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Insulating your attic can help you save money. Adding attic insulation also benefits the environment, by reducing the amount of energy you use to heat or cool your house. If you're not sure where to begin, this page can help you learn how to insulate an attic.
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Insulating your attic can help you save money. Adding attic insulation also benefits the environment, by reducing the amount of energy you use to heat or cool your house. If you're not sure where to begin, this page can help you learn how to insulate an attic.
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Introduction
- A properly insulated attic reduces energy costs, helps to maintain a consistent temperature in your home, extends the life of your heating and cooling systems, and helps to prevent ice dam damage to a roof. Adding insulation is a relatively simple project you can do yourself in a weekend.
Step 1: Calculate How Much Insulation You Have
- Insulation is measured by its resistance to heat flow, called R-value. In order to calculate the R-value of the current amount of insulation you already have in your attic, you need to measure the thickness of your current insulation, in inches, and multiply that number by the R-value per inch of the type of insulation you have. R-value per inch for some common insulation types are:
- Loose-fill fiberglass: 2.5
- Perlite or vermiculite: 2.7
- Loose-fill rock wool: 2.8
- Fiberglass blanket or batt: 3.2
- Loose-fill cellulose: 3.5
- High-density fiberglass blanket or batts: 3.8
- Expanded polystyrene board: 3.8
- Extruded polystyrene board: 4.8
- Spray polyurethane foam: 5.9
- Polyisocyanurate board, unfaced: 5.9
- Polyisocyanurate board, foil-faced: 7.0
Step 2: Calculate How Much Insulation You Need
- Depending on where you live and what type of heating system you have, the recommended R-value for attic insulation can vary from 30 to 60.
- The Department of Energy's (DOE) R-value recommendations can be found on their website.
- Subtract the R-Value of the insulation you have, which you calculated in step 1, from the DOE's recommendation, to determine the R-value you need to add.
- Divide the R-value you need to add by the R-value of the type of insulation you're planning to add (found in step 1) to determine the number of inches of insulation you need.
- Measure the square footage of your attic.
- You now know the thickness of the insulation you need, as well as the square footage you need to cover, so you can proceed to purchase the insulation.
Step 3: Helpful Tips for Insulating Your Attic
- Each type of insulation has different installation instructions, so be sure to follow the manufacturer's directions carefully. There are some general tips you should follow when using any insulation, however.
- Don't compress insulation. Its R-value is dependent on its thickness; forcing it into spaces and squeezing the fibers together will reduce its effectiveness.
- Wear goggles, a dust mask, and gloves when working with insulation.
- Make sure all exposed skin is covered, so that it doesn't come in contact with the materials.
- When installing insulation, leave at least three inches between the insulation and any potential heat source, such as light bulbs, chimneys, and flues.
- Do not cover or block attic vents with insulation.
- Prevent loose-fill insulation from clogging attic vents by using baffles or rafter vents.
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