Then don't deal with whole-house insulation, or even wall insulation at all. As a "stop-gap," and I mean this both literally and figuratively, do your attic first. And don't say, "I don't have an attic." You do. Everyone has some type of space above the ceiling.
Great things about insulating the attic first:
- You can insulate your attic yourself.
- You can use either loose-fill insulation or fiberglass batting, both of which are available at a local home improvement store.
But the major reason why you might choose to do the attic before other areas of your house is simply because the one thing: heat rises.
By providing a "lid" on your living spaces, you help keep rising heat from continuing to rise through the attic and into the atmosphere.
What EnergyStar Says About Attic Insulation
Now here's the heretical part: even if you lack the patience or skill to properly laid down attic insulation, just do it. Do something with that attic space. The main point is to get the insulation down.
Even EnergyStar, the official organ of caution, says that homeowners should not "worry about finding and sealing all the little holes in your attic; your biggest savings will come from plugging the large ones."
Got it? Get the stuff down.
Finally, EnergyStar advises that the correct type of installation for most attics is our 38-R or about 10 to 14 inches.
