Real Estate Tips from Bob Rich-Holes in the Attic

Holes in the attic are like holes in your pocket. Step into your attic some winter night. Even if it is insulated at floor level, you may be surprised to find it much warmer than the outside air. That means that some of the expensive heat you need downstairs has escaped up there where it won’t do any good.

It is common to find large openings where pipes, ducts, or exhaust fans are cut through the attic floor. But they can be stuffed with foil-backed insulation. Stopping attic by-passes can save from $25 to $100 a year in heating costs. Many people forget the attic door after they have carefully applied insulation to the rest of the attic. The door should be covered with a batt of foil-backed insulation and the edges of the door weather stripped.

Some no-no’s. Do not cover light fixtures directly with insulation as they may cause a fire and if you fill the opening around a chimney or furnace stack, be sure to use fireproof insulation.