We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Home

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

How do I Insulate an Attic?

By J.M. Densing
Updated: May 17, 2024
Views: 7,147
Share

Installing insulation in an attic is a good way to reduce energy consumption and costs. If your attic is unfinished, you should insulate the floor; if finished, do the walls and ceiling. The two main types of insulation are roll or blown insulation. The first step to insulate an attic is to select the insulation and calculate the amount needed by following recommendations for the climate where you live. Next, prepare the attic, including sealing air leaks such as the area near the attic stairs. Then carefully follow the installation instructions and complete the process.

An uninsulated attic can be a major waste of energy, thus allowing heat to escape in the winter and air conditioning to escape in the summer. If you have an unfinished attic, the insulation should be installed on the floor between the joists to prevent heat transfer between the attic and the rest of the house. If a finished attic, currently or in the future, insulate the walls and ceiling to prevent heat transfer with the outdoors and keep the space comfortable.

The main types of material to insulate an attic are roll or blown insulation. Roll insulation is constructed like a foam mat, or batting, and requires less specialized equipment to install. The process is simply to cut it to the correct size and staple it in place. Blown insulation consists of loose fluffy pieces of material. It can be installed professionally or you can rent a blowing machine and do it yourself.

Once you've selected the material to insulate an attic, it's important to calculate how much is needed. Depending on the climate, specific minimum R-values are recommended for maximum benefit. The R-value is a rating that indicates the resistance to heat transfer provided by the insulation. Attic insulation with higher R-values allows less heat transfer and conserves more energy. Once you've chosen the desired R-value, calculate the amount needed based on the attic measurements.

The next step to insulate an attic is preparing the space. This includes sealing any air leaks; pay special attention to the area near the attic stairs and other openings. Install metal flashing around heat sources such as the chimney or light fixtures to maintain at least 3 inches of clearance for fire safety reasons. If the attic is unfinished, consider laying down boards to walk on so you don't step through the ceiling of the room below.

Once the space is ready, apply the insulating material. With roll insulation, the material should be cut to fit the space in long strips and then stapled in place. It should be installed in the space between floor joists first; another layer can be placed over that for complete coverage. With blown insulation, the bags of insulating material should be loaded into the machine one at a time; the insulation is then blown out of the machine through a hose. Remember to direct the hose so that the insulation is spread out evenly including all corners until the desired thickness has been applied.

Share
WiseGeek is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.

Editors' Picks

Discussion Comments
By mobilian33 — On Jan 30, 2015

@Feryll - If you don't feel comfortable blowing in or paying the insulation yourself then consider going down on the thickness of the insulation. Even if you fall short of the recommended thickness you will still see benefits in energy bills. You can tell whoever is going to do your attic insulation that you only want half of the suggested depth of insulation-- or three quarters or whatever you can afford at that time. Then when you have more money you can go back and add more insulation.

By Drentel — On Jan 30, 2015

@Feryll - I know this doesn't help you now because you have already replaced the windows, but don't replace anymore until you have the attic insulated. If you had started with the attic insulation you might have seen that the windows weren't the problem. They seldom are unless the windows are falling apart or are missing glass panes.

As far as installing the attic installation, follow the guidelines given in this article, take your time and be sure to hit all of the air holes and you should be fine.

By Feryll — On Jan 29, 2015

I just got an estimate for insulating our attic from a representative of a local insulation company. Our house is more than 2,500 square feet, but I still had no idea the cost would be so much. The estimate included the sealing of all of the air holes like those around the electrical wires and the attic door, but still the price was more than we budgeted.

I think I could get the attic insulated with the help of a friend, but I'm not sure we have enough experience to do the job so that we will be saving as much money as possible on energy. Right now, the heating bills are outrageous, and we have already replaced a large number of windows, which was also expensive.

Share
https://www.wisegeek.net/how-do-i-insulate-an-attic.htm
Copy this link
WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.