As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

You’d think these areas would come with insulation especially when you’re building a brand new home. But surprisingly, they don’t! While most builders make sure your exterior walls and attic are insulated, there are a few important spots that are often skipped unless you specifically ask for them. 

Here are three of the most commonly overlooked areas and why you’ll want to make sure they’re insulated from the start.

1. The Garage

Up north, garage insulation is more common. But the further south you go, the less likely you are to find any at all.

If you plan on using the garage as a workshop, gym, or even just doing laundry in there, it’s going to get uncomfortable fast without insulation. And don’t forget the garage door! Yes, you can insulate that too.


Insulated Garage Door via Family Handyman

2. Interior Walls

Most people are surprised to learn that interior walls don’t come insulated by default. Only the outer walls get that treatment. But while interior insulation won’t do much for your heating and cooling bill, it can work wonders for peace and quiet.

Think about guest bathrooms, kids’ bedrooms, or your home office. Insulating those interior walls can help cut down on sound transfer. Whether it's someone dropping bombs in the guest bathroom or giggling during a late-night tickle fight, interior insulation helps keep those sounds from traveling through the house. 


Interior Wall Insulation via EnergySmart Insulation

3. Attic Access

Your attic may be fully insulated, but what about the opening to get into it? This is one of the most forgotten gaps in the insulation plan. Whether you have a pull-down ladder or a simple hatch in the ceiling, that unsealed access point acts like a hole and lets in heat, cold, and drafts.

There are specific products made to insulate and seal attic access points, but most new builds leave them out unless you ask. If you’re lucky enough to have a walk-in attic with a door, don’t forget you can insulate the backside of that door too. It helps keep things sealed up tight and lets the rest of your attic insulation do its job properly.

Here’s a popular Ladder Pull-down insulation cover: https://geni.us/Atticdoorinsulation


Attic Insulation via Green Rodent Restoration

Plan Ahead For Insulation

These three areas in your home are easy to miss if you don’t know to ask about them. If you’re building a new home make sure you’ve got everything covered for your new home build with The Ultimate Home Building Checklist. Your future self with thank you!

Share this post:

Continue Reading

View all

Mounting a TV Above the Fireplace? Plan These First

Mounting a TV Above the Fireplace? Plan These First

These are the top things to consider when having a TV mounted above the fireplace. Run Conduit Behind the TV This is probably the first thing I'd ask for. Run conduit from behind the TV down into your built-in cabinet...

Read more

Don’t Build a House Where You Hear Every Flush

Don’t Build a House Where You Hear Every Flush

Most builders only insulate exterior walls. That’s why you hear every flushing toilet, TV, and teenager through the interior walls. The fix is to insulate the interior walls too and if the budget’s tight, start where it matters most …...

Read more

Don’t drywall your garage until you plan for these 5 things …

Don’t drywall your garage until you plan for these 5 things …

Before the drywall goes up, I’d make sure you’ve thought through these five things. A couple actually need to be planned even earlier. A Floor Drain This one needs to happen before drywall... way before. If you want a floor...

Read more

★4.9 Based on 1000+ reviews

Trusted by 20,000+ Homeowners, Contractors, and Builders

Shop our checklists and guides to help along your home building journey.

Shop Checklists