Putting More Insulation In Attic

Your home s r value score will guide you toward the type of insulation you need.

Putting more insulation in attic.

Do you need more insulation in your home. Loose fill or batt insulation is typically installed in an attic. So can you put new insulation on top of old insulation. Achieving greater r values in attics the higher the r value the better the thermal performance of the insulation.

When you do the measuring make sure you have plenty of light to work by and work on a cool day. But saving 1 000 or more with. To find out if you have enough attic insulation measure the thickness of the insulation. The chart included below shows you the approximate thickness of each type of insulation you should ideally have in the attic.

See more on different types of insulation. Check the attic walls and floors adjacent to an unheated space like a garage or basement. Now that you ve air sealed your attic and basement check your attic insulation levels and add more if necessary. The attic is the easiest place to add insulation to improve your comfort and the energy efficiency of your home.

To determine if you need more insulation measure what s in place with a ruler or tape. In general an attic s r value should be. The structural elements are usually exposed in these areas which makes it easy to see what type of insulation you have and to measure its depth or thickness inches. Work from the perimeter of the attic toward the door or hatch so that you don t trample all over the insulation you just put in.

Spray insulation to the corners and perimeter of the attic first working your way into the center. By the end of the weekend you re going to be sore and tired. Loose fill insulation is usually less expensive to install than batt insulation and provides better coverage when installed properly. The higher the r value the more effective an insulating material is.

To make insulating an attic easier grab a helper and set aside two days. Blowing attic insulation isn t hard but it s dusty sweaty work. Always cover the tops of the ceiling joists to make sure the insulation is deep enough to reach your target r value and to prevent thermal bridging the heat loss that occurs through the wood framing. Direct the blower away from the baffles and attic stairs to minimize cleanup.

Find your zone on the map and then use the chart to determine the level of insulation you need to properly insulate your attic walls floors and crawlspaces.