Over Insulation Attic

In a cooling climate a good blanket of attic insulation helps keep the house cooler and reduces the load on air conditioning equipment.

Over insulation attic.

A quick rule of thumb is that you should have a vapor barrier on the warm side of the insulation. These insulation levels will keep heated air from migrating out in winter. You can do it yourself for about 500. Another benefit of the ventilation is that it will keep your attic cooler in the summer as well as your house.

To make insulating an attic easier grab a helper and set aside two days. Rolls batts or blown in insulation. One for attic prep and the second to actually blow the insulation. Any new batt or roll insulation installed over existing insulation in the attic needs to be without a vapor retarder face.

Warnings for installing. R value is a measure of insulation s ability to resist heat traveling through it. What is the right insulation for an attic. Creating a moisture barrier.

Unfinished or uninsulated attics need a layer of protection against air migration. Any existing batt or roll insulation in the attic should have the facing against the attic drywall floor or no facing at all. Over the insulation install start at the farthest corner. The higher the r value the better the thermal performance of the insulation.

Try a spray foam insulation kit to fill cavities gaps cracks expansion joints and other sources of air leaks. As a result of evaporation people breathing and plant respiration air carries some. An un insulated attic should have some airflow to prevent humidity from building up in the winter which could condense and form ice. More insulation installation tricks and tips work from the perimeter of the attic toward the door or hatch so that you don t trample all over the insulation you just.

When adding additional insulation you do not have to use the same type of insulation that currently exists in your attic. It needs to be unfaced. Always cover the tops of the ceiling joists to make sure the insulation is deep enough to reach your target r value and. It helps resist moisture that can lead to mold or mildew and provides increased sound and thermal insulation.

Alignment obstacles in the attic. It s often used over existing insulation in the attic where moisture control isn t needed. Blowing attic insulation isn t hard but it s dusty sweaty work. Faced insulation should not be placed on top of existing insulation in the attic.

Supports braces and other obstacles. If you use fiberglass over loose fill make sure the fiberglass batt has no paper or foil backing. Insulation level are specified by r value. Start in a far corner and start rolling out the foil over the insulation.

The table below shows what levels of insulation are cost effective for different climates and locations in the home. The pros charge 1 500 to 2 000 to do a 1 200 sq ft. You can add loose fill on top of fiberglass batts or blankets and vice versa.