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The Goderich Signal-Star, 1975-03-20, Page 39Hot fuel -saving tip: insulate-, the: attic INSTALLING '61',, of fiber glass insulation, in the Attic is easy,,to do and can be Completed in an afternoon. Utility hill savings for heating and air" -conditioning can help pay for the insulation in •1-2 years on most homes. • Most homeowners know that insulating the ,attic is a project even the un - handiest of handymen can accomplish in an after- noon, armed with a tape measure, some batts of six-inch fiber glass insu- 5. Don't insulate over built. -in ceiling lighting enclosures, These often re- quire a vertical heat re- lease to avoid overheating, "burn out" or electrical shorts. 6. Don't ignore floor.par- lation, a large breadknife, eas under attic walkways. and the sure knowledge Often,, the batts of insu- that the heating and cool- lation can be Pushed •ing savings will be great. or pulled through these .But, the Home Institute openings between the. of Certain -teed Products flooringand the ceiling Corporation, Valley Forge, below it by using .an iron Pa.,reports that today's ' garden rake. homeowner often has` questions about the proj - . Under the wiring ect when he encounters 7. Where possible, place attic obstructions, exposed batts of insulation' under • wiring, enclosed lighting attic wiring. That way, fixtures, and the dike. you can always locate the To help answer some of wiring easily in the future. these "what -do -I -do -now" 8. Wherever there are queries, they've developed "X members or other a baker's dozen insulating cross members between checklist . . one which the joists, cut the insula even the professional in- tion to fit underneath or sulators often use to make • around them. For "X" sure the job is completed- members. cut the ' insula- effectively and correctly: tion at 90 angles. In ei- ther ease snugly butt the. Unused attic? ends of each batt . to 1.• If• your attic is to be preventheat leaks. used for storage, rather 9. Insulate the attic ac - than living space, don't cess panel by stapling insulate the rafters over- pieces of fiber glass insu- head ... insulate the attic lation, cut to the same di - floor. It's expensive to, heat mensions, into the top an attic that's never used. face' of the panel. 2. Use six inches of fiber 10. Be sure to leave at - glass insulation with ' a tic' vents Open during • the vapor barrier (either kraft- winter, properly insulated paper or foil faced) when with 6" of fiber glass in - insulating an uninsulat- sulation, the living area ed attic. The vapor barrier faces down, right on top of the ceiling material. 3, If your attic already has some ins.:1ation use unfaced insulation. The easiest product to handle 11. If you're converting is rigid -fit "batts" — insu- unused attic .space to liv- lation pre-cut to 48" ing area, insulate only lengths. This material that area which is .to be comes in 15" and 23" widths heated. Insulat, across to fit snugly between the collar beams (the new ceil- floor joists. When adding ing level) , down rafters insulation with vapor -bar.- and vertical knee walls, rier,'to existing insulation then horizontally out to (assuming you can't fihd the eaves. Make sure there unfaced insulation) slash' is Some space between 'the vap6r barrier do the roof sheathing overhead new insulation batts and and the outer face of the install the slashed barrier , insulation if , eave vents face down. Do not rexxlove the old insulation ... it all helps. Overlo"ked areas Will have little heaCIds:S and proper ventilation. will keep the moisture lev- el low iri tine attic. •What to insulate .. 4. Stuff insulation snug- ly around all Vents and pipeS which pass from the living areas, through the ceiling into or through the attic. These often over- looked areas around chim- neys, exhaust fari vents; etc., are "heat leaks." r exist, , to assure proper ,ventilation. 12, Open insulation bun;,- dies ungdies only when and where you plan to use them. You'll find they mush- room to more than 4 times the original packae size. 13. Use leftover scraps to wrap hot water pipes -or heat ducts or stuff them in openings under drafty kitchen cabinets,' etc. Waste not, want not! ' • d ti SOME PRACTICAL WAYS 'IU REDUCE FUEL BILLS, ac •ording to the 'Johns -Manville 'Insulation (;enter. Most important and most effective is to insulate the home,,especially the attic, top. Other energy-t'onserving tips include, from' kik:" opening draperies on -sunny days to lel warming sunlight in; elcanin�: or replacing furnace filters to keep warns air flowing easily, and caulking around the outside of windows and door' frames. • tt Lo�icing,.. to cut Iieat',consume ori?. Here are helpful household hints • Homeowners everywhere sult , an insulation, con- ing furnace efficiency, and ' are finding it will cost