How Often To Add Attic Insulation

If you have an older home chances are the attic insulation is the same insulation that was installed when the house was built.

How often to add attic insulation.

It s a diy project you can tackle in a weekend and the savings you ll get add up every year says toh general contractor tom silva. You should be able to see if there is insulation in the wall. Inspect the exterior walls by using an electrical outlet. Blown in insulation overview.

The higher the r value the better the thermal performance of the insulation. A typical insulation project can range from 1 500 to 5 000 depending on the size of the project. When adding additional insulation you do not have to use the same type of insulation that currently exists in your. The department of energy estimates that a properly insulated attic can shave 10 to 50 percent off your heating bill.

But if you ve got an unfinished attic giving it proper insulation is one of the simplest ways to keep a lid on your heating bill this season. You can do it yourself for about 500. You ll know it needs to be replaced if there are insulation leaks or if it is peeling from the walls. If you ve never had your insulation checked out before it s time to get it done.

Typically houses in warm weather states should have an r 38 insulation in the attic whereas houses in cold climates should have r 49. Foam insulation can settle after a year and may need to be replaced to keep it fluffy and insulating properly. Insulation should also be replaced in some cases sooner than 15 years if it is no longer doing its job properly. The pros charge 1 500 to 2 000 to do a 1 200 sq ft.

Pull out a small amount of insulation if needed to help. Insulation begins to degrade in quality and effectiveness at around the 15 year mark. Remove the outlet cover and shine a flashlight into the crack around the outlet box. In older homes there s a chance your attic insulation has never been replaced and could be badly degraded.

These insulation levels will keep heated air from migrating out in winter. The recommended level for most attics is to insulate to r 38 or about 10 to 14 inches depending on insulation type. The answer depends on where you live. How often should attic insulation be replaced.

How much does attic insulation cost. If you need to add insulation in your attic save big by blowing in cellulose insulation yourself. Standard insulation starts to degrade and start peeling from walls after about 15 years. Turn off the power to the outlet.

While some insulation is built to last years there are times when you need to replace your insulation or add on more insulation to it. We typically work through and seal the attic bypasses with the existing insulation in place olson says.