Proper attic insulation is the very best method to prevent heat loss in the winter and maintain cool air in the summer. So it's time to pay attention to what's occurring up there.
If you feel like your house is leaking money via a drafty or unsealed attic, perform an energy audit and/or use a thermal electronic camera to discover cool spots up there. It's possible to fill those holes though, depending upon the age of your insulation, you might be better off replacing your attic insulation outright rather of filling in the gaps.Let's Talk R-Value
To start off, determine what R-value is suggested for your home based on your location. You can find this information from the Department of Energy. If you aren't acquainted with Go to the website R-value, it's generally an insulating product's resistance to heat flow, determined by its thermal resistance or R-value. The greater the R-value, the more effective an insulating material is. Your house's R-value score will guide you towards the kind of insulation you require.
More from Popular Mechanics How Pasta is MadeIn basic, an attic's R-value need to be in between R-30 and R-49. In especially cold climates, you may increase to R-60. Let's state the insulation you've picked has an R-value of 3 per inch and you 'd like to accomplish a general worth of R-36. You'll need about 12 inches of insulation material.
Here are the most popular options for attic insulation, in addition to a ballpark figure on prices.
Blanket Insulation
Blanket insulation is available as batts or rolls and is the easiest Do It Yourself insulation material. It's available in fiberglass, mineral wool, plastic fibers, and natural fibers. This type of insulation is perfect for attics with basic spaced beams and joists and really few blockages.
Batts should be thoroughly trimmed to fit snugly around vents to retain their R-value efficiency. Rates can vary based upon thickness and product, however it's typically 0.15 to 0.50 cents per square foot. You can anticipate an R-value of 3.1 to 3.8 per inch.
Loose-Fill Insulation BanksPhotosGetty Images
Loose-fill insulation is excellent for setting up in attics with extremely little headroom and multiple blockages such as vents and cross-beams. It can be effectively blown over existing insulation and is readily available in fiberglass, cellulose, and mineral wool. Cellulose is the most reliable material and has an R-value of 2.2 to 3.8 per inch, however if exposed to moisture it can get musty.
This kind of insulation can be acquired online or in the house Depot and spread by hand, or you can rent a user friendly machine that blows it in location, which will cost about $100 per day. Rental is often consisted of free of charge if you purchase a minimum amount of insulation. If you employ a pro, it costs about $1 per square foot.
This kind of insulation is costly and not a do-it-yourself project, but it has among the highest R-values at 3.5 per inch for open-cell and 6.5 for closed-cell.
Both types are made with polyurethane. The distinction is that closed-cell foam cells are filled with a gas that helps the foam expand to fill the areas around it. Open-cell foam cells are filled with air, which provides the insulation a spongy texture. Both types of insulation supply an efficient air barrier, but closed-cell insulation can likewise act as a wetness vapor barrier if that is needed.
Open-cell spray-foam insulation is roughly $1 to $1.25 per square foot and closed-cell spray foam is about $1.25 to $1.50 per square foot.
No matter how huge your house is or what product it's made from, every home requires to have a correctly insulated attic in order to keep the temperature level controlled and the energy expense down. And if you reside in an area with particularly cold and snowy winters, that last sentence applies to you in vibrant font and all caps.
However which attic insulation is best? There isn't a "one size fits all" answer, as there are numerous factors that enter play. Check out on for everything you require to understand about the various types of attic insulation, and how you can set about selecting which one is best for you.
First, a Summary of R-Value
Any conversation about proper attic insulation must begin with a company understanding of R-Value, the unit by which the strength of insulation is identified. R-Value is a product's capability to resist the transfer of heat. A material's R-Value is generally impacted by the following four elements: