How To Add Extra Insulation In Attic

For the center areas hold the hose level and blow in insulation evenly until you ve reached your level lines photo 6.

How to add extra insulation in attic.

You can add loose fill on top of fiberglass batts or blankets and vice versa. Fill all cracks between the living area and the attic with caulk or expanding foam. You should be able to see if there is insulation in the wall. Inspect the exterior walls by using an electrical outlet.

Pull out a small amount of insulation if needed to help. How do i add insulation to existing attic insulation. Any existing batt or roll insulation in the attic should have the facing against the attic drywall floor or no facing at all. See below for a shopping list and tools subscribe to this old house.

Because the simplest and cheapest way to insulate an attic is to add material to the floor. Use cardboard or rigid foam baffles to keep soffit vents open. When adding additional insulation you do not have to use the same type of insulation that currently exists in your attic. Measure how much insulation you already have.

Check the depth using a tape measure. Insulation should be rolled out perpendicular to the joists and unfaced rolls should be used. Move across the attic until you ve hit your desired height at every point. Plan to pull up the flooring and layer new insulation on top of the old.

Install fiberglass batts over existing batt insulation. But if the floor is covered in plywood you can t stuff enough insulation beneath it to do the job sufficiently not even in warm climates. Start at the lowest part of the attic where the roof meets the outer wall and unroll the insulation perpendicular to the joists back toward the. Cost effective way to save energy with this old house general contractor tom silva.

Remove the outlet cover and shine a flashlight into the crack around the outlet box. Carry a batt to the far end of the attic. Turn off the power to the outlet. It s safer to build a small enclosure with hardware cloth or plywood to keep loose insulation away from lights and exhaust fans.

Don t cover can lights unless they are rated for contact with insulation. The recommended level for most attics is to insulate to r 38 or about 10 to 14 inches depending on insulation type. Then pivot in place and do the same thing to the other side. Batt or rolled insulation or blown loose fill insulation fiberglass or cellulose can be installed on top of old insulation.