Do I Need Sidewall Insulation In Attic

Blown in spray foam batts and blankets.

Do i need sidewall insulation in attic.

Lay the batts across the ceiling joists covering the existing insulation. While wearing dust mask and gloves carry r 38 batts of unfaced fiberglass insulation into the attic. Handy homeowners can install blown in insulation in the attic. Your attic should have a certain amount of insulation in it and the recommended level of insulation for your attic is dependent on where you live.

Your home s r value score will guide you toward the type of insulation you need. Standard sidewall widths of both 15 and 23 are available. Your options for attic insulation range from radiant barriers to sheets of mineral wool but most homeowners stick with products made from cellulose or fiberglass. 16 and 24 widths are available for steel stud construction in many parts of the country building codes today call for insulation levels of r 19 or higher in sidewall assemblies.

You should deduct for these areas blowing side walls. There are many types to choose from including blown in cellulose batt such as fiberglass mineral wool or cotton. Both can be added to uninsulated attics or layered over existing material. Once you ve decided which type is best for you examine the material options and prices to home in on the right product.

We offer our review of the three most popular types of attic insulation with a look at each one s pros and cons. In general an attic s r value should be between r 30 and r 49. Inspecting your attic insulation. Windows and doors and not deducted in the above calculation.

In particularly cold climates you might go up to r 60. Insulation level are specified by r value. The higher the r value the better the thermal performance of the insulation. The table below shows what levels of insulation are cost effective for different climates and locations in the home.

First things first you need to go up into your attic inspect the condition of the insulation and calculate the current level of insulation. This is the number of bags of green fiber cellulose insulation you need for your walls. Blowing insulation into walls is best left to the pros because it involves drilling into stud spaces that may contain electrical. Divide the side wall square footage by the coverage per bag as indicated by the sidewall coverage chart.

R value is a measure of insulation s ability to resist heat traveling through it. For diy attic insulation you ve got two choices. Loose fill or batt the common term for blanket insulation.