The Way to Insert Extra Insulation into an Attic
An adequately insulated loft reduces your home’s energy costs by keeping warm air in during the winter and hot air outside throughout the summer. Builders usually insulate the loft during building, but sometimes additional insulation is required to increase energy efficiency. Insulation that’s moist, compressed or sprinkled loses its heat-resisting ability and ought to be replaced or enhanced. Fortunately, adding insulation to an attic is a job well within the ability of a capable do-it-yourselfer.
Measure width and the length of the loft. Multiply length by width to determine the attic’s area and the amount of insulation required to cover the loft.
Purchase your insulation. Follow the company’s on-package recommendation for R-value based on your geographic region. R-value is a step of heat resistance. Colder regions of this nation require higher R-values than warmer areas.
Lay a walkway down the middle of your loft with 2 x 10s placed end to end. Carry all the insulation into the attic and set it aside to avoid many trips.
Carry a batt into the far end of the loft. Start at the lowest part of the loft — where the roof meets the outer wall — and unroll the insulating material, perpendicular to the joists, back toward the middle. Stay about the joists since the drywall ceiling won’t support your weight.
Continue unrolling insulating material until you’ve covered the loft. Don’t cover recessed light fixtures unless they’re marked”I.C.” Stay at least three inches from heat sources, including water heaters and chimney flues.
Cut bits of insulation with the utility knife, and also stuff them under your path and into any cracks or small spaces.
