Hints for Staying Comfortable
1. Caulk and weather-strip doors and windows that leak air.
2. Seal air leaks between your living space and your attic and/or crawl space. Leaks are common around plumbing and vents, heating ducts, light fixtures and wires. Be sure that fixtures and wires are designed for direct insulation contact.
3. Install wall plate insulation gaskets behind outlet and switch plates on exterior walls (turn off the power before installing gaskets).
4. Install a vapor barrier between your living space and your insulation to prevent moisture from getting into your insulation or wall. Options include blanket insulation that comes with a vapor barrier, polyethylene film and specifically formulated paints.
5. Make sure your attic and crawl space have adequate ventilation to vent out moisture and summer heat.
Selecting/Installing
1. The effectiveness of insulation is noted as an R-value, a measure of the
material’s resistance to heat transfer. Higher R-values provide greater
insulating value. R-values are additive – the more you add, the higher
the R-value will be.
2. Use a ruler to check the existing insulation levels in your attic, ceilings, exterior walls, floors and crawl spaces.
Cellulose |
Blown-in Fiberglass |
Fiberglass Batting |
|||
|
Inches |
R-Value |
Inches |
R-Value |
Inches |
R-Value |
| 5.10 | R-19 | 8.75 | R-19 | 6.00 | R-19 |
| 7.00 | R-26 | 12.00 | R-26 | 7.50 | R-26 |
| 8.10 | R-30 | 13.75 | R-30 | 9.00 | R-30 |
| 10.0 | R-38 | 17.50 | R-38 | 12.00 | R-38 |
3. Add new insulation to the existing insulation to increase the R-value using the following guidelines:
| House Area | Standard | Enhanced |
| Attic/Ceiling | R-38 | R-50 |
| Floor (over unconditioned space) | R-19 | R-30 |
| Wall | R-13 | R-19 |
4. Use higher density insulation that has a higher R-value per inch of insulation
in cathedral ceiling and in exterior walls.