The recently passed Inflation Reduction Act includes tax credits for home efficiency upgrades, and homeowners across the country are looking for energy-saving DIY projects to take advantage of the act, and that includes installing much needed insulation in their home.
Most homeowners can install installation in easy to access areas of their home, but in doing so, they must know the proper ways to make sure it is used effectively to accomplish the purposes to insulate the home or business. Properly installed insulation can help minimize most home energy drains from the attic to the basement and beyond. Insulation can be customized in texture, shape, and size, and installed easily with common household tools, however, the purpose of this blog article is to help ensure home and business owners are getting the most out of the money they put into the product.
Below are five expert tips for homeowners to maximize the potential benefits of their DIY insulation projects:
1. Use the Proper R-value
R-value measures how well insulation stops the flow of heat into and out of a home, and materials with high R-values provide greater insulation capabilities than materials with low R-values. Spray foam insulation in most cases offers the highest R-value per dollar, making it a large investment up front, but can more than pay for itself in the long-term. If a home does not have sufficient insulation, the affiliated insulation technicians through Loess Hills Insulation can help determine the best location and type to suit the needs of any household
2. Choose to Insulate Areas Creating the Most Energy Loss
In general, homes should have insulation from the roof down, and attics are often noted as being the most notorious energy drain within a home. Likewise, garages (attached or detached) are the most uninsulated areas, and if the garage is attached to the home, it can be an even greater energy drain. Fortunately, there are DIY insulation kits for attics, garages, and even crawl spaces, mostly consisting of insulation panels that a home or business owner can customize for most applications in those areas.
3. Properly Size the Insulation For the Project
For DIY insulation, it’s vital the product is easy to customize unless you have rented special equipment. Some insulation like blown-in insulation requires a special machine, as does spray foam insulation. DIY should stick to bat insulation or fiberglass insulation, and it should only be cut with a sharp utility knife or insulation knife. You can hold it in place with a recommended adhesive or recommended screws.
4. Seal the Joints in Rigid Insulation
If necessary, homeowners or business owners installing their own insulation can seal the joints between insulation panels with sealant tape or compatible adhesives. This can be done for single layer or multi-layered applications. If a home or business owner does a multi-layer application, the recommendation is to adjust the layers so their joints do not align...so overlap the layers. This helps to avoid something called "thermal bridging" that allows heat or cold in or out in a straight line, therefore increasing the insulation capacity.
5. Understand limitations
When a home or business owner undertakes the time and effort to complete a DIY insulation installation, they are attempting to save money from paying a professional. It is vital in that effort that the DIYer understand the costs and precision required to accomplish the insulation results they want. If they spend the money on supplies, take time off work or away from other weekend plans, they need to feel confident this is their best choice. In the even you are that homeowner and you realize your insulation project is best left to the professionals, please contact Loess Hills Insulation at 712-314-5390 as our affiliated insulation technicians will complete your project correctly and efficiently. We appreciate your business and look forward to hearing from you soon. Thank you!