Attic Insultaion Tips

The attic is the easiest place to add insulation to improve your comfort and the energy efficiency of your home.

Attic insultaion tips.

Batt and roll insulation works well between joist and stud spaces or if you have a wide open space or a crawlspace. See install batt and roll insulation for details. Cut slits in. Save about 600 year by boosting the amount of attic insulation from r 11 to r 49.

Insulate your attic outer walls and crawl space first as these areas are most susceptible to heat transfer. Now that you ve air sealed your attic and basement check your attic insulation levels and add more if necessary. More insulation installation tricks and tips. Batt and roll insulation and loose fill sometimes known as blown in insulation.

Loose fill blown in insulation is best for tight spaces or if your attic already has a layer of insulation. Adding insulation to your water heater can reduce standby heat losses by 25 to 45 percent. Never step between joists as you may break through the ceiling below. If it is installed incorrectly with the vapor barrier facing up then the insulation will trap moisture causing possible water problems.

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. One for attic prep and the second to actually blow the insulation. Blowing attic insulation isn t hard but it s dusty sweaty work. There are two main types of insulation.

Statistics show that 85 percent of a house s heat loss is straight up through the attic space. Look for insulating pre cut jackets or blankets with an insulating value of at least r 8. In attics vapor barrier on insulation should face down toward the living space. To make insulating an attic easier grab a helper and set aside two days.

Before installing solar attic fans learn more about the benefits they provide including comfort and modest energy savings. The perks of solar powered attic fans. Depending on the type of materials you use figure on paying an insulation contractor about 1 500 to insulate an 800 square foot attic which pays back your investment in three years. You can do it yourself for about 500.

Remodeling your attic can boost your home s resale value and make it more functional for you now. Insulate water heaters to prevent costly energy loss. 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. The attic is one of the primary areas of potential heat loss in your home.

Check the attic to make sure the insulation is installed properly. The pros charge 1 500 to 2 000 to do a 1 200 sq ft. Here is how to insulate an unfinished attic. Houses built before the energy crunch in the early 70s might just have a little bit of fiberglass insulation in the attic or empty cavities between the joists.

Either way the house is probably wasting. Place planks 1 by 6 or 1 by 8 or plywood sheaths across floor joists to improve your mobility in the attic.