Can I Insulate My Attic Myself

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.

Can i insulate my attic myself.

The required amount of ventilation is a net free ventilation area nfva of 1 150 of the square footage of the attic. You can do it yourself for about 500. If you re not do the attic floor. Blowing attic insulation isn t hard but it s dusty sweaty work.

Consumers are often told by spray foam contractors to do the rafters. Many older homes have less insulation than homes built today but even adding insulation to a newer home can pay for itself within a few years. Your attic door is more likely in a hallway or inside a closet though. The recommended level for most attics is to insulate to r 38 or about 10 to 14 inches depending on insulation type.

One for attic prep and the second to actually blow the insulation. Plan to pull up the flooring and layer new insulation on top of the old. 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. To make insulating an attic easier grab a helper and set aside two days.

In that case it should be insulated with the correct r value for your climate per recommendations given by the department of energy. As far as the price difference i would recommend you get 3 estimates in the town where you live and do not take the lowest one. When you insulate attics and crawlspaces you ve got to vent them too since home insulation changes the way attics and crawlspaces breathe it s critical that you maintain or install proper ventilation fig. While insulating your attic space with foam can be an effective way to lower heating costs you can use a simple reflective foil material as a cost effective alternative.

The pros charge 1 500 to 2 000 to do a 1 200 sq ft. That s because it s easier for the contractor to spray than clean up existing insulation deal with any can lights or venting etc. Because the simplest and cheapest way to insulate an attic is to add material to the floor. Often people throw insulation into the attic which blocks the vents to the outside air turning the attic into a greenhouse.

Unless your home was specially constructed for energy efficiency you can probably reduce your energy bills by adding more insulation. Stop using your attic for storage. Yes lay the insulation batts perpendicular to the joists if you are installing it yourself and be careful not to block off the eaves and remember to install air chutes in each rafter space. Current thinking is that you should have a combination of soffit vents and ridge vents.

How much does attic insulation cost. If you re using the attic for living space then you need to insulate the rafters. By stapling the foil sheets to your attic roof rafters you can reflect the heat that hits the rafters back down into your home s living space.