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I have a 2005 with what started as around R25-R30 up top.
I added up to about an R45 and it made a huge difference. Not only in heating costs but evening out the temps. It's a 2000 sq ft two story so about 50/50 split. Upstairs was always much colder in the winter. Now, not so much.
The best thing is it only cost $264 with the tax credit when we did it back then, I want to say 2008 or 2009.
My home is a 2006 built home.
Has anyone added additional blown-in insulation in their Attic? Any recommendations on whom to go with and ball park costs?
Also what questions to ask?
Thanks
All I can contribute here is a cautionary tale. I had a contractor blow insulation up into an attic that, as it turned out, was not well sealed. A lot of it (and I mean A LOT) came down inside the walls as the capping on the wall was sloppy, and out into a room through the return air duct which was formed between the studs. They were upstairs working and never realized the problem until they were done and emerged into a veritable snowstorm.
"Hilarity ensued"
Be sure they do not fill the eaves and block the air flow out of the attic.
Make sure to clean out the drip pans under your A/C heat exchangers afterwards as well. If the drain gets blocked with insulation fluff you'll be sorry!
I have a 2005 with what started as around R25-R30 up top.
I added up to about an R45 and it made a huge difference. Not only in heating costs but evening out the temps. It's a 2000 sq ft two story so about 50/50 split. Upstairs was always much colder in the winter. Now, not so much.
The best thing is it only cost $264 with the tax credit when we did it back then, I want to say 2008 or 2009.
Good input.
But you did DIY, right?
I think the OP is looking for the installation by a contractor like Eastern Insulation.
People will relate their 'horror stories', and whatever the opposite is, ('happy days story"?) but those experiences are based on their circumstances. Homes are built, and maintained over such a wide range that it's very hard to guess the outcome using the little info presented.
First: The decision should ALWAYS be economic. Get the best results, for the amount of money you have.
Adding insulation is often not the best result for the environment, or your pocketbook.
Have an energy audit done by Duke. They do it for FREE.
Maybe replacing single pane windows with double, adding weatherstripping to keep out winter drafts, planting trees on the south side for shading, cleaning the coils in your outdoor AC unit, cleaning the coils in your indoor AC unit, replacing it's filters more often, replacing an old AC unit with one more efficient.
All are generic options that should be a part of a full Larger Picture assessment.
People will relate their 'horror stories', and whatever the opposite is, ('happy days story"?) but those experiences are based on their circumstances. Homes are built, and maintained over such a wide range that it's very hard to guess the outcome using the little info presented.
First: The decision should ALWAYS be economic. Get the best results, for the amount of money you have.
Adding insulation is often not the best result for the environment, or your pocketbook.
Have an energy audit done by Duke. They do it for FREE.
Maybe replacing single pane windows with double, adding weatherstripping to keep out winter drafts, planting trees on the south side for shading, cleaning the coils in your outdoor AC unit, cleaning the coils in your indoor AC unit, replacing it's filters more often, replacing an old AC unit with one more efficient.
All are generic options that should be a part of a full Larger Picture assessment.
One place to look hard are can lights in second floor ceilings.
Many can lights cannot be covered with insulation due to fire hazard.
But, they profusely bleed conditioned air to the outside. A home with 10 or 12 unsealed penetrations can be an energy hog.
One place to look hard are can lights in second floor ceilings.
Many can lights cannot be covered with insulation due to fire hazard.
But, they profusely bleed conditioned air to the outside. A home with 10 or 12 unsealed penetrations can be an energy hog.
Call me crazy but I would assume any pot lights installed in a second floor protruding into the attic would be insulation rated? I can’t imagine they wouldn’t be unless the homeowner DIY and screwed it up. I installed recessed lights in my kitchen and used IC cans because they were not much more $$ and even though no insulation was present on the first floor it was just a better item to use.
If they aren’t rated for IC you can easily replace them for $10/piece.
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