Finding Insulation Contractors

Finding the right insulation contractor for your job is animportant decision.

• Ask your utility company for a list of reputable and licensed contractors
• Consult friends and neighbors and ask about their experience in dealing with the contractor
• Contact the Insulation Contractors Association of America (ICAA) at www.insulateTo cover with a material of low conductivity in order to reduce the passage or leakage of heat, reduce the surface temperature, or reduce the noise emanating from the object..org for a list of certified contractors in your area.

Before You Hire an Insulation Contractor

Before you hire a contractor for any insulation work:

• Check references: Ask the contractor for references, including other homeowners for whom he has done work.
• Ask trusted sources for a reference: The Department of Energy has a listing of resources for finding certified contractors. You can also check with the local Better Business Bureau for a contractor, or ask your bank to get a report on the contractor’s credit rating. Remember that you want good quality materials and labor as well as price. When you talk to a contractor, talk of R‑values. Don't forget that R‑values are determined by material type, thickness, and, in the case of loose-fill insulationInsulation in granular, nodular, fibrous, powdery or similar form designed to be installed by pouring, blowing or hand placement., by installed weight per square foot (or densityThe mass of a substance per unit of volume of a substance.), not by thickness alone.
• Ask questions about how the contractor’s installers are paid: Does the contractor pay them by the number of square feet they coverTo place insulation and/or finish materials on, over or around a surface so as to insulate, protect or seal. or by the hour? If he pays them by square footage, they might do a hasty job on your house just so they can get on to the next one.
• Check if the contractor has appropriate insurance coverage1.  The rate in square feet per gallon (coatings), or gallons per hundred square feet (mastics), at which products must be applied to obtain satisfactory performance. 2.  The area to be covered per unit volume of coating to obtain specified dry thickness and desired performance. 3.  The quantity of loose-fill insulation required to provide a given thermal performance for a given square footage.: Does the contractor have insurance to protect his own men if they are injured? Are you covered if one of his men damages your house? Ask for proof of current insurance.
• Check certifications: Ask the contractor if he is certified by ICAA or another organization. (Contact the Insulation Contractors Association of American (ICAA) at www.insulate.org for a list of certified contractors in your area.)
• Check bag labels: When you talk to a contractor or his salesman, ask him to show you a sampleA group of items, observations, test results, or portions of material, taken from a large collection of items, observations, test results, or quantities of material, which serves to provide information that may be used as a basis for making a decision concerning the larger collection. of the bag label for his brand of insulation and ask him to explain it to you. If a contractor uses insulation packed in bags that aren't labeled, don't hire him. The quality of the material will be unknown. Always deal in R‑values, not inches. Every type of insulation has a different range of R‑value per inch, and the Federal Trade Commission does not allow insulation to be marked by its R‑value per inch, except in very limited cases. You want a guarantee of a specific R‑value.

Managing Contractors

After you have hired a contractor, there are a few things to doto manage him:

• Make sure the contractor gives you a contract or receipt for the insulation installed. This is required by law.
• Check that the proper amount of insulation is actually installed. Ask the contractor how many bags of loose-fill insulation were installed.
• After the job is finished, inspect your home to make sure the insulation was installed correctly.

Each item is described in more detail below.

Contract or Receipt for Home Insulation

Under the U.S. Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) regulation(Labeling and Advertising of Home Insulation, 16 C.F.R. Part 460),installers of insulation must give their customers a contract or receiptfor the insulation installed. For all insulation except loose-fill andaluminum foil, the receipt must show the coverage area, thickness, andR‑value of the insulation installed. For all types of loose-fillinsulation, the receipt must show the coverage area, initial installedthickness, minimum settled thickness, R‑value, and the number ofbags used. For aluminum foil, the receipt must show the number andthickness of the air spaces, the direction of heat flow, and theR‑value. All receipts must be dated and signed by the installer.

Check that the Proper Amount of Insulation is ActuallyInstalled

Each bag of insulating material used by the contractor should bemarked with an R‑value. For loose-fill, the bags will tell you the R‑value for the area to be covered. It is important that you checkthat the proper amount is installed in your home. Ask the contractor toattach vertical rulers to the joistsHorizontal framing member set from wall to wall to support the floor or ceiling. prior to a loose-fill installationin your attic to help you see that the proper depth was installed. Lookfor the R‑value printed on the battsPre-cut pieces of insulation in standard sizes; batts may have a facing of kraft paper, aluminum foil or poly (plastic) or no facing at all., rolls or the facingDefinition One: A thin layer of laminate, usually factory applied, on the surface of an insulating material. Definition Two: A protective or decorative (or both) surface applied as the outermost layers of insulation..

Inspect the Insulation Work

Inspect your home to make sure the insulation was installedcorrectly. Demand quality from your installer and question anything thatlooks wrong. If this is new construction, ask if you or a professionalcan inspect the insulation before the drywall is put up. Some buildersand contractors do not want to do this, but after the drywall is up,it’s hard to tell if any mistakes were made, and much moreexpensive to fix. Don’t compromise. It’s your house, and youare the one that will have to live with any mistakes?

• 25 Checkpoints for Inspecting Insulation Jobs (BI497)
• Recomendaciones Para Instalacion en Construcciones Residenciales y Otras de Entramado Liviano (Aislamiento de Fibra de Vidrio de Relleno Suelto) (BI403SP)
• Recomendaciones Para Instalacion en Construcciones Residenciales y Otras de Entramado Liviano (Aislamiento de Fibra de Vidrio para Edificios) (BI402SP)
• Recommendations for Installing Insulation in Residential and Other Light-Frame Construction (Fiber Glass Loose-Fill Insulation) (BI403)
• Recommendations for Installing Insulation in Residential and Other Light-Frame Construction (Fiber Glass Home Insulation) (BI402)