How To Install Roll Insulation In Attic – Knowing how to insulate an attic while leaving adequate clearance can be difficult. This is because insulating it to the proper R-value can cause a dramatic loss of headroom if you’re limited to fiberglass batts. To maximize headroom while properly insulating the attic and ventilating the roof, use a combination of dense insulation, rigid foam sheeting, and air gutters.
Most building codes require a specified minimum amount of headroom. It is often difficult to meet this requirement when insulating a finished attic, especially since most codes require insulation equal to R-38 or higher. However, most inspectors I have spoken to will reduce the insulation requirements if it means the finished bridge will have the necessary clearance. To achieve the highest R-value with the lowest thickness, use batt insulation with a higher R-value per inch in combination with rigid foam insulation. Rigid foam sheeting has an R-value that ranges from R-5 to R-10 per inch of thickness. This means you can have a combined R-value ranging from R-23 to R-31 with just 5-1/2 inches of combined fiberglass and foam insulation.
How To Install Roll Insulation In Attic
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If R 38 Is Our Code, Why Do I Recommend R 49 For Attic Insulation?
Reflectix® products are an excellent, energy-efficient choice for retrofitting your attic system. When properly installed, it can result in up to a 10% reduction in home air conditioning usage. The products are clean, lightweight and easy to install. In addition, attic-mounted HVAC ducts benefit from reduced attic surface temperatures.
Note: Attic radiant barriers offer benefits on warm, sunny days. For this reason, they are recommended for installation in the US South (due to the amount of AC usage). However, they will provide little heat gain in the home, wherever they are installed. If you need to check your location, use our ZIP Code Area Locator or call (800) 879-3645.
Note: Click here for information on our larger rolls, which are available by Special Order from the Contractor or Customer Service Offices.
2. Bridge Stapling Method – US Southern Area Only Check your home location with the “Zip Code Area Locator” feature below.
Insulating The Room Above Your Garage
Reflectix® products are thoroughly tested in either nationally approved independent laboratories or top universities. Tests are performed according to current American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards when a standard exists. To obtain a copy of our product test specifications, please see the “Additional Resources” tab. Documents are also available by emailing customerservice@ or calling (800) 879-3645.
Good attic ventilation increases your comfort and helps your home’s materials last longer. Be sure not to block ventilation paths when installing Reflectix®.
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Disclaimer: This basic insulation guide is not intended to act as a substitute for professional opinion. Homeowners should talk to experts and refer to local building codes before choosing the type and quality of insulation. Insulation installation should be left to the professionals.
Home Insulation Types
Should you insulate your attic roof? Insulation is a wise choice to increase the energy efficiency of your home. Quality insulation will make heating and cooling your home more cost-effective, Department of Energy estimates range from a 10% to 50% savings, depending on several factors. However, attic insulation is not just about heating. Proper attic insulation can keep your roof in better condition by helping to prevent ice dams and condensation.
Your building codes may require you to have a certain quality of insulation. However, installing even better insulation is to your and your roof’s advantage. However, over-insulation can heat up your shingles and shorten their lifespan. This is especially true if your roof also lacks adequate airflow. Balancing the two needs, one for insulation and one for ventilation is critical.
Almost all building codes and all asphalt roofing manufacturers require adequate ventilation of a roofing system, regardless of the form of insulation used. Some shapes will impact not only the lifespan of your roof, but also the coverage your roof manufacturer provides under your warranty. You should read and understand your roof warranty and the limitations it has. of air flow and roof insulation.
Beyond its effect on your roof, proper attic insulation can make your home more comfortable and benefit you in other ways, such as:
Blown In & Spray Foam Insulation Cost Guide
Not sure what type of attic insulation is best? Here is a description of typical options for attic insulation in residential homes:
Each type of insulation and specific insulation product is available with different R-values. The R-value is a measurement of how much it can prevent the material from passing through it, per inch. Higher R values are better insulators. Although you can get better performance from any insulation simply by installing a greater thickness of it, the Department of Energy recommends that you have more than an R-30 rating on your attic insulation. Those in very cold climates may need even higher R-values.
Rigid foam boards such as polyisocyanurate often provide the best R-value per inch. However, these materials are typically used in commercial applications and not for homes. Although, some rigid foam boards, such as Enerfoil®, can be used in residential applications where thinness and quality are of utmost importance. For example, attic hatches don’t have much room for insulation, but are often a major contributor to heat loss, making them great candidates for rigid foam board. Similarly, cathedral ceilings may not have room for other types of insulation.
You may hear the terms cold insulation and warm insulation when researching your attic insulation options. These terms do not refer to a type of insulation or a material. Rather, they refer to where the insulation is installed. Cold insulation is installed on the floor of your attic. If you have cold insulation, your attic will stay cold in the winter because it is exposed to outside temperatures. You should only install cold insulation if you have an unfinished attic and plan to keep it that way.
Owens Corning R 30 Attic Unfaced Fiberglass Roll Insulation 31.25 Sq Ft (15 In W X 25 Ft L) Individual Pack In The Roll Insulation Department At Lowes.com
Warm insulation is installed on the underside of the roof floor, at the top of the attic, just below the roof floor. When you have warm insulation, the attic space stays warm in the winter because the heat from the furnace can reach it. If you want to finish your attic, you will need warm insulation. Otherwise, it will be very difficult to keep you warm in winter and cool in summer.
Warm insulation has an impact on shingle performance. Warm insulation results in a “hot roof” or unvented roof between the shingles and the insulation. On such a roof, the shingles will be hotter than those with cold insulation. Such heat stresses the shingles and ages them prematurely. Additionally, a hot roof deck is more likely to create ice dams on the roof or allow condensation and mold growth.
You should always have an expert install your attic insulation. There are many safety precautions that professionals must take during installation that homeowners may not understand or simply do not have the equipment for. Additionally, common mistakes made by homeowners trying to install attic insulation themselves, such as blocking vents or using improper installation techniques, can be very expensive to fix.
While professionals will do the work, here’s what you can expect from the process of installing insulation in your home:
Removing Blown In Insulation: How It Works
Low pitched roofs present a challenge for insulation installation. Where the attic ceiling meets the floor, around the edges of the attic, there is often not enough room for much insulation. This is especially true if your roof has a soffit vent with a baffle to keep the vent open. In this case, Natural Resources Canada suggests there could be as little as 4 inches to add insulation.
Therefore, it may be necessary to install higher quality insulation that can provide a high R-value even when it is very thin. Rigid foam board is usually a good option. Bats and rollers can also be an option and are easier to install in these tight spaces than blown. However, an experienced contractor may be able to install those types of insulation if they can find one with a sufficient R-value.
To save money on insulating attics with low roofs, you
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