How to Update House Insulation

Adding new insulation to the home may lower energy bills.

Cold winds, ice and snow beat on the outside of your home during the winter. The insulation of your home, thankfully, reduces the amount of cold wind that enters the house. Your insulation might not be as efficient as you desire, however, especially if the insulation was installed 20 years ago or more. Adding insulation to unfinished areas of the home, the attic and all unheated spaces of the house will help improve heat retention and reduce your energy bills.

Things You'll Need

• Screwdriver
• Hanger
• Calculator
• Utility knife
• Putty knife
• Safety gloves
• Respirator

Instructions

1. Turn off the electricity to the room you are working in. Remove an electrical cover from the wall and insert a hanger into the open space to find the depth of the current insulation. Multiply the depth of the existing insulation by the R-value of the insulation per inch. Check with a local hardware store to find out the R-value of your current insulation. This calculation will give you the total R-value. Subtract the total R-value of the current insulation from the ideal R-value you wish to achieve. The number is the difference in R-value you need to make up. Divide the difference by the R-value of the insulation you are planning to install to find out how many inches you need.

2. Measure your wall cavities, using a tape measure. Cut the batts to the size of your wall cavities, using a utility knife.

3. Press the batt of insulation into the wall cavity. Press the batt all the way to the back of the wall.

4. Slice the insulation down the middle and wrap both the top and the bottom portion of the insulation around any electrical wires in the wall. Cut out squares of the insulation around electrical boxes.

5. Cut thin pieces of insulation, and press the pieces of insulation to fill in around doors in unfinished areas. Press the insulation into the cracks around the door, using a 3- to 4-inch putty knife.

Tips & Warnings

• Have a professional spray foam--insulate any existing walls that require new insulation. The tools for this process are expensive to buy and rent.

• Put on safety gloves and a respirator when working on insulation.

References

• The Family Handyman: How to Install Fiberglass Batt Insulation
• Don Vandervort's Home Tips.com: Upgrading Your Home's Insulation
• Don Vandervort's Home Tips.com: How to Calculate Your Insulation Needs