Truth-in-insulating
"Every time government has investigated attic insulation, blatant and widespread violation of federal and state consumer protection laws has been alleged and proven." The quote is from a report written by the Insulation Contractors Association of America (ICAA). According to the report, appropriately called "A Plan to Stop Fluffing And Cheating of Loose-Fill Insulation in Attics," reputable insulators have gotten a bad name from unscrupulous companies who charge consumers for more R-value than they install. Unscrupulous insulators often cheat home owners in two ways. First, they fluff up attic insulation so that there seems to be more material than there really is. Second, they blow in less insulation than the manufacturer requires.
The report includes guidelines that the ICAA hopes will help inspectors and general contractors stop the fraud. The association developed the new guidelines in cooperation with Georgia Power Company.
Under the plan, the builder has four options:
- Hire an inspector to take core samples of the attic insulation. The standard requires one sample for every 500 sq. ft. of attic area.
- Use an insulation contractor that has been certified by the manufacturer. The work of these contractors needs to be core-sampled only 10 percent of the time.
- Install blown insulation that carries a guaranteed R-value per inch of thickness. The inspector can simply measure the thickness.
- Install batt insulation with the R-value clearly marked and visible to the inspector.
The plan is already in use by Georgia Power's Good Cents program, and has the endorsement of major insulation manufacturers and the Federal Trade Commission. The ICAA has launched an educational campaign to encourage utilities and building departments nationwide to adopt the plan.
For more information, contact the Insulation Contractors Association of America.
