LESLIE: Chris needs some help with weatherproofing. What can we do for you?
CHRIS: I just recently had my attic have a radiant spray-on barrier put in in the attic …
TOM: Alright.
CHRIS: … and also I had a ridgeline vent put in …
TOM: OK.
CHRIS: … to improve the energy efficiency of the home. And now I’ve recently heard that you can get this Icynene foam spray for your attic which then makes it airtight up there and that approach would be they would want to do away with any attic vents, make it super airtight …
LESLIE: Hmm.
CHRIS: … and to prevent the hot air coming in and improve energy efficiency. Are you familiar with that type of an approach for attic insulation?
TOM: Yeah, you’re talking about Icynene. It’s an excellent product. It’s an expandable foam. It is …
LESLIE: And man, does it expand.
TOM: Yeah, expands like crazy. And not only is it insulation; it’s an air barrier as well. The ventilation that’s up there now is not going to hurt or help if you use an Icynene type of insulation. You basically would have to remove all the existing fiberglass and then it’s sprayed across the ceiling and completely insulates and seals that ceiling from the rest of the house, which cuts back on drafts and that sort of thing. So you wouldn’t have to be concerned about the ridge vent that you put in there if you want to go that route.
You didn’t mention what kind of insulation you have right now. What are we looking at there?
CHRIS: Just the typical spray-in, I guess …
TOM: Blown-in?
CHRIS: Yeah, blown-in. Yes.
TOM: How many inches of it?
CHRIS: Oh, I’m up to about 24 inches.
TOM: Well, that sounds like it’s a pretty well-insulated space. You’ve got 24 inches of insulation, it’s well-ventilated and you’ve got a radiant barrier. You know, I think you’re doing a great job there, Chris.
CHRIS: Oh, OK. Alright. Well, very good.
TOM: Chris, thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT.
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