Tips for Installing Insulation
| Be sure to read the special Author's Note at the end of this column. It provides updated information on this topic. |
Insulation Installation Tips
Insulation is a fairly easy material to work with. You do not need expensive tools or equipment for normal installations. A tape measure, utility knife, straight edge, insulation knife and a stapler are usually all you will need. It is also a good idea to protect your body. So, use lightweight work gloves, a long sleeved loose fitting shirt, goggles or protective glasses, and a dust mask.
Fiberglass insulation expands when it is opened. They compress the material at the factory. When opened, it may expand 500 to 1,000 percent! So, don't open the material until you are ready.
When installing insulation in cavities that contain wires, it is a good idea to partially split the insulation where it crosses the wire. The idea is to encapsulate the wire with insulation. If you (or the installer) do not do this, there will be a void space behind the insulation! The insulation will not be able to expand fully. I have seen installers fail to split the insulation on many jobs that I have visited. Don't let it happen on your job!
Insulation must be placed around all windows and doors to fill the gap between the frame and the rough opening. The entire gap should be filled, however, be sure it is not packed too tightly! It may bulge the frame and you lose insulating value when insulation is too tightly packed.
Learn even more secrets for successfully installing insulation with my Insulation Installation Checklist. I offer a 100% Money Back Guarantee.
Always use baffles when installing blown-in attic insulation. The air from the soffits or eaves must be able to pass over the insulation in the narrow area where the roof passes over the exterior walls!
Don't install a vapor barrier on ceilings!!!!!! Let the water vapor into the attic area and out of the house!
Routinely I am blessed to hear from professionals and industry experts who share in-depth and updated information about a topic. You'll absolutely want to read the letter I received from the President of NAIMA (North American Insulation Manufacturers Association). It really helps clarify some of the points I just touched on in the insulation columns.
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