This Old House Adding Attic Insulation

Thickness must not be used as the sole factor in determining the r value of loose fill insulation particularly for attic insulation.

This old house adding attic insulation.

Attic hatch or door. If it s jammed too tightly into a cavity it can t trap as much air and won t be as effective. Doubled vapor barriers in attic. Typically houses in warm weather states should have an r 38 insulation in the attic whereas houses in cold climates should have r 49.

These insulation levels will keep heated air from migrating out in winter. Add weatherstripping around the perimeter and a sweep to the door of a walk up attic. If you live in a newer house you can probably get this information from the builder. This old house general contractor tom silva shows affordable ways to create an energy efficient attic how to know what insulation is behind your walls if you live in an older home understanding what pads your walls is essential to keeping your family safe.

Laying a second layer of fiberglass batts in the attic is an easy way to boost r values. Use a zippered insulated tent to keep the enclosure draft free attic tent at 7 attic cover insulator 120. Before you begin the installation of insulation. Believe it or not there are situations in a home when you should remove the old attic insulation before adding more over the existing and in this short video.

We all know that hot air rises as cool air sinks to a low level. Fill the gaps your insulated attic isn t necessarily a sealed attic. Let s apply this knowledge to your. This old house general contractor tom silva explains the wide world of spray foam insulation how to install insulation learn how to beef up your wall s weather protection in 4 easy steps.

Why the attic is key 1. Pull down stair or ladder. If you live in an older house you ll have to inspect the insulation. In a cooling climate a good blanket of attic insulation helps keep the house cooler and reduces the load on air conditioning equipment.