Proper Way To Insulate An Attic

Insulating the attic is a surefire way to warm your home this winter.

Proper way to insulate an attic.

While wearing dust mask and gloves carry r 38 batts of unfaced fiberglass insulation into the attic. R value is a measure of insulation s ability to resist heat traveling through it. How to insulate a finished attic. If it is located in a conditioned part of the house also remember to insulate and air seal your attic access.

Lay the batts across the ceiling joists covering the existing insulation. With a finished attic insulation must help keep the attic areas comfortable. In this video this old house general contractor tom silva and host kevin o connor explain how to insulate an attic. Before insulating seal any air leaks and make roof and other necessary repairs.

Insulation level are specified by r value. You can purchase different kinds of stick on insulation or kits that will have everything you need. It s a diy project you can tackle in a weekend and the savings you ll get add up every year says toh general contractor tom silva. A finished attic should be insulated much like the rest of the house with insulation in the walls and ceiling.

The table below shows what levels of insulation are cost effective for different climates and locations in the home. Many garages have an attic above them. To meet all three goals insulating your finished attic ventilating the roof and maximizing headroom use a combination of dense batt insulation rigid foam sheeting and air chutes. Insulating the garage door is the easiest and cheapest thing to do.

So it s time to pay close attention to what s happening up there. Insulate and air seal any knee walls vertical walls with attic space directly behind them in your home as well. But if you ve got an unfinished attic giving it proper insulation is one of the simplest ways to keep a lid on your heating bill this season. The higher the r value the better the thermal performance of the insulation.

Proper attic insulation is the best way to prevent heat loss in the winter and retain cool air in the summer. But other home maintenance tasks can also defend your house and all of its inhabitants from chilly weather and blustering winds.