Insulation Institute Blog

Training on the Cheap (Even Free)

It’s no secret that well-trained insulation installers are more likely to deliver high-quality work leading to builder and homeowner satisfaction. And though the job of insulation installer seems pretty straightforward, if you ask anyone who has been in the business of evaluating insulation installation jobs, they’ll tell you that top-quality jobs are not always commonplace. That is why training is so important for insulation contractors – even those who have had experience as installers.

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Training on the Cheap (Even Free)

Get Free Online Grade I Training

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, improperly installed insulation and air leakage can waste 20 percent or more of the energy used to heat and cool a home. For builders, this can wreak havoc on productivity, resulting in callbacks, jeopardizing code compliance, reducing HERS scores, and delivering homes that are less energy efficient and comfortable for homeowners.

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Get Free Online Grade I Training

Blown-in Insulation’s Measures and Checks

Blown-in insulation installers know that measuring it in an attic is key to delivering the required thermal performance and receiving a Grade I install. That is typically accomplished by installing attic rulers throughout the space, so there is one for every 300 sq. feet of attic space. Accurate measures are needed to meet code requirements, according to Chris Conway, President of Conway Energy, a building science consulting firm that specializes in single and multi-family construction. No matter how experienced the installer is, you’re going to want to measure every time and check in multiple locations. But there are times when that measurement can be off.

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Blown-in Insulation’s Measures and Checks

Our Top 10 Blog Posts of 2019

Like last year, some of our best-performing blog posts focused on air sealing and proper installation and application of fiberglass and mineral wool insulation, which is no surprise, since we’re the Insulation Institute. However, other topics like energy efficiency design trends and the prioritization of energy efficiency over energy generation ranked highly as well.

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Our Top 10 Blog Posts of 2019

Meet America’s Best Installer

Gerardo Macias, an insulation installer with Northern Insulation in Wauconda, IL, is the winner of the 2019 “America’s Best Installer” competition, held Nov. 7-9 in Denver, CO, and won the event’s top prize of $10,000. The annual competition, hosted by Insulate America and Johns Manville, saw Macias compete against contenders for the title in the competition, now in its sixteenth year. Insulation Institute staff witnessed the final competition and talked with several of the attendees, judges, and contractors about what it takes to walk away with the title and more importantly, deliver top quality insulation installation in the field, where proper installation is essential to achieving peak home energy efficiency and comfort.

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Meet America’s Best Installer

3 Things to Stop Doing with Batts

Strong new home starts and an uptick in hiring in the construction industry means that new insulation contractors are added to company payrolls every day. With the rise of high-efficiency construction driven by certification programs such as HERS, ENERGY STAR, and LEED, quality installation is more important than ever. To combat common insulation installation issues, we look at three typical missteps made by insulation contractors when installing batts and review ways to avoid them.

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3 Things to Stop Doing with Batts

Award-Winning Builds…Even at the Low End

For the second time in three years, North Carolina Builder Shawn Jessup has won a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Housing Innovation Award. While Jessup’s scale may be small, at two to three builds per year, he is in high demand. S.D. Jessup Construction fields constant requests from potential customers in Raleigh, NC and other areas more than two hours away from their Pilot Mountain, NC base. Insulation Institute reached out to Jessup to get the scoop on his formula for constructing award-winning homes.

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Award-Winning Builds…Even at the Low End

3 Basics for Visibly Great Insulation Jobs

We’ve seen hundreds, if not thousands of photos of fiberglass insulation jobs here at NAIMA, some good, some not so good…and some superb. When we came across Yudah Schwartz’s post on LinkedIn, it immediately caught our attention because we recognized an exceptional batt insulation job. The precision shown in installing the batts properly was clearly visible in the photos. So, we wanted to know more. He recently shared his views on the three essentials to getting visibly great insulation jobs.

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3 Basics for Visibly Great Insulation Jobs

The Best Time to Air Seal

According to Home Innovation Research Labs’ recent Builder Omnibus Survey, air sealing ranks number four among a list of 18 top challenges for builders in meeting current energy efficiency requirements for new homes. Roughly 10 percent of builders reported difficulties meeting new airtightness levels. With contractors playing a significant role in helping builders reach these targets, is it time for home builders to reconsider the best time to air seal a new home? Michael Schettine of Accuframe believes builders must re-think their approach to air sealing to ensure success.

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The Best Time to Air Seal