Additional Insulation In Attic

The recommended level for most attics is to insulate to r 38 or about 10 to 14 inches depending on insulation type.

Additional insulation in attic.

In a cooling climate a good blanket of attic insulation helps keep the house cooler and reduces the load on air conditioning equipment. Loose fill or batt the common term for blanket insulation. Department of energy fibgerglass batts have an r value of 3 2 per inch while loose fill fiberglass. Expect to pay an attic insulation installer about 70 per hour.

Fortunately adding insulation to an attic is a task well within the ability of. For diy attic insulation you ve got two choices. Expect to pay an additional 85 per hour for this service. Material cost includes dump fee.

Once you ve decided which type is best for you examine the material options and prices to home in on the right product. First things first you need to go up into your attic inspect the condition of the insulation and calculate the current level of insulation. Additional precautions steps and costs for asbestos insulation are not included. For up to 1 foot thick layer of fiberglass wool and cellulose insulation only.

Check the attic walls and floors adjacent to an unheated space like a garage or basement. The vapor retarder on top of or between layers of insulation can trap moisture. Most attics are insulated with blown in loose cellulose r 3 5 per inch blown in loose fiberglass r 2 5 per inch or fiberglass batts r 3 2 per inch. Any existing batt or roll insulation in the attic should have the facing against the attic drywall floor or no facing at all.

When adding additional insulation you do not have to use the same type of insulation that currently exists in your. Inspecting your attic insulation. Add the right kind of insulation. The higher the r value the better the thermal performance of the insulation.

Both can be added to uninsulated attics or layered over existing material. Insulation that is wet compressed or scattered loses its heat resisting ability and should be replaced or enhanced. The structural elements are usually exposed in these areas which makes it easy to see what type of insulation you have and to measure its depth or thickness inches. Multiply the number of inches of insulation by the r value per inch.

Your attic should have a certain amount of insulation in it and the recommended level of insulation for your attic is dependent on where you live. Any new batt or roll insulation installed over existing insulation in the attic needs to be without a vapor retarder face. According to the u s. In some cases you may also need the expertise of an electrician to safely insulate around junction boxes or cables.