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.
Attic insulation levels.
Measure your attic s square footage.
In most cases the best type of attic insulation will be blown fiberglass or blown cellulose insulation.
Insulation levels are specified by r value.
For loose fill read labels.
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.
Recommended insulation levels for retrofitting existing wood framed buildings.
Either read the r value printed on the batts of your existing insulation or use a measuring tape ruler to measure the depth of the insulation inches.
Add insulation to attic.
For uninsulated attics for attics with existing 3 4 inches of insulation for uninsulated basements or crawlspaces.
Cellulose insulation has an r value of approximately 3 to 3 5 per inch.
Achieving greater r values in attics the higher the r value the better the thermal performance of the insulation.
Existing 3 4 inches of insulation.
Add insulation to attic.
R value is a measure of insulation s ability to resist heat flow.
For batts or rolls calculate the number based on the width and length of the product you re using.
Add the right kind of insulation.
The levels of attic insulation recommended today by energy star are substantially higher than those used earlier so it s worth checking out what s recommended in your geographic area.
Looking across your attic if the insulation is level with or below the attic floor joists you probably need to add more insulation.
Existing 3 4 inches of insulation.
Each bag lists the required depths for a range of r values and the number of bags needed to cover 1 000 square feet at those depths.
So we have between r36 and r56 in the attic.
Add the following insulation levels to your attic floor.
The higher the r value the better the thermal performance of the insulation.
Our attic has between 12 inches and 16 inches of cellulose insulation.
Where we re lacking a bit is in the attic.
When adding additional insulation you do not have to use the same type of insulation that currently exists in your attic.
You will want to record your measurement so you can determine how much more insulation you need to achieve the recommended levels.