Proper Way To Insulate An Attic

Many garages have an attic above them.

Proper way to insulate an attic.

That means insulating the attic floor only not the walls and having vents in the roof. Additionally you can also purchase a new pre insulated door. Before insulating seal any air leaks and make roof and other necessary repairs. You can purchase different kinds of stick on insulation or kits that will have everything you need.

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 table below shows what levels of insulation are cost effective for different climates and locations in the home. So it s time to pay close attention to what s happening up there. R value is a measure of insulation s ability to resist heat traveling through it.

Insulating the attic is a surefire way to warm your home this winter. 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. Proper attic insulation is the best way to prevent heat loss in the winter and retain cool air in the summer. If you re finishing your attic insulating it to the proper r value can cause a dramatic loss of headroom if you limit yourself to fiberglass batts.

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. But other home maintenance tasks can also defend your house and all of its inhabitants from chilly weather and blustering winds. Lay the batts across the ceiling joists covering the existing insulation. Insulate and air seal any knee walls vertical walls with attic space directly behind them in your home as well.

Insulation level are specified by r value. A finished attic should be insulated much like the rest of the house with insulation in the walls and ceiling. While wearing dust mask and gloves carry r 38 batts of unfaced fiberglass insulation into the attic. If it is located in a conditioned part of the house also remember to insulate and air seal your attic access.

In this video this old house general contractor tom silva and host kevin o connor explain how to insulate an attic. The higher the r value the better the thermal performance of the insulation.