DIY Insulation – What You Need to Know

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Luke Martin
Luke Martinhttps://myfancyhouse.com/
I am Luke Martin, a writer who loves homes. My words are about creating comfy and nice living spaces. Let's explore ideas for decorating and making homes cozy together. Join me on this journey to make your house a special place to be.

If you’ve got some home renovations coming up, there’s a good chance you’re going to upgrade or improve your home’s insulation. The great thing about insulation is you can certainly do a lot of the work yourself. However, there are a few things you’ll want to remember before getting stuck into the work. Here’s what you need to know before taking on your home insulation project.

Safety Equipment

One of the most important things to consider when dealing with insulation is safety equipment. While insulation has improved considerably over the years, it is still advised to take all safety precautions when handling it. Always wear gloves, and attempt to cover up any exposed skin. Loosely designed t-shirts and shorts are not suitable clothing options for insulation work as they may not provide adequate protection

You should also always wear a face mask and even safety goggles. Insulation is made up of very fine particles, which can irritate skin and get into your eyes, hence all of the precautions.

Insulation Thickness

All insulation batts come with an ‘R’ rating, and this refers to the resistance against heat loss. Alternatively, think of it as the insulation’s thickness. Each part of the house requires insulation with a different ‘R’ rating, and below is a guide:

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Ceiling insulation: ‘R’ rating of 2.5 – 6.0.

Wall Insulation: ‘R’ rating of 1.5 – 2.7

Floor insulation: ‘R’ rating of 1.7

As you can see, ceiling insulation has the biggest range, and you should measure the depth of your wall cavity to find out what sort of thickness will work best.

Always Measure First

As with anything, proper planning is the key. While most modern homes are built with similar-sized gaps between wall studs, it isn’t always an exact science. Most insulation batts you buy will fit the standard wall or ceiling cavity, but you shouldn’t leave this to guesswork.

Especially in older homes, you may find differences and this could require you to cut insulation yourself to make it fit. While you can’t always avoid this, you can make life easier by having it all planned first. Measuring allows you to buy the exact amount of insulation you need, rather than falling short or having too much.

Don’t Skip the Small Details

Often, installing batts in your walls or ceiling is the easy part. It’s the smaller things we often miss. For example, in your roof cavity, you may have a chimney, air ducts, and other types of ventilation. Around these items should be insulated also, to prevent air from escaping into the home.

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By the same token, think about the inside of your house. Weather-stripping around doors and windows also play a key role in insulating your home, so don’t forget the small details!

When Do You Need Professionals?

You can install most insulation yourself, however, if you want to use blow-in insulation in your walls you may need to hire some help. Firstly, a special machine is required to do the job. Also, the professionals do this every day and are best placed to cut holes in the wall and patch them up when finished.

If you need help with insulation, always contact your local professionals, otherwise, the tips above should give you a good starting point for a successful home insulation project!

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