Insulating Unfinished Walls

Using blankets the width of your wall studs, insert the blanket between the studs and staple to the studs. (The job is easier if you start from the top and work down, just as you do when you wall- paper your home. What? You don’ t wallpaper your home? Well, after you master insulating from the top down, you can begin.) Be certain the insulation fits snugly against the top piece of framing.

You can also insulate unfinished walls using blankets without vapor barriers; a vapor barrier of two-mil-or-more plastic sheeting or foil-backed gypsum board can then be stapled to the studs. (Remember to keep the plastic taut as you staple it in place.)

Caution The vapor barrier must face the heated side of the house’s interior space and that’s an easy job with unfinished walls. But what about a vapor barrier on finished walls? In that instance, you’re going to have to rely on an interior layer of vinyl wall covering or a couple of coats of oil-based paint on the living side of the wall.

Hint A lot of heat can escape through light-switch plates and wall sockets on exterior (outdoor-facing) walls. To combat this heat loss, buy pre- cut foam insulation kits at your hardware or building-supply store. These small insulation rectangles are easy to install and pay for them- selves very quickly. It will cost you less than a dollar per outlet or switch plate, and can save you 1.5 percent of your home heating cost. Be sure to buy only those kits listed by Underwriters Laboratories (UL).