When planning house constructions, apart from considering the general things like floor and roofing, attics are given major consideration. If you are especially leaving in cold conditions, there is no getting away: You have to insulate your attic. With the increase in average energy costs every winter season, it is more important to have proper insulation for your attic to reduce the costs.
The goal of attic insulation is to ensure the rooms below it have adequate heat. But how can we get perfect attic insulation, what are the common types of attic insulation? Here is the ultimate guide to attic insulation.
Table of Contents
How Much Attic Insulation Do I need?
R-value measures attic insulation levels. Materials with high R-value are considered the best for insulation.
House construction companies put the absolute minimum of insulation required by the government, thus the need to add more insulation to your attic. You may be wondering how much attic insulation do I need? Depending on the type of insulation, the government has its recommended values. The values are measured to the R-value 38 which is between 10 and 14 inches.
Where Do I Need To Insulate?
For attics there are many different places where insulation can be done. If you’re wondering, where do I need to insulate, then here are the most common insulation areas
Attic Door Insulation
Attic Door InsulationHow do you insulate an attic door? You first staple a duct tape with the sticky side up on your door. Afterward, wrap the insulation batts on the door to make a big pillow. Then with your duct tape, wrap it from outside and use foam insulation tape to seal its edges. Attic door insulation makes your home more comfortable and helps you in saving your money.
Attic Hatch Insulation
An attic hatch is a small maybe two by 2 feet board; therefore, attic hatch insulation does not require a lot from you. For this, it’s preferable to use insulating boards and screwing them directly to the hatch. You can use maybe two or three insulation boards depending on how you want your attic energy levels.
Attic Ductwork Insulation
Temperatures of the ductwork directly affect your attic temperatures; therefore, proper attic ductwork insulation is necessary. Before attic ductwork insulation commences, you are supposed to do a duct sealing to ensure it is airtight. Then, you can use spray foam insulation for ductwork.
Attic Floor Insulation
In an unfinished attic, the best way to ensure good thermal resistance is by attic floor insulation. On attic floors,
you can use fiberglass or even spray foam insulation, compare the two and you’ll see the similarities and differences. Attic floors well insulated will help keep the heat levels.
Attic roofs may, at times, be insulated. But when the ‘where do I need to insulate question’ arises, consider the source of heat for your attic. Is the heat refracted from the roof? With the roof air sealed, will you be saving on energy cost? The questions will help you decide on where to insulate. The items named above are the most common places attic insulation is done. Knowing the best place to insulate your attic will help maximize the insulation benefits.
Types of Attic Insulation
Consideration of the types of attic insulation is a big start in helping you decide what to use. What are they?
- Fiberglass blankets insulation- Fiberglass is by far the most popular attic insulation type. Being made of large pieces like it is impossible to cover whole parts of the attic
- Blown-in fiberglass insulation- Fiberglass that comes in small refined chunks. Since these come in small chunks, it’s easy to get to almost all corners of the attic
- Spray foam insulation- Made of polyurethane, spray foam installations are expensive, and you cannot do it for yourself. However, spray foam by far the best insulation for an attic. There are two types of spray foam insulation: open cell and closed cell. When done well, both types can be very effective in an attic
- Cellulose- Recycled paper is ground to make cellulose, which is blown into insulation areas. The cellulose has been chemically treated, thus protecting it against rodents. Cellulose is, however, not a good choice since it collects moisture
The types mentioned earlier are the ones most commonly used for attic repairs. You can use other materials and insulation methods depending on where you are and where you want to insulate.
What Is The Best Insulation For An Attic?
When thinking about the best way to insulate your attic, consider the R-value. The materials with the higher R-value are the best insulation for an attic. The average cost of insulation will also guide you to make the best choice for your attic.
Attic Insulation R-Values
R-value is the resistance of an insulating material to conductive heat. A material with the highest R-value is considered the most effective. The factors that affect the R-value of material include aging, heat, and moisture accumulation.
Increasing the insulation thickness will increase the R-value. The most standard of attic insulation R-values in the US is R-38. Increasing the density of the insulating materials to this point will show government compliance on your side.
Attic Insulation Cost
Attic insulation cost depend on the types of materials used. The fiberglass attic insulation costs range between $2.9 and 4.3 per foot. For cellulose, the insulation costs range between $3.7 and 3.8. Depending on your area of residence, attic insulation costs can range between $1.5- $s.5. The average total attic insulation costs are $2,100.
Due to aging, attic insulation require regular repair. We, therefore, need to discuss the cost to replace attic insulation. Since replacements are often done after attic insulation removal, the costs incurred are often summed up with the removal costs. Cost to replace attic insulation, however, is not higher than the normal attic insulation costs.
Attic Insulation Removal Cost
After discussing attic insulation costs, we need to go through costs incurred in attic removal. Attic removal is done when renovations or retrofits are done to the building. The technique of removing weather by hand or by machine will affect the costs.
Attic insulation removal cost by machine vary between $1-1.1 per square foot. For removal by hand, it will cost between $1.2-1.35 per square foot.
The right way of removing attics is by properly disposing of any harmful wastes. Consider finding professionals who can do the work for you.
Hire a Professional for Attic Insulation
Attic insulation, when done right, will greatly reduce your energy costs. Hiring professionals for the job will guarantee you perfect work. Many, however, in the most recent past, have lost money due to poor attic insulation.
Are you thinking about doing attic insulation for your house? Contact us today and we will get you up to 4 estimates from professionals to assist you.