulated by how the interior of your home feels throughout the day and year. Here are some tips and recommendations to help you manage and maintain your home's insulation so you can supplement it when necessary.

Watch For Signs of Poor Insulation

When the interior of your home becomes colder or warmer in some areas despite your best efforts to keep the heating or air conditioning managed, you likely have poor insulation in your home. Keep an eye out for some clear signs if your home has inadequate insulation in some of its walls. Just because a majority of your rooms remain comfortable does not mean that the home has sufficient insulation in all areas. Some homes can have exterior or interior walls where insulation is not there, has gaps, or is not enough.

When you touch any of your home's interior walls they should feel warm and dry. Anytime they feel cold, it is a good indication there is not enough insulation and you are losing heat from the walls. If your home has certain areas that are either colder or warmer than the rest of the home, or if you feel a cold draft in a room that has an exterior door or window, these are signs your home is not insulated and sealed well.

You may also notice many insects, spiders, or mice in your home, which can be a sign of poor insulation. Also, if you have had any leaks in your attic in the past or currently, you likely need new or additional insulation.

Check Your Insulation

There are a couple of ways you can check the level of your home's insulation. You can first complete a simple test by accessing the interior wall through an electrical outlet. Remove the outlet cover to expose the space around the electrical wiring. Peek into the wall cavity and use a flashlight to see if or how much insulation is there and what type it is. You may have either cellulose insulation, expanding foam, or rolled batting style insulation. You should do this test in several areas of your home because the insulation levels can vary from area to area.

Contact an insulation company and they can complete an insulation evaluation on your home. They can inspect for insulation and check its R-value, which is the insulation's thickness and rating on its ability to provide insulation. The colder your climate is, the R-value should be higher. Your insulation professional can provide recommendations for adding to your home's insulation, which will make it more energy-efficient and also quieter to outside noises.

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