Home Improvement Stack Exchange
Home Improvement Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [insulation]

Insulation is any material used to slow the transmission of heat or reduce the transmission of sound. Typical materials include fiberglass, foam, blown cellulose, and reflective foil. This should not be confused with weather stripping.

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Should I agree to have more insulation added to my attic?

I have a 6 year old home with about 12 inches (R-30) of blown-in insulation in the attic. Recently door-to-door sales representatives for an insulation company offered a free inspection and quote to add additional insulation. The pitch was that the…
JYelton
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I added insulation to my attic rafters, but should I have left room for airflow?

I added insulation to my attic rafters and plugged the space between the outdoors and my attic with insulation. It lowered my heating bill by $150/month, but I've seen some information that I may have made a mistake by cutting off the airflow in my…
ristonj
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Is it important not to scratch copper wire when removing insulation?

I use a small cutter made for max 14 gauge wires, but I'm bad at removing insulation, it takes me a bit of time to get it right, so I end up cutting and repeating, because I see scratches on copper wire were I cut the insulation. Should I ignore it?…
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Why is my house energy efficient only in winter?

My electric utility company sent me a graph of my home's electricity usage over time as shown in the picture below. My home beats what the company considers as efficient homes in the neighborhood when the average temperature is below ~50F. As the…
Fijoy Vadakkumpadan
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Wind from kitchen sink drainage pipe

We live on a windy coast of North Sea. High wind is a norm here. One of the problems I face with the wind: it comes out from kitchen sink drainage pipe. If it is blowy outside, you can feel a draft coming from the drainage pipe. I think the problem…
trailmax
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How can I insulate my garage door?

Over the past year I've been converting our integrated garage so that it's a usage space. I've painted the walls, got lighting, power and water connected (To allow for a washing machine to be installed) plus floor is now carpeted using tiles. Also…
Peter Bridger
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What happens to foam insulation board after you pour concrete slab?

I plan on making a garage out of a large carport, and I've watched and I understood how to properly insulate a new concrete slab. 4 inches of gravel, vapor barrier, 2 inch foam board, 2 inches of sand and then 4-6 inches of poured concrete with mesh…
Jeffyx
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How effective are outdoor foam faucet covers to prevent freezing?

Everyone seems to suggest using those styrofoam faucet covers to help prevent the pipes associated with the fixture from freezing. They're cheap so I have them anyway (plus I'm not in a hard freeze area), but I'm skeptical about how much…
Michael Burr
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Does building insulation wear out and have to be replaced?

First, a little back-story. I've been having trouble with the air-conditioning system in my south-Texas apartment home for almost two months so far this summer. The apartment manager has been sending their "A/C Certified" (the certification a…
Vivian River
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Is there an NEC-compliant method of repairing minor damage to electrical wire insulation without a junction box?

While trying to pry loose a stubborn cable staple that fastens a 14-gauge electrical cable to a stud, I accidentally tore a very small hole through both the outer jacket and the insulation around the neutral wire, exposing the bare conductor inside.…
oscilatingcretin
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Why don't people use rigid or spray foam insulation in attics?

I'm looking to upgrade the insulation in my attic bumping it from an R-6 to R-30 or better, and while looking into things I realized I've never seen anyone use rigid or spray foam insulation in an attic. Is there a particular caveat to these, or is…
anthonyryan1
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Are curtains effective for keeping the room warm?

I live in a rented apartment and I am trying to find solutions to keep the heat in. The apartment has several big windows (the 'living room' has one wall that is 80% windows) and I have to run the heat a lot to keep it warm inside. Do curtains…
Kate Plany
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Is it required for effectiveness to stretch interior window film?

Thanks in advance! Please let me know if I should provide more specific information, or if this is covered somewhere else. Short version: I am using a Frost King window insulation kit on a window. Can I skip the hairdryer step and still get a good…
capet
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Is there a significant benefit to using plastic window insulation year round?

In order to help save more money and funnel more of those savings to debts, I'm looking for more ways to save money. I've heard that puting plastic window insulation over single-pane windows typically found in older houses can reduce utility bills…
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How do I remove blown in attic insulation?

I want to replace the drywall ceiling in my house. It's old and has been painted over a million times. Home was built in the 50s. How do I replace the ceiling without replacing the insulation? Or if I take out the insulation to replace it with new,…
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