What to Look For: DIY Checks and Inspections

Materials and Equipment

• Boards to walk on, if needed
• Tape measure
• Flashlight/headlight
• Hard hat or cap to protect head from sharp roofing nails
• Safety glasses, gloves and dust mask/protective face mask

Tips and Safety Considerations

Some attics have vermiculite insulation, which may contain asbestos. Vermiculite is a lightweight, pea-size, flaky gray mineral. Do not disturb vermiculite insulation unless you have had it tested by an approved lab to be sure that it does not contain asbestos. Contact your local health department for the name of an approved lab.

• Watch out for nails pointing up through the ceiling or down from roof deck.
• Walk on joists or truss chords, not exposed ceiling drywall or insulation, to avoid falling through the ceiling.

Method 1: Quick Check of Insulation Levels

• Looking across your attic, if the insulation is level with or below the attic floor joists, you probably need to add more insulation.

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• If you cannot see any of the floor joists because the insulation is well above them, you probably have enough, and adding more insulation may not be cost-effective.
• It is important that the insulation be evenly distributed with no low spots; sometimes there is enough insulation in the middle of the attic and very little along the eaves.

Method 2: Measuring Insulation Levels

• Either read the R-value printed on the batts of your existing insulation or use a measuring tape to measure the depth of the insulation (inches).
• Next, use the table below to calculate the R-value of your insulation by multiplying the measured depth with the number provided below. You will need to determine the type of insulation first using the general product descriptions. The number you end up with indicates the R-value of your existing insulation. If it's less than the recommended levels provided below, then you should consider adding more insulation to your attic.

What you see:		What it probably is	Depth (inches)	Total R-value
Loose fibers	light-weight yellow, pink, or white	fiberglass	_____	=2.5 x depth
	dense gray or near white, may have black specs	rock wool	_____	=2.8 x depth
	small gray flat pieces or fubers (from newsprint)	cellulose	_____	=3.7 x depth
Granules	light-weight	vermiculite or perlite	_____	=2.7 x depth
Batts	light-weight yellow, pink, or white	fiberglass	_____	=3.2 x depth

Recommended Levels of Insulation

Once you have determined the R-value of the insulation in your attic, use the table and climate map below to determine which level of insulation is best for your home.

Zone	Add the following insulation levels to your attic		Floor
	For uninsulated attics	For attics with existing 3−4 inches of insulation	For uninsulated basements or crawlspaces
1	R30 to R49	R25 to R30	R13
2	R30 to R60	R25 to R38	R13 to R19
3	R30 to R60	R25 to R38	R19 to R25h
4	R38 to R60	R38	R25 to R30
5 to 8	R49 to R60	R38 to R49	R25 to R30

To calculate a tailored insulation level for your particular location and home type, use the DOE Zip-Code Insulation Program.

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Check if your exterior walls have insulation by using an electrical outlet:

Turn off the power to the outlet before beginning this check. Also it is recommended to use a volt meter or voltage tester to confirm that there is no power at the socket before beginning work.

1. Remove the outlet cover and shine a flashlight into the crack around the outlet box. You should be able to see if there is insulation in the wall and possibly how thick it is.
2. Pull out a small amount of insulation if needed to help determine the type of insulation.
3. Check outlets on all floors, as well as old and new parts of your home. Just because you find insulation in one wall doesn't mean that it's everywhere in your home.

It is recommended that exterior walls have insulation and be fully filled.

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