TAP Insulation vs Fiberglass Insulation

LESLIE: Al in Florida is on the line with an attic-insulation question. How can we help you today?

AL: Well, it’s a real pleasure talking with you guys, you experts who provide so much needed advice to your listeners.

LESLIE: Thanks.

AL: And I have a question for you on insulation for the attic. I want to add a little more insulation in because through the years, everybody tripping through the attic has kind of stepped on it and squashed it down a little bit.

TOM: OK.

AL: And I have heard of a thing called TAP Insulation.

TOM: OK.

AL: TAP – T-A-P.

TOM: Right.

AL: Stands for Thermal Acoustical Pest Control.

TOM: Right. It’s a treated insulation is what it is.

AL: Yes. Supposed to be for bug control and also for fire.

TOM: Right.

AL: Well, my question is: is that actually better to have it blown onto my insulation that I have now – my fiberglass – or should I just have fiberglass reblown on?

TOM: Well, I mean I don’t know that just adding another layer of this other type of insulation is going to give you the full effectiveness that it promises you. I think the concept for this type of insulation is that when you use it for all of your insulation, then you have sort of this layer of …

LESLIE: Then you get all of the benefits.

TOM: Yeah, you get all the benefits. In your case, since you’re just really just adding on, you’re supplementing what you have, I would just add additional fiberglass in that situation. I think that’s a very simple solution, probably the least expensive solution. And I think that’s going to do it.

LESLIE: Is there a reason why you were looking at this TAP Insulation? Is there a pest issue?

AL: Well, no, there’s not really a pest issue but I have a pest-control company that comes and takes care of me every year for termites and stuff.

TOM: Yeah.

AL: And they are the ones around here that actually add this. And the guy, when he went up in the attic recently, he said, “Ah, we need to blow about 5.8 inches of insulation back into your attic to bring you up to an R-38. And if we use this, it will do this for you.” And I said, “OK, cool.” He’s talking about 1,875 square feet for $1,640.

TOM: I’m sure it’s a good product but the thing is, all of these pest-control operators are looking for things that they can sort of bolt onto their services.

AL: For sure.

TOM: They’re new lines of businesses, OK?

AL: OK.

TOM: They’ve all got to make a living. But in your case, I don’t see any reason to necessarily use a different type of insulation than what you have right now.

AL: One other thing, though. You get up to a $500 tax credit if you use this stuff.

TOM: Well, you’ll get a tax credit if you use any type of insulation.

AL: Oh, OK. I did not know that.

TOM: That’s a federally-mandated tax credit.

AL: So the thing about the fire retardant and the pest control really doesn’t matter.

TOM: If your house is going to catch on fire, the one, thin, 5-inch layer of insulation I don’t think is going to make a big difference.

LESLIE: Is not going to help.

AL: Yeah. I agree with you.

TOM: Yeah. Alright?

AL: But I just wanted to get you guys’ opinion, because you are the experts and really help us out here.

TOM: Yeah, well, we’re happy to do that and appreciate you listening. And I hope that does help you out.