Last weekend Rene and I finally tackled a project we had been putting off: blowing new insulation into our attic. With winter on the way here in Southern Ohio, it felt like the right time to get it done.
What we used and how it went
We went with GreenFiber cellulose insulation, the kind you blow in with a machine. If you have never done it, here is what I would pass along:
- It is a two-person job. One person stays outside keeping the machine loaded, and the other is up in the attic running the hose.
- Ask about the free machine rental. When we bought 20 or more bags, the blower machine rental was free for 24 hours. That made the whole project a lot more affordable.
- Have a way to talk to each other. Trust me on this one. Walkie-talkies, a phone call, anything.
The part we will laugh about later
We did not have a way to communicate. At one point I needed Rene to stop the machine, so I started climbing down out of the attic to tell her. While I was on my way down, the hose fell out of the attic opening, with the machine still blowing.
Our bathroom got covered in insulation. Every surface. Lesson learned: set up a way to talk before you turn the machine on.
Why I am telling you this
I am not sharing this because I am suddenly a contractor. I am sharing it because insulation is exactly the kind of thing I talk through with buyers. A lot of the homes we show around Hillsboro and Highland County are older homes and farmhouses, and insulation is something you cannot really see on a showing but will definitely feel on your heating bill.
If you are looking at an older home here, a few simple questions go a long way:
- How old is the attic insulation, and has anything been added since the house was built?
- What have the utility bills looked like through a full winter?
- What did the home inspector note about the attic?
Your home inspector can tell you a lot, and I am always happy to help you read through that report so you know what is a weekend project, and what is a bigger job for a pro.
Thinking about buying in the area?
Start with our guide, Living in Hillsboro, Ohio: What Buyers Should Know, on VanceTeamRealtors.com. And if you want to talk through an older home you are considering, call or text me anytime at 937-776-3405.
Bryan
Bryan Vance, Vance Team Realtors, Hillsboro, Ohio