Proper Way To Insulate Attic Ceiling

How to put insulation in a ceiling before drywall.

Proper way to insulate attic ceiling.

Insulate and air seal any knee walls vertical walls with attic space directly behind them in your home as well. Sprayed against the underside of the roof deck it seals against air movement eliminating the need for a vapor barrier or ventilation. If you don t have an attic however there is. Loose fill or batt the common term for blanket insulation.

Your home needs at least some type of insulation to keep the interior temperature of your home regulated regardless of the specific climate you live in. See below for a shopping list and tools. That means insulating the attic floor only not the walls and having vents in the roof. To meet all three goals insulating your finished attic ventilating the roof and maximizing headroom use a combination of dense batt insulation rigid foam sheeting and air chutes.

This old house general contractor tom silva and host kevin o connor demonstrate the proper way to insulate an attic. The table below shows what levels of insulation are cost effective for different climates and locations in the home. R value is a measure of insulation s ability to resist heat traveling through it. Typical ceiling insulation involves spreading either loose fill or batt the term commonly used for blanket insulation within the attic or airspace of a home.

Before insulating seal any air leaks and make roof and other necessary repairs. A finished attic should be insulated much like the rest of the house with insulation in the walls and ceiling. With a finished attic insulation must help keep the attic areas comfortable. If it is located in a conditioned part of the house also remember to insulate and air seal your attic access.

For diy attic insulation you ve got two choices. Both can be added to uninsulated attics or layered over existing material. When tom insulates a cathedral ceiling or a finished attic he also turns to foam. The higher the r value the better the thermal performance of the insulation.

Once you ve decided which type is best for you examine the material options and prices to home in on the right product. If you re finishing your attic insulating it to the proper r value can cause a dramatic loss of headroom if you limit yourself to fiberglass batts. Illustration by ian worpole. How to insulate a finished attic.