Attic Insulation Tips Diy

Now that you ve air sealed your attic and basement check your attic insulation levels and add more if necessary.

Attic insulation tips diy.

Cost effective way to save energy with this old house general contractor tom silva. The attic is the easiest place to add insulation to improve your comfort and the energy efficiency of your home. Both can be added to uninsulated attics or layered over existing material. Statistics show that 85 percent of a house s heat loss is straight up through the attic space.

If you have the money to pay for spray foam in your attic then you may want to stop reading now and go get that done. However most older attics are under insulated so it s a good idea to raise the r value where possible. For diy attic insulation you ve got two choices. Check the attic to make sure the insulation is installed properly.

Cellulose blown in ceiling insulation is a good choice for diyers. In attics vapor barrier on insulation should face down toward the living space. Cut slits in the vapor barrier to allow moisture to escape. 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.

Once you ve decided which type is best for you examine the material options and prices to home in on the right product. It doesn t require any special skills but will require you to crouch under low sloping attic rafters in order to distribute the. Either way the house is probably wasting energy and the homeowners money. Loose fill or batt the common term for blanket insulation.

A finished attic should be insulated much like the rest of the house with insulation in the walls and ceiling. Blown in cellulose has a higher r rating and is less expensive than either blown insulation like fiberglass attic insulation or fiberglass batts. If it is installed incorrectly with the vapor barrier facing up then the insulation will trap moisture causing possible water problems. However blowing insulation into an attic can be a diy task.

Insulation goes between roof and interior space if your attic is already finished it probably is at least partially insulated.