Attic Insulation Tips Diy

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.

Attic insulation tips diy.

To cut the insulation use a long sharp knife with a serrated edge such as a bread knife. Sandwich the insulation between two boards and using the top board as a guide run the knife along the edge for a straight cut. How much does attic insulation cost. Once you ve decided which type is best for you examine the material options and prices to home in on the right product.

However blowing insulation into an attic can be a diy task. You can track down bypasses by lifting existing attic insulation and checking for dark patches of moisture or dust. Statistics show that 85 percent of a house s heat loss is straight up through the attic space. Combine these two tendencies and you can see why air bypasses can reduce the effectiveness of attic insulation by 30 to 70 percent.

For diy attic insulation you ve got two choices. A finished attic should be insulated much like the rest of the house with insulation in the walls and ceiling. When you reach a cross beam cut the insulation flush with the beam then start again on the other side working in from the eaves. Blown in insulation overview.

Loose fill or batt the common term for blanket insulation. How to insulate a finished attic. If it is installed incorrectly with the vapor barrier facing up then the insulation will trap moisture causing possible water problems. If you need to add insulation in your attic save big by blowing in cellulose insulation yourself.

Either way the house is probably wasting energy and the homeowners money. The pros charge 1 500 to 2 000 to do a 1 200 sq ft. Proper attic insulation is the best way to prevent heat loss in the winter and retain cool air in the summer. You can do it yourself for about 500.

If you have the money to pay for spray foam in your attic then you may want to stop reading now and go get that done. Heat has a natural inclination to both rise and migrate to colder areas. With a finished attic insulation must help keep the attic areas comfortable. Blanket insulation is available as batts or rolls and is the easiest diy.

Both can be added to uninsulated attics or layered over existing material. For most of us installing spray foam insulation in their attic is just not a diy project and it is too costly for your average homeowner. Cut slits in. In attics vapor barrier on insulation should face down toward the living space.