Do you have as much insulation as you think you do?

We all know that having an adequate amount of insulation installed in our home's attic is an important element of conserving energy and reducing energy bills.

For the most part however, we don't have a way of assessing what we have. And even for the few brave souls that do pop their heads up into the attic, we don't always know what to look for.

The first step is a simple assessment of quantity. Because insulation functions as a blanket to resist the transfer of heat, you'll want to make sure the blanket is thick enough.  For the St. Louis, Missouri area that amount would probably look like 12-15 inches.

The more important (and less appreciated) measurement is to carefully inspect every foot of the attic to make sure the insulation is sporead evenly and to determine if any areas have gaps or missing insulation.

While you might think that covering 98% of your attic perfectly while leaving only 2% exposed would yield you a 98% effective job, the surprising truth is that 98% coverage yields only 58% performance (according to generally accepted building science standards and as reported in 'Fine Homebuilding Magazine').

Shockingly, leaving just 1/2 of 1% of your attic uninsulated reduces the value of your insulation by 16%.

So, when you're thinking about insulation, don't just look for a lot of it, but make sure it is meticulously installed.

Or just call us... that's what we do!