Attic Insultaion Tips
Adding insulation to your water heater can reduce standby heat losses by 25 to 45 percent.
Attic insultaion tips. Loose fill blown in insulation is best for tight spaces or if your attic already has a layer of insulation. Insulate water heaters to prevent costly energy loss. The attic is the easiest place to add insulation to improve your comfort and the energy efficiency of your home. The pros charge 1 500 to 2 000 to do a 1 200 sq ft.
To make insulating an attic easier grab a helper and set aside two days. Look for insulating pre cut jackets or blankets with an insulating value of at least r 8. The attic is one of the primary areas of potential heat loss in your home. Houses built before the energy crunch in the early 70s might just have a little bit of fiberglass insulation in the attic or empty cavities between the joists.
Now that you ve air sealed your attic and basement check your attic insulation levels and add more if necessary. The perks of solar powered attic fans. One for attic prep and the second to actually blow the insulation. How much does attic insulation cost.
Insulate your attic outer walls and crawl space first as these areas are most susceptible to heat transfer. See install batt and roll insulation for details. Never step between joists as you may break through the ceiling below. Here is how to insulate an unfinished attic.
Work from the perimeter of the attic toward the door or hatch so that you don t trample all over the insulation you just put in. Always cover the tops of the ceiling joists to make sure the insulation is deep enough to reach your target r value and to prevent thermal bridging the heat loss that. Either way the house is probably wasting. Batt and roll insulation works well between joist and stud spaces or if you have a wide open space or a crawlspace.
More insulation installation tricks and tips. Save about 600 year by boosting the amount of attic insulation from r 11 to r 49. In attics vapor barrier on insulation should face down toward the living space. Depending on the type of materials you use figure on paying an insulation contractor about 1 500 to insulate an 800 square foot attic which pays back your investment in three years.
Batt and roll insulation and loose fill sometimes known as blown in insulation. Place planks 1 by 6 or 1 by 8 or plywood sheaths across floor joists to improve your mobility in the attic. There are two main types of insulation. Before installing solar attic fans learn more about the benefits they provide including comfort and modest energy savings.
Statistics show that 85 percent of a house s heat loss is straight up through the attic space. If it is installed incorrectly with the vapor barrier facing up then the insulation will trap moisture causing possible water problems. Preparing an attic for insulation. Remodeling your attic can boost your home s resale value and make it more functional for you now.
Here design ideas and tips. Check the attic to make sure the insulation is installed properly.