Losing the big pine in our yard last year made a bigger difference than I expected—upstairs felt like an oven. I went with blown-in cellulose insulation and sealed up the attic hatch. Not cheap, but the AC actually keeps up now. Fast-growing trees sound good in theory, but I’ve seen neighbors deal with roots in their sewer lines... not worth the headache for me.
Fast-growing trees sound good in theory, but I’ve seen neighbors deal with roots in their sewer lines... not worth the headache for me.
Yeah, I hear you on the tree roots. Folks always think a quick shade fix is just a sapling away, but I’ve seen more than one sewer backup from those “fast” growers. Honestly, you probably saved yourself a mess.
Blown-in cellulose is a solid move. I’ve been on roofs where folks skipped attic sealing and you could feel the heat pouring out around the hatch—like a chimney in July. It’s not cheap, but neither is running the AC 24/7. Sometimes the less flashy upgrades make the biggest difference.
Sometimes the less flashy upgrades make the biggest difference.
I get what you’re saying, but I’m still on the fence about blowing in cellulose. I had a buddy do it and he swears by it, but another friend had issues with settling after a couple years—ended up with cold spots in winter. Maybe it depends on the house? I’m tempted to just go with more batts since I can move them around if I need to. Anyone else run into that?
Cellulose can be a mixed bag, honestly. I’ve seen it work wonders in some attics, but yeah, settling is a real thing—especially if it’s not blown in evenly or if there’s a lot of vibration from storms or foot traffic up there. Batts are easier to adjust, but they can leave gaps if you’re not careful. Personally, I’d lean cellulose for weird-shaped spaces, but if you’re hands-on and want flexibility, batts aren’t a bad call. Just make sure you seal up any air leaks first... insulation only does so much if the wind’s whistling through.
Just make sure you seal up any air leaks first... insulation only does so much if the wind’s whistling through.
Yeah, sealing made a huge difference for me. I went around with a can of spray foam and some weatherstripping before adding batts. Didn’t realize how much air was sneaking in until I actually checked. Cellulose seemed messy for my space, but I get why people use it.
