Winterize Your Home: Get Insulated

Oct. 30 is National Weatherization Day. With winter knocking at your door, keep cold air out and energy bills down by weatherizing your home. This week's tips will help you get started.

Tip #3: Update your insulation.

Depending on the age of your home, you may be losing heat through your ceiling and walls; older homes were built when construction standards and energy consciousness weren't priorities.

Over time, insulation can settle within your walls. The best method to measure a wall’s heat loss might remind you of a sci-fi flick: Professional thermographic inspections use infrared scanning to determine temperatures. Up in the attic, check the pipes, ductwork, and chimney — and ensure your attic is equipped with a vapor barrier (tarpaper, Kraft paper, plastic sheet, or vapor barrier paint). Don’t forget to check under the shuffle of winter slippers too — an unheated basement means floors must have proper insulation.

Tell us: Have you updated your insulation recently?