A client of mine sent me an article he’d written. He wanted it proofed and distributed. After reading it over, it dawned on me that he really had a handle on how to write good articles. So many times, people write 500-word advertisements. Who wants to read that? They don’t understand how article promotion works.
You write about something of interest to your audience. Then you offer a solution which is, in fact, your product or service… but you don’t say it is your product or service. Why? Because that’s self-promotional and self-promotional articles don’t normally get a wide readership. Sure, you can submit your self-promotional article to the article database sites. But they’ll likely just sit there with no other website owners or ezine publishers reprinting them.
I’ve asked permission to reproduce my client’s article here so you can see it. Notice how he raises an unusual question: Removing attic insulation (rather than adding more). As he works through the 3 reasons, he identifies problems, points out challenges and offers solutions. In the end he mentions that there are professionals that can help. (He happens to be one of those pros.) He never says, “My company does this so I know for a fact that this is the right way to remove insulation.” Everything is subtle right up until you reach the bio (resource box, about the author section or whatever you prefer to call it). That’s where the advertisement is allowed. This is certainly not the only way to write an effective article, but it is one to consider.
Take a look!
Insulation Removal – Why Remove and Replace Old Insulation?
By Matthew Grady © 2008, All Rights Reserved
With the costs associated with heating oil these days it might come as a surprise that anyone would want insulation REMOVED from his/her home. In fact, there are 3 excellent, but rarely considered, reasons for insulation removal and replacement.
1. Over-Insulation
Having too much insulation in an attic is sometimes worse than not having enough. Adding heavy layers of insulation in an attic can drastically restrict the airflow and ventilation of your home. This can result in moisture issues on the top floor of your house and, in severe cases, even lead to mold problems. Left unchecked, either or both of these can cause health problems for your family especially if a family member suffers from allergies.
2. Damaged/Contaminated Insulation
Critters that find their way in your attic, a leaky roof and other dangers can severely damage and even contaminate your insulation. An attic full of squirrel/bat droppings and urine-soaked insulation are yet other potential causes of serious health hazards for you and your family.
In fact, the Owens Corning blog reports, “…when the water [or other liquid] evaporates, deposits of foreign materials that remain may decrease the R-value, and may also give mold and or mildew nourishment and a place to propagate. This growth, and/or odor (Yuck!), may then also be transferred to other building materials.”
In addition, insulation that has been torn to shreds by animals over the years loses its functionality. Since tattered insulation cannot retain heat properly, it is unable to provide the benefits it once did and requires replacement.
3. Upgrade Your Insulation
The insulation of today is far superior to the insulation that was sold 15 to 20 years ago. New materials with improved thermal properties are now available to homeowners. In many cases you will realize a dramatic reduction in heating costs simply from upgrading the type of insulation in your attic. This especially holds true for older homes.
Insulation Removal Process
Removing old insulation from an attic can be a time-consuming and challenging project. If there are animal droppings mixed with the insulation you can expose yourself to several different diseases by disturbing the insulation and then inhaling the particles that become airborne. Proper safety equipment is a must for anyone working with old, contaminated insulation.
Dragging dirty insulation from your attic through the living space of your home is NOT a safe method of insulation removal. Using this method will result in a house full of airborne fiberglass particles and all the other contaminants that were in your attic. There are now professional companies that specialize in removing insulation in a safe and effective manner.
Conclusion
Do-it-yourselfers can save money by installing new insulation themselves after they’ve hired pros to safely remove the old insulation (so as not to contaminate themselves and the entire house). Once the insulation removal and replacement processes are complete, you can look forward to lower heating/cooling costs, greater air quality, reduction in carbon dioxide emissions (thanks to the use of less energy) and more. The immediate benefits for your family and the long-term benefits for our environment make insulation removal and replacement a smart move for everybody.
Matthew Grady is a licensed general contractor and owner of Bat Guys Wildlife Service. Bat Guys is fully licensed to perform insulation removal services and also rid your home of mice, bats, raccoons and more. To learn more about insulation removal visit http://www.batguys.com/services/insulation-removal/.
This technique often works well for readers like me. I start off thinking this is a good DIY project, and become exhausted from reading all the steps. Ultimately I’d end up hiring someone like Mr. Grady (especially after the mention of mice, bats, raccoons, etc.)