How to Insulate Your Attic to Make Your Home More Efficient

If you have an attic that is unfinished, like most of us, you really need to check the insulation up there. If there is none you don't even have to continue up but if there is some you need to get up there and see exactly what you are dealing with. Newer homes should be inspected but are not that big of a deal however older homes from say the 60's and 70's even 80's need to be checked for insulation in the attic. The majority of the heat and cold loss in your home is most likely coming from your attic.

The fist thing you need to do is figure out how much insulation you already have if any by measuring the amount the thickness of the insulation. You should take measurements from several different spots and then take the average thickness. You need to find out what the recommended R-value is for the area you live in. Across the United States the R-values range from 22-49. Depending on what type of insulation you are using you can figure out the R-value, all insulations will have an R-value designated on the packaging. You can put new insulation on top of old and it is not necessary to use the same brand or even type. An easy to figure out the R-value of what you already have is to measure it and then multiply by three; this will give you the info you need. For example if you have 9 inches of insulation in your attic, multiply that by three which would give you an R-value of 27. This is just an average and it can differ depending on what type of insulation you have.

When you are working in an unfinished attic it is important to only step on the joist and really you should take some sort of platform with you that can sit on the joists. This will make it a much safer and much more comfortable work environment. There are basically two different categories of insulation for an attic and they are batts or blankets and loose fit. Batts and blankets are pre cut (width) pieces that should lie down between the joists. Loose fit insulation is blown in and basically some sort of loose foam or fiberglass.

Installing batts and blankets is more labor intensive but you don't have to use any other equipment other than your hands and a knife. It will play heck on your body, especially your knees, but is pretty easy to do. If the attic floor has no insulation, you need to use something with a vapor retardant face and place the facing down. If you already have insulation it is not necessary to purchase this type of insulation. Start at the farthest point from the attic entrance and at the perimeter and work your way back to the entrance. Place the insulation between the joists and cut them to length as you go, you can put left over pieces in the next slot just make sure they are snug to one another.

Installing loose fit insulation you need to rent an insulation blower from any rental center. A tip that will save you time and frustration is to make sure you have enough hose to reach all areas of the attic before you begin. You will need an assistant to help with this process so they can load the blower with insulation while you blow it in. Again, start at the furthest point from the access door and at the perimeter, and start blowing your insulation between the joists evenly. If you have some uneven spots get yourself a tool and even it out.

Which ever way you decide to go always remember to wear some clothes you don't care about and wear a face guard over your mouth. These are both pretty easy techniques but they are both hard on the body and you may want to allow enough time take breaks every once in a while. This will drastically improve your homes efficiency and you will see your heating bills drop. Depending on how much insulation you are using, it is actually fairly affordable to do it yourself. I hope this helps.