DIY: Insulate Your Attic

DIY: Insulate Your Attic

Adding a new or replacement layer of insulation to your home’s attic can reduce your winter heating costs by as much as 20%. Studies have shown that typical attic insulation is about three inches thick. When efficiency is a top priority, experts recommend quadrupling that thickness to twelve inches.

What You Need to Insulate Your Home

Equipment

   
• Protective clothing and gear, including face     masks, safety glasses and gloves    
• A stepladder, although in some cases a     larger or smaller ladder may be required    
• Plywood, particularly if your attic does not     have a solid floor    
• A staple gun and PLENTY of staples!    
• A utility knife

Time

   
• Plan to work on this project for one weekend     or more, depending on the size and condition of your attic. Factor in the     time needed to clean out your attic or move things around as necessary.

Cost

   
• Insulation is relatively inexpensive. Most     home attics can be insulated for a few hundred dollars.

Project Difficulty

Easy to moderate – Installing insulation is not difficult, but be prepared for lots of moving and lifting, working in close quarters for hours at a time.

Preparation

As with any home-improvement project, proper preparation is the key to success. Do not cut corners with attic insulation.

   
• Read the insulation manufacturer’s     installation instructions. The manufacturer knows the best way to install     the product while maximizing the insulation quality of the material.    
• Move materials into the attic in their     original packaging. For example, if you have purchased rolled insulation,     never open the cellophane covering until the material is safely in the     attic. The roll has been compressed for wrapping. In addition, you don’t     want to breathe in fiberglass particles while moving the material through     your home unprotected.    
• Wear protective clothing at all times. Long     sleeves and a face mask are extremely important.    
• Be familiar with your attic. Low ceilings     with exposed beams, sparse flooring with exposed joists, and areas with no     flooring at all can be dangerous. Forgetting where floor joists are can     result in serious injuries, first when you come through the ceiling and     second when you recover from the fall. Be careful at all times.    
• Put plywood sheets on the floor to cover the     area between joists. This will help you avoid the dangerous situation     described above.

Getting Started

   
1. Locate every window or vent in the attic     space. Ventilation is critical for property attic insulation, because     the intention is to keep heat down below in the living area. To avoid     potential roof damage, keep your attic as well ventilated as possible.     Replace any vents that are in bad repair to keep nature’s creatures out of     your home.    
2. Install a vapor barrier. If you have     purchased rolled insulation with a lining, this step is less important,     because that lining serves as a vapor barrier. If your insulation does not     have a lining, install a layer of vapor-barrier material or 4- or     6-millimeter polyethylene sheeting. This will deter moisture and prevent     damage to the insulation.    
3. Locate outlets, light fixtures and     switches on the walls. Insulation is flammable. Therefore, always ensure     that there is a safe distance between the electrical fixture and your     insulation.    
4. Install the insulation. If you are     using rolled insulation, install several layers to obtain a twelve-inch     thickness. Install the first layer, stapling it in place between the     rafters. Additional layers should be placed perpendicular to one another in     order to increase the R-value of the insulation.
      
       If you are using loose insulation instead, maintain uniform thickness of     about twelve inches in all areas.
      
       Failing to carefully install the material with the right thickness will     result in less efficient attic insulation.

Cleaning Up

Congratulations on completing the steps necessary to insulate your home! Once the installation is complete, remove all the scraps of insulation from your attic. Place them in bag that can be sealed before leaving the attic. This is very important for protecting your family’s health.

With the right tools, material and know-how, insulating a home is a straightforward process. Just be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions and always wear protective gear.

Scott Miller, Licensed Broker Associate

Exit Realty achieve

1-888-600-7585

www.scottmiller.ws