Warm Attic will cut your energy bills

When we talk about cutting energy bills we start insulating our homes. Changing windows, checking walls for air leaks, adding more insulation in basements and crawl spaces. Attics usually come to mind until later but the proper preparation of that space for winter time will keep your house warmer.

If you have living space right under your roof you usually already have proper insulation inside walls. If your attic is empty you have to prepare it for the cold season. Some municipalities require you to get a permit for insulating unfinished attics. It’s better to call them before you apply any type of insulation. Also choose the best time for insulation. Summer high temperatures are not safe. Cold summers, springs and falls are a better choice for such a project. 

First of all you need to check it for any trace of animals. Squirrels, mice, racoons could get inside and destroy any insulation layer and leave traces of their life there. Find and close any holes that also cause air leaks.

Then you can choose a type of insulation. Fiberglass Rolls or Batts you actually could install by yourself. It usually takes more time than blow-in insulation but sometimes gives you more accuracy and is cheaper.

Blow-in insulation costs more but also has some pros. You don’t need to climb up into the attic and save time on the process. The machine rent would take some of your budget but also requires experience. Especially if you are shooting from a distance, you could skip some areas.

For DIY projects you have to have a safe ladder to go up and down. Also you need to calculate an amount of insulation and maybe rent a blow-in machine (in case you decide to go with that type). On another hand you can call a professional company that helps you with choosing the right type of insulation and help to clean your attic if you already have moldy old insulation that has to be removed.