When was the last time you missed your exit and had to take a detour that added more time to your trip? Have you ever had the misfortune of taking a wrong turn and getting completely lost, wasting a quarter tank of gas just to get back to a familiar street? One seemingly small mishap can have a significant impact on your plans, schedule, and spending if you're not taking the necessary preparation steps.
Taking the wrong turn or missing a step in your home renovation plans can also have impactful consequences. Although the age of the internet has expanded the abilities of the modern homeowner, not all blogs or videos will have the right information for a DIY project. Do-It-Yourself jobs are meant to be simplified fixes, but for projects like insulation changes, DIY doesn't necessarily mean you're going to save money and it can even add time and costs to your renovation plans.
Starting a DIY project is great for homeowners who want to expand their knowledge and understand their home's needs first-hand. However, there are many industry renovations that will still need expert consultation and guidance. Avoid jumping straight into a DIY insulation job without help from your local experts to avoid these kinds of pitfalls:
3 DIY Insulation “Wrong Turns”
Don’t be surprised if you discover many tools you’re unfamiliar with during your insulation installation research. Most homeowners aren’t aware of the type of industry equipment needed to quickly and correctly install materials. Although you can find certain industry equipment available for rent, this typically greatly increases the costs and risks.
Having a trained and experienced individual on hand can help you avoid serious consequences. You're liable to miss important steps, overlook crucial details, or create twice as much work to recover from the setback. Here are a few kinds of damages you may run into when handling unfamiliar equipment:
- Structural: You run the risk of damaging your home when you use the wrong tools or equipment you're unfamiliar with. This happens most commonly for people who are trying to remove and install wall insulation. They take off too much drywall, hit a beam, or damage wiring and piping inside the wall.
- Injury: In some cases, you may need to use a ladder, staple gun, or other heavy equipment. Your local hospital is likely no stranger to DIY mishaps. Slips, dropped equipment, and missed nails can all result in a trip to the ER.
- Costs: All of these risks add up. On top of a potential hospital bill or repair claim, renting equipment and purchasing insulation on your own often costs more than having a professional perform the installation. Your local experts receive bulk discounts and often operate with their own industry-grade equipment.
If you have some handyman or DIY experience, you might be able to tackle a quick air-sealing job to patch up some noticeable air leaks. However, if you’re feeling uncomfortable from drafts, cold spots, and irregular temperatures, you could have bigger insulation problems or hidden air leaks. When you’re not familiar with where to find these issues, you could be in even bigger trouble.
In this case, some homeowners begin sealing any areas that could contribute to unregulated airflow. Unfortunately, there are a few problems that come with adding unnecessary material to the wrong spaces:
- Random Gaps: If you’re not familiar with areas in your home that need to be insulated, you may be leaving problematic gaps and spaces. These create air leaks that disrupt controlled airflow. These spaces are also missing crucial protection against the movement of heat, which can render the installation useless.
- System Complications: Improper insulation disrupts a number of the systems in your home that work to create a comfortable, climate-controlled environment. For example, when you neglect air leaks, the ventilation system gets thrown off trying to control the airflow in your home. This increases energy waste and raises your bills because air is escaping almost as soon as it’s added to the space.
- Materials: When you don’t pinpoint the correct location to insulate, you could be installing the wrong materials as well. It’s common for homeowners to just focus on replacing the insulation on the floor of their attic instead of taking a closer look at the batts in between the ceiling joists and wall beams in the same area. You could be wasting money on insulation that doesn’t need to be replaced just yet while neglecting poorly installed and deteriorated materials.
Unfortunately, adding many insulation materials isn't always as simple as the walkthroughs make it out to be. In many cases, these videos are for people who already understand the basics and not for homeowner beginners.
In addition to properly cleaning and preparing the space to prevent trapping moisture, the installation process is also a crucial inspection procedure. With an untrained eye, you’re more likely to miss the signs of water damage, pest infestation, or other hazards that can affect your building envelope. Consider these major issues that can worsen from an improper installation:
- Waste: The biggest problem with attempting a DIY insulation installation is the waste of both energy and material. Most homeowners decide to throw away any leftover material they didn't use. Meanwhile, if there isn't enough to cover the necessary area, energy is wasted trying to maintain the temperature of your home while heat transfer continues to be unregulated.
- R-Value: These problems typically boil down to installing the correct R-value. This is the numerical value that measures how effectively a material reduces the rate of heat transfer. Each area in your home has a separate R-value that needs to be met in order to keep your home safe and comfortable.
- Missed Opportunities: Different insulation materials have a range of advantages that can benefit your home in more ways than just temperature regulation. There are types that are resistant to moisture and fire, provide a vapor barrier, or kill pests when digested by insects or small rodents. It's important to learn more about your options with an experienced professional who can guide you based on the needs of your home.
Learn More About DIY Insulation Projects With Jacksonville Area Experts
DIY projects are a great way to learn more about your home and the current condition of the materials in the building. However, one seemingly small misstep could end up taking a toll on your safety, savings, and even your comfort. Skip the mistakes and get straight to the benefits of updated insulation and air sealing throughout your home. Contact your local pros at Koala Insulation of Northwest Jacksonville to schedule your free evaluation