Insulating my attic -- any good ideas from experienced people?
Question:My wife and I are in our first house, so everything is new territory for me. Is there anyone out there who has done this and wishes to comment? I'm looking for the best way to tackle this. the house is not that big, so the job is relatively easy (~1100 sq ft, 1 story). We're looking to save on energy and the inspector told us that it was worn down about 50% when we bought it -- that was almost 2 yrs ago. I've poked around on bobvilla.com and I know that there's the foam-type insulation and the kind you roll out. Which kind is better, cheaper, easier to install? Do I need to remove the old, or can it go right over? anything else I should know?
Answers:
I have insulated my attic successfully and offer the following:
1) Of course you insulate the floor of the attic NOT the interior roof surface. Use roll insulation - it is easy to handle, relatively cheap and only needs to be laid on top of whatever is now in place. It should not be physically attached to anything - it just lies there. You can even use roll insulation atop a floor that has been installed in an attic. Of course this negates future use of the attic floor.
2) Be sure your attic is adequately vented to the outside to control moisture
3) Your home may have eave vents and/or soffitt vents. Be sure both are completely un obstructed.
4) The ceilings below the attic should be at the same temperature as the room in summer or winter. If they are not add more insulation
5) If you use a second course of roll insulation install it at right angles to the first course. Again be sure it does not block the soffitt vents.
6) I do not recommend blown in insulation. It does not insulate as well as roll insulation and extreme care must be exercised when it is blown in to prevent blocking the soffitt vents.
7) Use caution in storing items atop the roll insulation since its effectiveness is reduced if it is compressed.
blown-in insulation works really well, the thicker you make it the better the R value, r value can be like r-9, 0r r-13, the higher the number the better insulation your getting, with the blown-in insulation you probably should be careful not to cover up certain areas, such as around the edge of the attic where the roof meets the side of the house, usually there are vents in these corners, you'll know if you do or not b/c u can see light coming through,...these vents help your attic release heat,...other suggestion is that you don't want to cover the trusses in areas you intend to walk to in the future,...covering them will make it difficult to walk in if you have to go up there to fix something, if your not interested in the blown in insulation, i would get the rolls , easier to work with.not sure what's cheaper, you'll just have to check with your local suppliers, goodluck
I don't know what it is called, but there is a type of insulation that you can get that is also used in refridgerators. It comes in thick foam sheets, and has to be cut into place. It works really well, and does not need to replaced nearly as often as the fiberglass stuff. Typically, you would want to remove what is currently is place. Since it is your attic, you may be okay with leaving it though. . . .
i put in the blow in type. you can get it at lowes or home depot. it takes 2 people. one to feed the machine and one to be in the attic blowing it. it is fairly easy. be sure to wear a dust mask or bandana over your mouth and nose. and make sure you leave the vents in the sofit open for good air flow.
You are so dense you can only answer. There is no God. There was no Noah. There was no Ark. There was no Heaven. The same thing to every damn question. Do you realize how damn boring you sound?
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