Upstairs bedrooms in Lawrence, KS get very hot in July. Living room floors near the foundation also feel very cold in January. Lawrence Siding Pros has worked on houses all over Lawrence, KS for many years, from the historic homes near Oread neighborhood out to the newer builds off Wakarusa. Lawrence Siding Pros sees the same insulation mistakes happen over and over again.
Homeowners often get frustrated with high utility bills and rush into a project without doing the legwork. That leads to shortcuts, wasted money, and walls that still let the Kansas wind whistle right through. Lawrence Siding Pros will look at what goes wrong so homeowners do not make the same errors.
Skipping the Air Sealing Step
Throwing more fiberglass batts into an attic without sealing the gaps first is like putting a heavy wool sweater on while leaving the front door wide open. Air leakage matters just as much as R-value.
If you do not seal up the top plates, wire penetrations, and plumbing stacks, warm air from your house is going to rush straight up into the attic during winter. Lawrence experiences brutal temperature swings, and those little gaps add up to massive energy losses. Lawrence Siding Pros always makes sure that complete air sealing is finished before blowing in new material.
Choosing the Wrong Material for the Space
Not all insulation is built equal. Too many people think they can just slap whatever is cheapest between their studs or floor joists.
- Open-cell spray foam expands rapidly and works well for sound dampening, but it absorbs moisture.
- Closed-cell foam acts as a vapor barrier and adds actual structural rigidity, which is very helpful for drafty crawlspaces.
- Traditional fiberglass is fine for standard interior walls, but it loses its effectiveness if it gets compressed or damp.
Here in Kansas, our humidity and seasonal extremes mean you need the right product in the right spot. A contractor who tries to sell you one universal fix for your entire house is cutting corners.
Ignoring the Condition of the Roof and Siding
Before you upgrade your wall or attic insulation, you need to check what is happening on the outside. Lawrence Siding Pros often gets calls to fix interior drafts where the root cause is actually failing exterior cladding or missing house wrap.
If your siding is warped or your roof deck has leaks, adding insulation will not fix the underlying moisture trap. Water will just get into your new insulation, rot your framing, and turn into a mold nightmare. Lawrence Siding Pros fixes the building envelope first, then fills the cavities.
Going Solely by the Lowest Bid
Everyone loves a bargain, but the cheapest contractor is usually cutting corners on depth, density, or cleanup. Insulation is heavy, messy work. If a crew gives you a price that seems too good to be true, they are probably skipping safety gear, blowing it in too thin, or leaving a giant mess in your yard.
Ask exact questions about what density they are shooting for and what products they use. Lawrence Siding Pros provides reliable Siding and insulation services for homes in Lawrence, KS.