Proper home insulation can not only significantly lower your energy costs but also make your home more comfortable year round and can help maintain or increase your home’s market value! Installing new insulation batts perpendicular to the old ones will definitely result in a better overall insulation job.
Initially, your insulation batts were installed between the ceiling joists, which is normal. However, that means that the wood joists themselves are not covered with insulation which leads to a long cold spot running along each one of those joists, relative to the insulation alongside it. (It's one of the reasons why blown-in attic insulation creates a more uniform insulation layer).
By installing your new insulation batts perpendicular to the old ones, you now have the opportunity to cover and insulate the ceiling joists, and you're also covering any gaps between the old batts. Remember to use unfaced batts for your new insulation so that you don't double up the vapor barrier, and maintain at least a 3-inch air space around older, non-IC-rated, recessed light fixtures, masonry chimneys, and anything else that produces heat.
A general rule of thumb to go by is this - if your home was built in 1970 or earlier, it needs more insulation. But the vast majority of homes built before 1995 could also use additional insulation. When you consider the cost of adding insulation compared to the cost of electricity, heating oil and natural gas these days, it is quite possibly, the single most important energy saving project you can undertake.
www.tenlist.com provides you with a complete list of companies specializing in home insulation services in Albany Oregon who can help you with all of the above aspects.
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