Does My Attic Need Insulation

If you re considering turning your attic into conditioned storage or living space it s worth changing tactics to insulate between the rafters and wall joists instead of the floor.
Does my attic need insulation. Hire a pro to install spray foam insulation. Then visit www eere energy gov and do a search for zip code insulation program use the insulation calculator to plug in your zip code lifestyle factors building design energy costs and budget to get a detailed recommendation. After this amount of time insulation begins to peel away from the walls and degrade. Your attic should have a certain amount of insulation in it and the recommended level of insulation for your attic is dependent on where you live.
Add the right kind of insulation when adding additional insulation you do not have to use the same type of insulation that currently exists in your attic. The answer depends on where you live the heating and cooling costs in your area your existing insulation levels local codes and more. After confirming that your attic is air sealed you need to select insulation. There are many types to choose from including blown in cellulose batt such as fiberglass mineral wool or cotton.
First things first you need to go up into your attic inspect the condition of the insulation and calculate the current level of insulation. If your insulation doesn t measure up and you need more installation can be done as a weekend diy project or you can call a professional installer to handle the job. Insulation roofing there are various factors that affect how often a home s attic insulation should be replaced. The recommended level for most attics is to insulate to r 38 or about 10 to 14 inches depending on insulation type.
A good rule of thumb is that standard insulation should be inspected to see if it needs to be replaced at least every fifteen years.