Does My Attic Need Insulation

Add the right kind of insulation when adding additional insulation you do not have to use the same type of insulation that currently exists in your attic.

Does my attic need insulation.

After confirming that your attic is air sealed you need to select insulation. 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. The recommended level for most attics is to insulate to r 38 or about 10 to 14 inches depending on insulation type. The first step is to make sure you ve sealed your attic bypasses.

There are many types to choose from including blown in cellulose batt such as fiberglass mineral wool or cotton. Insulation roofing there are various factors that affect how often a home s attic insulation should be replaced. If your insulation doesn t measure up and you need more installation can be done as a weekend diy project or you can call a professional installer to handle the job. You can use rigid foam panels or do as tom silva does with nearly all houses these days.

First things first you need to go up into your attic inspect the condition of the insulation and calculate the current level of insulation. After this amount of time insulation begins to peel away from the walls and degrade. The answer depends on where you live the heating and cooling costs in your area your existing insulation levels local codes and more. Do you need to add insulation.

Then visit www eere energy gov and do a search for zip code insulation program use the insulation calculator to plug in your zip code lifestyle factors building design energy costs and budget to get a detailed recommendation.