The other day I was watching a home improvement show on television. How ironic is it to watch a show which discusses the trials and tribulations of one person’s residence when my own home is in such a state of disrepair? I guess it’s easier (and less expensive) to watch than to take personal action.
The show covered a family who had an old 1970’s style home. They had some irregularities with their wiring and some water damage. As you might have predicted, those two issues led to many others before the show ended. But one part got me thinking, when the hosts were up in the attic and they started talking about insulation.
Insulation wasn’t the focus of the piece so the blurb was short. But the host lifted a few pieces and commented how it was an insufficient to serve as a deterrent for heat loss during the winter; the insulation just wasn’t thick enough. Furthermore, it showed signs of mice infestation. Eww!
The show elected to spray loose cellulose insulation on top of the existing batting. The added inches are supposed to keep the home warmer and “top off” what the old batting was doing. But I’m still wondering about the mice droppings.
At the conclusion of the show, I learned a few things about really improving your home’s energy efficiency with a product called radiant barrier. While it wasn’t installed into the homeowner’s attic, they showed some samples and discussed how effective the thin, reflective foil is against the transfer of radiant heat. As an owner of an older home myself, I’d like to learn more about how this product can cut my heating bill and save energy.
As it turns out, you can learn something new and valuable from television! I’m headed to learn more about foil insulation right now.