Choosing Insulation

• Share
• Email
• Sharebar

• Share
• Email

The walls in older homes often are not insulated. But it’s not always easy to tell if they are insulated. A good place to start is the attic. If it isn’t insulated, your walls probably aren’t insulated either. The easiest way to check the walls themselves is to remove the cover plate on an electrical receptacle on each exterior wall and carefully inspect around the edges for signs of insulation. If necessary, remove a piece of trim around a window or door to get a better look inside the wall. If the walls have been retroactively filled with blown-in insulation you should be able to see traces of the plugs used to fill the holes near the top of the exterior siding. If you find insulation in one wall that doesn’t necessarily mean that all of the walls are insulated. A previous owner may have insulated only the north-facing walls for example or never completed an insulation project.

Several types of insulation are available at home centers for do-it-yourselfers. Professional insulation contractors offer more options but some need specialized equipment to install. The most popular type of insulation is blankets or batts of fiberglass or rock wool which fit between wall studs and ceiling joists. The glass fibers used in traditional fiberglass batts are straight and can be uncomfortable to work with. Newly available fiberglass batts use a fiber that is fromed with a random twist. The result is a cotton-like insulation that for most people causes no itch or irritation. Another common type is loose-fill insulation which can be easily poured between ceiling joists. It also is the kind of insulation blown into wall cavities by a contractor when you have an older home’s finished walls retroactively insulated. Cellulose is a popular form of loose-fill insulation. Made from recycled newspaper and wood fibers and treated with a flame retardant it is recommended for insulating hard to reach areas. Loose-fill fiberglass and rock wool are also effective. A less common type of insulation is rigid panels of plastic foam which are used on basement walls and under exterior siding during home construction or re-siding.