Insulating Attic Over Existing Insulation

Check the attic walls and floors adjacent to an unheated space like a garage or basement.

Insulating attic over existing insulation.

Put on goggles and gloves to protect yourself while handling. Blown in insulation fills between existing wall studs and ceiling joists quickly and easily. Install or repair vent chutes. How do i add insulation to existing attic insulation.

Pull the existing insulation away from the roof. A quick rule of thumb is that you should have a vapor barrier on the warm side of the insulation. Another benefit of the ventilation is that it will keep your attic cooler in the summer as well as your house. If only the living space will be insulated wrap the insulation around the room s walls and ceiling and then continue along the floor of the non living space.

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 recommended level for most attics is to insulate to r 38 or about 10 to 14 inches depending on insulation type. Check the depth using a tape measure. Blown in insulation in the attic seal attic bypasses.

The vapor retarder on top of or between layers of insulation can trap moisture. Faced insulation should not be placed on top of existing insulation in the attic. To install fiberglass batts over existing insulation lay the batts perpendicular to the joists so they do not compress the insulation below whether you live in a warm weather state as i do or in a cooler northern climate it s hard to stay comfortable and keep your energy bills in check if you don t have adequate insulation in the attic. Pull back the existing insulation and use expanding spray foam the fire blocking type to seal any.

During new construction batt insulation thick strips of spun fiberglass or a paper based product is cut. Position the new vent chute so the. Always cover the tops of the ceiling joists to make sure the insulation is deep enough to reach your target r value and. In this case the area behind the knee wall will be uncomfortably hot or cold.

An un insulated attic should have some airflow to prevent humidity from building up in the winter which could condense and form ice. The structural elements are usually exposed in these areas which makes it easy to see what type of insulation you have and to measure its depth or thickness inches. Insulating a finished attic there are two basic ways to insulate a finished attic. Measure how much insulation you already have.

Any new batt or roll insulation installed over existing insulation in the attic needs to be without a vapor retarder face.