How To Add Roll Insulation To Attic

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How to add roll insulation to attic.

Laying rolls of blanket insulation. Whether you live in a warm weather state as i do or in a cooler northern climate it s hard to stay comfortable and keep your energy bills in check if you don t have adequate insulation in the attic. This old house general contractor tom silva and host kevin o connor demonstrate the proper way to insulate an attic. Start in a corner away from the attic hatch and fit the roll insulation between the joists facing against the drywall.

Affix rigid foam insulation to the attic side of the hatch or door. Insulation should be rolled out perpendicular to the joists and unfaced rolls should be used. To add insulation to the attic floor you will require enough blanket material to do the job a heavy duty shop vacuum plastic sheeting for covering the blanket material that will insulate the attic opening a heavy duty staple gun and utility scissors with long blades. The higher the r value the better the thermal performance of the insulation.

The table below shows what levels of insulation are cost effective for different climates and locations in the home. Use a zippered insulated tent to keep the enclosure draft free attic tent at 7 attic cover insulator 120. To install fiberglass batts over existing insulation lay the batts perpendicular to the joists so they do not compress the insulation below. If your house doesn t already have a layer of insulation between the joists you ll need to install one before adding a layer over the joists.

Pull down stair or ladder. Add weatherstripping around the perimeter and a sweep to the door of a walk up attic. Batt or rolled insulation or blown loose fill insulation fiberglass or cellulose can be installed on top of old insulation. Any existing batt or roll insulation in the attic should have the facing against the attic drywall floor or no facing at all.

R value is a measure of insulation s ability to resist heat traveling through it. By adding insulation to your attic you ll not only reduce your monthly utility bills but also enjoy improved energy efficiency and greater comfort throughout the year. Insulation level are specified by r value. Proper attic insulation is the best way to prevent heat loss in the winter and retain cool air in the summer.