Straight answers about insulation, written for people who are trying to work out whether they have a problem before they call anyone.
Most of what we cover comes from the questions homeowners actually ask us. How to tell if your attic is under-insulated. What the Ontario standards mean in practice. When the problem is insulation and when it is really air sealing. What upgrades involve and what they cost you in time.
We work across North York and the wider GTA, so much of this is written with the local housing stock in mind. A 1960s bungalow in Willowdale has different problems from a new build, and the advice should reflect that.
Expect $4,000 to $12,000 for the exterior walls of a typical North York semi. The number is set less by the size of your house than by what the outside of it is made of, and brick costs 30 to 50% more than siding.
Read moreFive questions that separate a real quote from a cheap one, the eight things that should be in writing before you sign, and how to check the work once the insulation is in and nobody can see it any more.
Read moreMost people notice the problem in January and book the work in September, losing a whole heating season. What each season actually means, why the material changes the answer, and the deadline that makes this year different.
Read moreInsulating the garage walls will not fix the freezing bedroom above it. Which surface matters depends on what you want the garage to do, and the wall between garage and house has code rules that have nothing to do with warmth.
Read moreFor a straightforward attic, doing it yourself is perfectly reasonable. Four checks from the hatch tell you whether yours qualifies, plus the four mistakes we find most often and what it costs to put a DIY job right.
Read moreIf your basement was finished before 2009 the insulation behind the drywall probably does not meet code, and depending on how it was built it may be growing mould. What changed, and how to tell what you have.
Read moreThere are only two reasons, and a ten minute test with your hand at the vent tells you which one you have. What to check before you call anyone, and the cases where filling your walls is the wrong move.
Read moreBetween $1,500 and $6,500, and the spread is almost entirely attic floor size, not house size. What moves the number, how the Ontario rebate actually works, and the question most people forget to ask.
Read moreNot while it is live. Ontario code prohibits it, and insurance is often the bigger problem. How to recognise knob and tube from the attic hatch, and what your options are.
Read moreMost of North York went up between 1955 and 1970, which makes the answers unusually specific. What R-value your house probably has, and why attic work pays off more in a bungalow.
Read moreUsually yes. Removal is only genuinely necessary in four situations, and it roughly triples the job. Here is how to tell which applies to your attic.
Read moreThat ridge of ice along your roof edge is not a roofing fault. It means heat is escaping into your attic. Here is what causes it and what actually fixes it.
Read moreThe in-home assessment is free and takes about an hour. Call or text (416) 990-4555, or book online.
