What if you could cut your energy bill, drastically reduce traffic noise in your home, and extend the life of your air conditioner and furnace? Would you do it? According to Jim Schooley, owner of Grand Valley Home Insulation, it’s more than possible and it’s easy.

Since 2002, Schooley has worked in thousands of homes in the greater Grand Junction area, helping homeowners make their houses more efficient. 

Focus on quality

He explained that most heat loss occurs through the attic. 

“I’ve run into customers who spent thousands on replacement windows and wrapping their homes with insulation, and after I’ve added attic insulation, they said to me, ‘What you did helped more than all the other stuff we did.’”

Schooley works to get the best prices and uses Corning fiberglass insulation a lot. He noted the differences in insulation. 

“Contractors use batt or rolled insulation between the two by fours, and you can see the wood above the insulation,” he said. 

That results in only about three inches of insulation in an attic. Many installers use blow-in insulation made from ground-up newspapers or other organic material. However, Schooley said it biodegrades over time. 

New doesn’t always mean efficient

Older homes aren’t the only ones that may need attic insulation. New construction is done to code standards, which may not be as efficient. Schooley recalled a homeowner who bought a new house and was plagued by ice dams on the roof. He consulted Schooley, who explained that chipping away at the ice dams, a result of under-insulated attic spaces, can lead to shingle damage. Plus, the melting water can run off, creating icy spots on driveways and steps, which can be hazardous. 

Some people think they need to have more insulation in their walls and want Schooley’s crew to blow in more. 

“Homes built after around 1956 already have insulation in the walls and there’s no room for more,” said Schooley. 

If a home is older, then insulation can be blown between the studs, resulting in more savings and comfort for the homeowner. 

A trusted reputation

Schooley will evaluate anyone’s insulation needs but won’t do work that doesn’t need to be done. 

“One man came to me, convinced he needed more roof ventilation. He didn’t need it, so I refused to do the work. My reputation is the most valuable thing I own and I won’t take advantage of people,” he said. 

Insulating a 1,000-square-foot home’s attic costs about $900 with blown-in insulation which is less than using batt insulation that can run $1,200 to $1,500 for the same area, according to Schooley. Larger homes, of course, cost more. Another benefit to blown-in fiberglass insulation is that it fills in any gaps around vent pipes or other items that stick through the roof. Schooley also installs roof vents, gable vents and turbines. 

Schooley has worked with homeowners for over 40 years and loves what he does. He started his own business in 2002 and joked about the strenuous insulating demands.  

“I get to go to ‘the gym’ every day and people pay me to do it!” he said with a laugh. 

For a free home assessment, call 640-3908. For more info, visit www.grandvalleyinsulation.com.