Installing Insulation: DIY or Call a Professional?
Attic cleaning and installing insulation has many benefits – it keeps you warm; prevents rodents from invading; lowers your energy bill. Should you DIY or not?
Insulation is the unsung hero of almost every home in America. By 2025, the thermal insulation market will grow to 3.4 billion.
Are you considering replacing the insulation in your attic? Maybe insulation was never placed in your attic.
Either way, you are now faced with the choice of installing insulation yourself or hiring a professional. We are going to help you weigh the pros and cons of each option.
Insulation installed in your attic will help you save money on energy costs. Don’t then waste it by making the wrong choice for installation.
Installing Insulation Yourself
You can install insulation yourself. You need to prepare to take the proper precautions and dedicate a fair amount of time to the project though.
Pros
Insulation is not expensive, a homeowner can do this project on a fairly tight budget. If you choose to use blown in insulation, you will need to rent the machine.
Cons
The downside of installing fiberglass insulation is the time of installation and cleanup. If you do not take the right precautions you can end up with fiberglass embedded in your skin or lungs.
Health Dangers
Fiberglass is glass spun into super fine strands. When you install the insulation, you disturb these fibers and they can go airborne.
You need to wear a mask or you risk inhaling these airborne glass fibers. Once inhaled, you will experience coughing and a scratchy throat.
Those with breathing issues should avoid installing insulation. The glass fibers in your lungs will worsen these conditions.
Do not touch the insulation with your bare skin. Contact with skin will result in redness and itchiness.
Wear goggles during the insulation. Those airborne fibers can end up in your eyes.
There are no long-term studies that conclusively prove that fiberglass causes cancer. This aside, tiny pieces of glass just doesn’t sound like a pleasant thing to deal with.
Lack of Experience
If you have never used a cellulose blowing machine you could end up with a mess. The dust will get in the ductwork and from there spread throughout your entire house.
Duct Cleaning
Once this happens you will have to pay a professional to come in and remove the cellulose from the ducts. This will increase the cost of the project.
Time
This project will take you a lot longer than what it would take a professional. If you damage anything in the process, you are on the line for the repairs.
Removal of Old Installation
If there is old insulation, you will have to remove that first. This is not something you can throw in the trash — it will add time and expense to your project.
Professional Insulation Installation
It may seem like hiring a contractor will cost more than doing the project yourself, but this is not true in the long run.
Pros
As a DIY homeowner, you get limited to only placing insulation in areas that are exposed. This may not be important if your entire attic is unfinished with exposed studs.
Leave Drywall Intact
However, if any area has drywall finished, you will want a professional to install your insulation. They can give you new insulation without having to take down the existing drywall.
Professional Spray Installation
A professional knows how spray insulation works. They will place the insulation where it should be and avoid getting it where it should not be.
Less Time Required
Hiring a professional will take less time to finish the project. This is partially because they have a team of people. It is also because they do this for a living and how to install attic insulation.
Licensing and Insurance
Reputable companies have insurance and licensing. This protects you when something goes wrong.
They Take Care of Everything
There is no prep work or clean up with a professional. They will come in and remove any old insulation and take it away.
Codes
A quality professional will know what the current codes require. They will also be able to alert you to any rebates that you may be able to take advantage of.
Mold and Mildew
You may not notice that you have a mildew or mold problem in your roof. Your roof may have a leak into your attic. A professional will see the signs of this and can alert you to a problem before it becomes a major issue.
Animals
You do want to deal with the animals that you will find. A professional will take care of the snakes, rodents, and insects that are lurking in your attic.
Cons
There is no getting around it, hiring a contractor is more expensive than buying the insulation yourself. This extra cost becomes worth it when your DIY project starts going wrong.
Once your DIY project goes wrong, it will cost significantly more than if you hired the contractor.
Unlicensed Contractors
If you hire a contractor who isn’t reputable, you risk extra costs. If something goes wrong and the contractor isn’t licensed, you will have to pay for the repair.
Waiting Lists
Contractors are in demand and you may end up waiting a few weeks before they can come to your house. You can avoid this buying planning your home project during the slow season for the contractor.
Deciding the Best Way for You
The cost of time and money are the two main deciding factors. You have the possibility of saving money by installing insulation yourself.
However, it will cost you a lot more in time to do the project yourself. You are also taking the risk that nothing goes wrong.
Hiring a professional will make the project go fast and you have the security of licensing and insurance. This will be helpful in the event that the job doesn’t go perfectly.
Schedule your attic insulation cleaning and installation estimate today.
