How Do You Insulate Your Attic

In this video this old house general contractor tom silva and host kevin o connor explain how to insulate an attic.

How do you insulate your attic.

This is more expensive and usually requires a contractor but it may be worth the cost especially if you live in a very cold climate. 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. In general an attic s r value should be between r 30 and r 49. Attic insulation is installed in the floor of the attic so you ll need to do a few things to make the process straightforward.

Blown in insulation overview. The attic is one of the primary areas of potential heat loss in your home. While wearing dust mask and gloves carry r 38 batts of unfaced fiberglass insulation into the attic. If your insulation is just level with or below your floor.

The attic is the easiest place to add insulation to improve your comfort and the energy efficiency of your home. Lay the batts across the ceiling joists covering the existing insulation. First things first you need to go up into your attic inspect the condition of the insulation and calculate the current level of insulation. But if you can t afford to shell out a few hundred bucks for this service.

In a perfect world you d hire an energy auditor to tell you exactly how much protection you re getting from the few inches of attic insulation you may already have and to pinpoint things like air leaks that you can seal to make sure your insulation will do its job well. The pros charge 1 500 to 2 000 to do a 1 200 sq ft. Never step between joists as you may break through the ceiling below. Start by installing temporary lighting such as clip lights and laying a few sturdy boards along the joists to create a walkway.

Inspecting your attic insulation. Preparing an attic for insulation. Your home s r value score will guide you toward the type of insulation you need. You can do it yourself for about 500.

How much does attic insulation cost. In particularly cold climates you might go up to r 60. Here is how to insulate an unfinished attic. Place planks 1 by 6 or 1 by 8 or plywood sheaths across floor joists to improve your mobility in the attic.

If you need to add insulation in your attic save big by blowing in cellulose insulation yourself.