An energy-efficient home requires proper insulation. To get the advertised energy savings, you’ll need an even layer of insulation. Insulation issues are unfortunately widespread. Some older homes may not have had any insulation at all, and even newer homes may contain insulation that has shifted, settled, or been damaged by bugs, mold, or moisture.

Keep reading to learn why this is such an issue. If you believe your home is in need of upgraded insultation or other energy saving services, contact Econo West at (661) 269-0308.

Lumpy insulation causes problems

If you’re unhappy with the amount you pay for heating and cooling, it’s a good idea to get your insulation checked by a professional. They might discover that you want fresh insulation. However, you must remember several things when selecting your new insulation.

The insulation must be laid out uniformly

Any product’s energy efficiency might be ruined by lumps in the insulation. Consider the following scenario. Let’s say your attic is intended to have R-30 insulation, but it’s piled in lumps to the point that certain parts only have R-10 insulation and others have R-50 insulation. Assume that the lumps are uniformly distributed, with 50 percent lumps (R-50) and 50 percent troughs (R-10).

Because heat constantly seeks the path of least resistance, you’ll discover that more than half of the air leaving your home passes via the R-10 zones. In fact, if you do the arithmetic, you’ll discover that R-10 locations allow three times as much heat to escape as R-30 areas. R-50 zones will not provide much greater protection than R-30 zones (because most of the heat is attracted to the much more vulnerable R-10 areas).

As a result, your lumpy insulation will enable 1.8 times the amount of heat to escape than a properly constructed, flat layer of insulation.

Expert insulation installation from

We hire professional HVAC specialists at Econo West who realize that there is a correct way and a wrong way to install insulation. We always do things the proper way, ensuring that the layer of insulation is put uniformly across the entire attic. To minimize air leaks, we also make sure to plug any gaps around plumbing vent stacks.

When putting additional insulation over existing insulation, we make sure to level out any bumps in the old insulation to provide a good foundation for the new insulation and ensure you get the insulating power promised by the R-value of the new product. Call us right now at (661) 269-0308 to schedule an inspection of your attic insulation.