Use insulation to keep conditioned air where it’s meant to be.
A badly insulated attic can allow your home’s heat to escape, traveling out of your living spaces and creating a less comfortable home. But by using insulation to create a thermal barrier, you’ll not only keep your house nice and cozy, you’ll save energy in the process.
Project Overview
Tools and Materials:
- Utility knife
- Table or circular saw
- Caulk gun or expanding foam gun
- Measuring tape
- Lights
- Straight edge
- Markers
- Staple gun and specialty insulation equipment as needed
- Foam/caulk/construction adhesive
- Insulation—batts or loose fill
- Sheathing to create blocking—OSB/plywood or foam board
- Fasteners—screws or nails
Safety:
- Long-sleeved shirt and long pants
- Dust mask/respirator
- Gloves
- Safety glasses
- Kneepads
- Before moving forward with an attic insulation project, it’s important to determine how much insulation you currently have and whether it’s sufficient for the energy code standard in your part of the country.
- You’ll also want to be sure to seal any attic-to-home air leaks that may exist prior to insulating, and ensure attic ventilation is maintained at eaves by installing baffles. You may also need to install blocking in certain areas before you add insulation.
- Next, assess the kind of insulation type that is right for your project. Loose-fill or batt insulation are the two most common kinds, but each offers different benefits depending on what you need in your attic.