Attic Insulation Not Deep Enough

Work from the perimeter of the attic toward the door or hatch so that you don t trample all over the insulation you just put in.

Attic insulation not deep enough.

According to the u s. The recommended level for most attics is to insulate to r 38 or about 10 to 14 inches depending on insulation type. Always cover the tops of the ceiling joists to make sure the insulation is deep enough to reach your target r value and to prevent thermal bridging the heat loss that occurs through the wood framing. For houses with 2 6 rafters it s necessary to increase rafter depth to make room for enough insulation to meet code minimums.

Inspecting your attic insulation first things first you need to go up into your attic inspect the condition of the insulation and calculate the current level of insulation. Generally heat rises and cool air falls. 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. Many homes are leaky and have insufficient insulation in the attic.

Department of energy it s recommended that attics have an r 38 to r 49 or about 12 to 15 of fiberglass or cellulose insulation. Pick up the blower and insulation cellulose blown in ceiling insulation is a good choice for diyers. Hot air fills the attic and raises the temperature. But in homes that do not have proper attic insulation or ventilation heat tends to migrate.

This allows a lot of heat up to the attic. Warm spaces have less condensation risk than colder space so when you add insulation to the attic floor you re intentionally blocking some of that heat from keeping the attic warm. For instance in some places like las vegas the sun tends to set on the roof causing the attic to be warm. If you can t see the joists because the insulation is above them then you should measure the insulation depth with a ruler to see if you have enough.

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. Mark the desired level on different roof trusses around the attic before you start photo 4. If the rafters are deep enough it may be possible to use rigid foam as the ventilation baffles sealing along the perimeter of each piece to create an air barrier then filling the rest of the cavity with batts or blown insulation see ceiling remodel. When you re blowing insulation it can get dusty and hard to see whether you ve got it deep enough around the entire attic.

For fiberglass and cellulose insulation you can estimate about r 3 per inch.