Looking for a sure-fire formula to keep your crews busy and the phone ringing in January and February? Just put these two facts together:
- Roughly 90 percent of existing U.S. homes are under-insulated (if you can see the attic joists, it’s under-insulated).
- The only home improvement project with first-year payback for the homeowner is attic insulation (a 116.9 percent return on investment). According to respected industry source 2016 Remodeling Cost vs. Value Report.
Together, they’re a prescription for sales gold: Virtually every home in your market is a candidate with a nearly immediate payback for the homeowner. Who could say no to a project that pays for itself in weeks, not months or years?
All-Season Work
What’s more, the bar for entry is low. Crew training is minimal. Even 24-hour machine rental for blown-in insulation is free with a qualifying purchase.
And that’s just for starters, says Arianna Jackson, buildings materials merchant at The Home Depot.
“Adding attic insulation knows no season,” Jackson observes. “Attic insulation lowers household energy costs in cold and hot weather, so it’s always a big win-win for homeowners in any market. But especially now, with winter in the northern states, attic insulation projects shine because they can help keep crews busy.”
“One and Done”
Jackson says a typical attic insulation project using loose-cell, blown-in insulation requires about 10 to 12 bags of product. It takes about six minutes for a blown-in machine to scatter a single bag of product. Project time: about one hour.
“The advantage of blown-in insulation is speed. It’s so much easier for the installer to cover fill-in areas like tight corners with a hose,” Jackson explains.
Why Not More?
How much insulation is enough? According to Jackson, “You can never have too much attic insulation. Depending on your climate zone, the R-value rating can run from R-30 to R-49. But exceeding that rating should never be a concern, especially since product weight has no structural impact.” To determine your climate zone and R-value requirement, check here.
Don’t worry about the insulation already in place, either. Just overlay it with blown-in, batts, or roll-in insulation, Jackson advises.
Other Income
To earn even more project income, Jackson suggests:
- Air Sealing. Homeowners like the idea of a tight, energy-smart house. Yet the average home has a half-mile of open-air gaps and cracks begging to be sealed. That’s equivalent to leaving a window open 24x7 says Jackson. “Our line of GREAT STUFF™ foam insulation products along with an applicator gun makes it easy to seal-up cracks and expand your ranges of services.”
- Stone Wool. Selling attic insulation offers limited up-sell opportunities. A notable exception: stone wool batts. “Inch for inch, the R-value of stone wool batts from Roxul® is about the same as fiber glass. But stone wool offers so many other homeowner-friendly benefits. Roxul batts not only insulate, they also resist moisture, mold, and fire, and act as a great sound-proofing material.”
Don’t let winter cold slow your business. Keep attic insulation at the top of your service roster for year-round calls, projects, and dollars. For more tips and ideas, look here.
