Determine Need For Attic Insulation

A quick way to see if you need more insulation is to look across your attic floor.

Determine need for attic insulation.

Let s say the insulation you ve selected has an r value of three per inch and. R value is a measure of insulation s ability to resist heat flow. Inspecting your attic insulation will help you determine your insulation needs. Input length and width of area to be insulated.

If you can t see the joists because the insulation is above them then you should measure the insulation depth with a ruler to see if you have enough. Department of energy it s recommended that attics have an r 38 to r 49 or about 12 to 15 of fiberglass or cellulose insulation. In particularly cold climates you might go up to r 60. To view the next video in this series click here.

If you think you re among the 90 of us homes that are under insulated 1 performing a simple insulation inspection will help you determine your insulation needs. Achieving greater r values in attics the higher the r value the better the thermal performance of the insulation. Choose your insulation type and material 1. Use unfaced insulation when adding more insulation to an attic that already has some insulation laying the rolls or batts at right angles to the floor joists.

Click the button to calculate the amount of insulation in square feet and man hours wall and ceiling fiberglass insulation needed for this job. If your insulation level is at or below the top of the floor joists you probably need to add more insulation but remember to seal the air leaks before you insulate. Find your zone on the map and then use the chart to determine the level of insulation you need to properly insulate your attic walls floors and crawlspaces. However there are a few easy things you can do to see if your attic is properly insulated.

According to the u s. The recommended level for most attics is to insulate to r 38 or about 10 to 14 inches depending on insulation type. Common signs of problems with insulation. Loose fill insulation fibers are packaged in bags and blown in place to the desired depth and density using special.

In general an attic s r value should be between r 30 and r 49. The correct amount can help maintain a comfortable temperature and save money. The higher the r value the better the thermal performance of the insulation. There are four especially common signs of problems with attic insulation.