even tractor about , insulating wasting fuel., more to heat their, homes closed -in ceilings .and 8. Set .the thermostat this.) winter, so the search walls. back at night, but only six is on more seriously than Choose' amounts of in- or seven degrees. A bigger .. ever before for ways to•re- sulation by Resistance setback will require -extra duce • fuel consumption • numbers, which tell how ` fuel for morning pick-up. and lower fuel bills. well insulation retards Always set the thermostat The 12 most practical heat flaw. in new homes, back if you're going to be ways to cut your fuel bills use at least R-19. (t''/2 away for a weekend or are listed here, compli- inches thickness ► in ceil- longer. merits of the Johns -Man- ings, R-11 (3 ?A inches to 9. Check the location of ville Insulation • Center. 4- inches thickness; in your thermostat. The J -M 1. Insulate your home walls. Insulation in floors Insulation Center says it , well. It's the' most ,effec- is needed for homes built should be on an inside. • tive thing you can db. With • over open crawl spaces. wall four to five feet above adequate insulation, your 2. Use storm Windows or floro level, Keep it away home will • require only • insulating, glass. Double from heat sources such as about') .per cent as much ' glass resists heat loss al- a TV set or a lamp. fuel as with no insulation, most twice as well as sin- • 10. Turn, off . heat in according to ..the Insula- gle glass, says the J -M In,- rooms that aren't used. If tion Center. sulation Center. you have zone thermo- • To insulate an existing. 3. Use storm doors,'keep stats to control your hi t - home, first pay te•ntion them tightly_ latched. ing, consider. keepin `'O- to the ceiling, where heat, 4. Weatherstrip windows roorris at is lower tc► aper - loss is greatest. You can and doors to keep warm ature during the day, If ing, ,Where heat loss is 5Caulk cracks around 'generally insulate the ceil- air in. cold air out. you .like to sleep with a . window open. make 'sure greatest. You can gener- the outside of window and ' the bedrooms doer is closed. ally insulate the, ceiling door frames. 11. Install a humidifier.yourself by laying thick 6. Call in a heating *erv- • When relative humidity is but lightweight fiber glass ice man to clean and ad-- high, you will be comfort - blankets betweerf joists in just the heating burner. able at a .lower t,mpera- the attic floor. • He should also check bal- tore. If you already have some ancing of the heat' distri 12. Develop good heat insulation, you can use an bution system to make -conservation habits, Lock "add-on" insulation, such •sure no -sr obm, gets more windows to pull sash . as 'Johns-Mari,ville's Re- ' heat than it needs. ' 'tightly together. •Close ..Insult whichais made spe-7. Clean or replace fur- fireplace dampers except cifically to bring Made -nate filters.. Dirty filters when a fire is burning. quate attic insulation up .-may severely hinder move -,Close draperies at nighte-LL, to today's standards. Con- ' ment of warm air, reduc- open thein 0.0 sunny days. Bank on cutting fuel overhead with insulation in your attic this winter You Can put $250 in the a 1400 -square -foot home, bank and earn for the the national average for year compound interest of savings on heating hills is 6.5 • per cent or $17.03 on '• over $60. For cooling hills, your money. ,,Or you can it's $35 or• more. This as- invest that 'same $250 in 'sumes that the home has your attic and earn up to $90 in ohe year. That's 36 per cent interest or more than five time the bank, rate. What's the secret? Insulation. Just six inches of fiber glass insulation. Energy experts at the Home Institute of Cer- tain -teed Products Cor- poration, Valley Forge, Pa., report that homeowners around the country can save up to 30% on,. their heating and cooling bills, just by 'having six inches of insulation overhead. In' of thumb, you can expect insulation to pay for it- self in approximately two years if you add'•insulation to an uninsulated home. Utility bill savings• after some insulation in the at- that are betterthan mon- tic already.:. ey in the bank. For those homes .V.. and For„additional informa- tnhere are some 23 million tion on reducing heating of them, which have 710 and cooling bills, write for insulation in the attic, the the Old Farmer's Almanac savings jump to over $100 Home Insulation Guide. It and $75 or more respec- outlines expected utility tively ... on the afi rage. savings for homeowners in These heating and cool- 115 U.S. citis, and pro- ing savings are directly re- vides homeowner hints for lated to the amount of in- installing attic insulation. sulation in the attic, the Available, free, from the, severity of the weather in Certain?teed Home Insti- your area, and the style of tute, Box 860, Valley F. rge, your horne. But, as a rule Pa. 19482.