Insulation is one of those features you don’t think about until it starts costing you money. You’re using a lot of energy to keep your house warm in the winter and cool in the summer, so it’s worth making sure that energy isn’t floating right out of your walls.

Good insulation acts like a blanket for your home, keeping temperatures stable without forcing your HVAC system to work overtime. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, proper insulation can trim heating and cooling costs by as much as 15 percent. But here’s the problem: Nearly 90 percent of American homes don’t have enough insulation.

Over time, insulation can lose effectiveness. Leaks, water damage, pests and even simple aging all wear it down. If you’ve noticed drafty spots, rooms that never seem to reach the right tempera

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