Insulating Attic Rafters
Sep 05, 2017Adding insulation company for your attic is a great way to save energy, but there are a number of choices that you need to sort through. What is the best type for your situation? What is the best location for this added residential insulation? How much should you add?
A good way to save money on that is getting best insulation service put in your attic. Before we do residential insulation this though we want to make sure that every thinks is to code and that the right permits are pulled. Now that that is done you want to make sure that you have the right tools to do the job. Make sure that you have full body covering unless you like the feel of fiberglass. A utility knife a straight edge to help push down the blown insulation when cutting, the material to do the job is a good thing to have too. Another good thing to have is some wire mesh to keep the blown insulation away from anything that gives off heat and cause a fire. Oh and some sort of light would be nice too.
Insulating Attic Rafters
How to insulating attic rafters
If you have insulating attic rafters in your attic that aren’t insulated, you’re throwing money away. Because heat escapes easily through the roof, uninsulated rafters can make your energy bills go up when you turn your heating system on. While attics, especially in older homes, are rarely insulated, you can easily spray foam insulation yours with the help of this guide.
Step 1 – Measuring the Space
First, climb into the attic and use measuring tape to determine the square footage of the space. Multiply the length and width of the attic to find this number. Don’t worry about precision; use square footage as an estimate about how much insulation and plastic sheeting you will need to purchase.
Step 2 – Cutting and Fitting the Insulation
Warning: Insulation materials can irritate your skin and airways. Always wear the appropriate safety gear when handling insulation, like a safety mask, clothing that covers your entire body, and gloves. Do not track insulation through the rest of your house.
If you’re using blown insulating fiberglass rafters, you can skip this step. If you’re using rolls, begin by measuring the distance between the roof rafters in the attic, and cut the rolled insulation, or batts, to these measurements. It is better to have insulation that is cut wider and slightly longer than it is to have them too small.
Cutting the Plastic Sheeting
Roll out the plastic sheeting over the attic floor as well, and trim it so that there is enough to climb up the walls by several inches. It’s okay to have multiple pieces of plastic. Use duct tape to secure.
Step 3 – Installing the Insulation
Using Loose Insulation
If you are using loose or blown insulation, you should follow the instructions on the bag to install it. It’s common for different blown insulation to have different instructions associated with it.
Typically, you will fill the insulation blower with the insulation, and blow it between the attic floor joists. Then, blow another layer on top of the insulating attic rafters. If you have a solid floor covering the roof rafters, use the claw end of a hammer to pull the floor up in several locations, and blow the insulation under the boards. Replace the floorboards, and then spray more insulation on top of it.
Using Rolled Insulation
For rolled insulation, place it between roof rafters. Make sure it is flush against the wood, as even a 1-inch gap can cause a 20 percent heating loss.
Then, feed the rolled insulation under wires and pipe, if either is present. Place the plastic sheeting on top of the rolled insulation. If the plastic sheeting is in pieces, overlap the pieces by 8 inches, and staple it in place directly to the roof rafters and the wall. If there is a floor, you will need to remove it to properly insulate the roof rafters. Do not use plastic sheeting in this case.
Now that you have the one layer in it’s a good idea to put in a second layer. You’re going to want to lay the second perpendicular to the layer before. All the same rules apply to the second layer except one thing, no foil or paper. Now if you bought a crap load of insulation with the paper on it, that’s OK because all you have to do is perforate the paper on the insulation and install it facing the same way that the other insulation is.
Now that everything is laid out and it seems like your done your going to want to check everything be for you leave the attic. Make sure that none of the venting is blocked so that proper air flow and flow through the attic. Another thing is to make sure that you didn’t miss any spots and that you covered all the areas needed. A very important thing to remember is to check all the things that produce any heat and make sure that they are not cover in anyway. After that is all said and done there you have it an insulated attic and you’ll notice those heating a cooling bill fall.
View here to know in detail about how to insulate an attic roof rafters.
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