In publications distributed to homeowners,NAIMA advises them on selecting contractors and dealing with their application crews. Here's an excerpt from the booklet "How to Save Money by InsulatingYour Home.''
If you prefer to hire an insulation contractor, you can find one by:
Asking your utility company for suggestions.
Consulting friends and neighbors.
Looking in the phone book"Yellow Pages''under "Insulation Contractors-Cold & Heat''or a similar heading. Remember that a contractor has the special skills needed to insulate sidewalls as well as to do an expert job of insulating ceilings and floors.
Contacting the Insulation Contractors Association of America (ICAA) at www.insulate.org for a list of certified contractors in your area.
The next step is to call in two or three contractors to quote your job. You should judge contractors'reliability as well as their prices. Here are some suggestions:
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Check a contractor with the local Better Business Bureau (also listed in the phone book). Or ask your bank to get a report on credit ratings. |
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Ask contractors for references,including other homeowners for whom they have done work. Check them out. |
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Give all the contractors exactly the same description of what you want done. For example, say,"I want to add R-19 to my attic floor,''then stay with that specification and that way of saying it. Don't be satisfied if a contractor says,"Okay,I'll add 6 inches.''Not all brands of insulation have the same R-value per inch. Six inches of one brand might not have the same R-value as 6 inches of another. Stick with R-values. If contractors won't deal with you in R-value language,don't deal with them. |
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If a contractor is going to blow insulation in your attic, how can you tell if you're getting the R-value you've requested? First of all, make sure the written contract states R-value, the minimum thickness and the number of bags of insulation to be used to achieve the R-value. In addition, you can check the bag label yourself. |
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Ask contractors how they pay installers, by the number of square feet they install or by the hour. If they pay them by square footage, they might do a hasty job on your house just so they can get on to the next one. |
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Ask contractors about the insurance they carry. Do they have insurance to protect their own workers if they are injured? Are you covered if a worker damages your house? |
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At the contract signing ask for current copies of insurance and licensing documents. |