Check your attic insulation depth
More than eight in ten homes we inspect are short on attic insulation. It's the single most common finding in our data, and the one that shows up on your power bill every month.
Video by This Old House. Ours is coming.
- Open the access and look before you climb. You don't need to walk the attic. Most of what you need to see is visible from the hatch with a flashlight.
- Read the depth. Push a tape measure down through the insulation to the drywall at three or four spots. Down here the target is about 12 to 14 inches of blown insulation (R-38). If you can see the tops of the ceiling joists, you're well under.
- Look at the eaves. Insulation pushed tight into the soffits blocks the intake vents that keep the attic from cooking. There should be a baffle or a visible gap at each rafter bay.
- Look for dark or wet spots. Discolored insulation under a bath fan, plumbing stack, or roof valley means moisture or a leak. Note the spot for a roofer or for the exhaust duct guide.
- Find the air leaks. Gaps around can lights, the attic hatch, plumbing chases, and the top of interior walls leak conditioned air year-round. Sealing those comes before adding insulation, or you're insulating a colander.
- Check the ducts. If your ductwork runs through the attic, look at the joints. Disconnected or gapped ducts are a frequent finding and the reason one room never gets comfortable.
When it's past the do-it-yourself line
Air sealing and adding blown insulation is a one-day job for an insulation contractor and often qualifies for utility rebates. Wet insulation, animal activity, or a roof leak needs the source fixed first.
We email a pro we'd send our own family to, copy you, and stay in the loop. Member pricing applies.
Questions about anything here? Text us a photo. We'll tell you whether it matters.