How To Install Attic Ceiling Insulation – Home » News » Attic Insulation 101: Types, Costs, Benefits and More Attic Insulation 101: Types, Costs, Benefits and More
The attic is a space in your home that is often forgotten. Most homeowners don’t even notice it until there’s something wrong that needs attention, like a leak in the ceiling or a rodent infestation. However, before you start thinking outside the box, you should know about the benefits of attic insulation.
How To Install Attic Ceiling Insulation
In winter, warm air rises and escapes through the ceiling and attic. Both of these situations cause your heating and cooling system to work hard to maintain a comfortable temperature inside the home. In the summer, improperly insulated attics can heat up to 140 degrees. As a result, the strength of the wood is reduced when it sweats from the heat. Over time, sap and amber crystals will form, the plywood will separate, and your boards will begin to split and crack. If left unaddressed, you will face structural problems that will require expensive rehabilitation that will require a professional evaluation by a structural engineer. Additionally, no qualified roofer will touch your home with a ten-foot pole. So if you need a new roof, you’ll be in luck.
Can You Lay Insulation Over Electrical Wires In The Attic
Another problem homeowners face as a result of improper attic insulation is wood rot. When you heat your home, warm air rises from the inside and meets the cold air in the attic, which creates condensation. This condensation, if left unchecked, will cause the wood in your roof to leak out. Additionally, the nails used to build your roof structure will also cool and begin to form “cat’s eyes” that will exacerbate wood rot and eventually lead to serious damage.
Even in mild climates, improperly insulated attics provide opportunities for wood rot. An average of 2 gallons of moisture is produced in the house every day. And where does the moisture go? Up to the top.
In colder climates, improperly insulated attics can result in up to 50% of your home’s heat being lost directly through your roof. In fact, the US Department of Energy estimates that improving attic insulation can reduce heating costs by 10 to 50%, saving the average homeowner about $780 per year.
The savings don’t stop with heating costs. A properly insulated shed also reduces energy costs during the spring and summer months by reducing the need for air conditioning systems. It also reduces stress on your mechanical systems, extending the life of your furnace and air conditioning units.
How To Properly Insulate A Home
In addition to financial savings, attic insulation makes your home more comfortable year-round by stabilizing the temperature inside your home. Have you ever been annoyed by the extreme temperature difference between the first and second floors of your home? With improper insulation, your open attic space will contain a cloud of warm air that just sits there. This helps keep your home warm upstairs and cool downstairs and can be remedied with proper insulation.
The radiation barrier is a special insulation of the roof, which reduces the temperature of the attic to 30 degrees in summer. It is used in conjunction with regular attic insulation to further stabilize your home’s temperature and also protect your attic from the damaging effects of heat on its structure.
Think of the sun visor you put on your car’s front window when you leave it in the sun for long periods of time. The shield reflects the sun’s heat away from your car, thus lowering the interior temperature so you don’t overheat when you get inside.
A radiant barrier works the same way by reflecting the sun’s heat from your home through the roof, thus lowering the temperature of your attic. Its application is simple, it is attached to the underside of the board and in warmer climates it reflects and reduces the energy of the sun’s rays by 97%. During the winter months, radiant barrier insulation pushes warm air from your furnace back into your home and cool air back through the roof.
Costly Effects Of Failing To Insulate Your Attic
Insulation alone can handle up to 20 degrees of temperature variation from your attic to your home. That is, if the temperature in your attic is 120 degrees in the summer, the inside of your house can drop to 100 degrees, which is still very hot. By adding a radiant barrier, you first reduce the air temperature in your attic by 30 degrees, which is attached to your attic ceiling. Then, you reduce this temperature with a conventional barrier of insulation in your attic. Now, your house has gone from 120 degrees to 90 degrees to 70 degrees. Very controllable temperature.
This “girl” system works in both summer and winter, stabilizing the temperature in your attic and transferring that stability to your home.
The R value tells you the ability of your insulation to resist heat transfer. The higher the number in the R value, the more effective the insulation. If the R-value of your attic insulation is correct for your home, it means that you are probably operating at a high efficiency based on current attic insulation standards. Homes built before the 1970s may have an R-value of 11 or less, but today’s standards require an R-value of 38 or higher, depending on the codes for your home’s location.
After determining the heating level of your home, check your current situation. If you have insulation, you can assume that one inch of insulation has an R value of 3. Therefore, the depth of insulation determines its overall R value.
Blown In Vs. Batt Insulation For Attics
However, if you notice that your insulation is water-soaked, deteriorated, compressed, or moldy, the integrity is compromised and it will not function properly. If you see shiny spots on your insulation, they may be from vermiculite containing asbestos deposits and should be inspected and removed by a professional.
According to the North American Insulation Manufacturers Association (NAIMA), 90% of single-family homes in the US are insulated. Is your home one of them?
Investing in proper attic insulation is a one-and-done project that will last a lifetime. And, let’s face it, roof repairs aren’t cheap, and most insurance companies won’t cover roof replacements due to negligence or lack of proper home maintenance. At Kapella Roofing, we typically install 17 inches of blown insulation to an R-value of 49. We’ll come and inspect, measure and give you a free, no-obligation attic insulation quote. Mr. Handyman of Northeast Johnson County understands that home improvement enthusiasts are constantly looking for new ways to improve the energy efficiency of their homes. Keeping your heating and air conditioning units well-circulated and insulated is essential to maximize energy efficiency. One room that many property owners overlook is their attic. This mistake can cost you a lot of money on your electricity bills every month. We’re here today to provide tips and advice on how to improve the energy efficiency of your attic.
Sealing and insulating your attic access point is an easy way to help prevent air leaks. Our technicians can patch and seal small gaps around your attic door – whether you have an attic hatch, a cut-out hole, or something else. We can prevent hot/cold attic leaks by stopping the air before it escapes.
Insulating The Room Over The Garage • Renovation Semi Pros
Whatever you choose, installing insulation around your attic access point will help separate the air in your home from the air in your attic.
Another way to make your attic more energy efficient is to insulate the entire interior. We recommend fiberglass, cellulose, mineral wool and reflective insulating materials. Our professionals can take a look at your current attic setup and determine how to proceed. Fiberglass or mineral wool may be the best option if your attic’s rafters, beams, beams, and joists are not insulated. We can also add cellulose to fill hard to reach areas.
We recommend considering multi-layer reflective insulation if you want a simple solution to increasing energy efficiency. Reflective insulation can reduce heat transfer, radiation and convection.
A solar attic fan is an environmentally friendly option that can dehumidify an attic by regulating airflow and circulation. During hot summers, an attic fan can help maintain a constant attic temperature by removing hot air. When it gets cold, an attic fan can help keep the temperature even and remove moisture before it freezes.
Insulating The Room Above Your Garage
Solar attic fans are powered 100% by the sun. This means they provide energy savings for free. On the other hand, electric fans provide similar results with reduced energy efficiency. As a result, your savings may be negated by the cost of electricity in the operation of the fan. Whatever you do, always seal and insulate your attic before installing an attic fan. Without proper insulation, a fan will be ineffective – accelerating air leakage.
Maintaining energy efficiency requires extra work if you have ductwork in your attic. Ducts tend to have a lower R-value and poorer insulation. No one wants to waste HVAC air on air that leaks
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