You can significantly reduce energy bills by adding blown-in insulation in your attic. In fact, adding attic insulation is often the single most important step you can take to save on heating and cooling expenses.
Regardless of whether you plan to leave your attic empty, use it for storage or finish it for use as living space, adding insulation will save money in the long run. If you do plan to turn the attic into living space, however, the following instructions do not apply. A finished attic should have insulation in the walls and ceiling, not the floor.
In older homes, attics often have little if any insulation. In either case, the best way to add insulation is with blown-in cellulose. The project is an easy one for DIYers, and doing the job yourself can easily save you $1,000 or more over a professional job. That's a big savings for what should amount to two days of work.
Cellulose is a great material for blown-in insulation. It is an environmentally responsible material made from recycled newspapers. It is less expensive than fiberglass, has a higher R-value and is less aggravating to skin and lungs. Also referred to as "natural fiber insulation," cellulose is sold compressed in large plastic bags at home improvement stores. The bags need to be emptied into a blower, which in turn sends the fluffed-up insulation through a long hose. You can usually borrow a blower or rent one for a minimal fee from the same store.
A blown-in insulation job requires two people, one to keep the blower full and working and the other to work the hose in the attic. But the important task of preparing the attic is something you can handle on your own.
Here's what you will need in addition to the blown-in insulation and a blower:
- Eye goggles
- Dust mask
- Gloves
- Long-sleeved shirt
- Long boards to walk on
- Light
- Spray foam
- Caulk and caulking gun
- Vent channels (preferably foam) for houses with soffit vents
- Stapler, for installing vent channels
- Permanent marker
- Tape measure