Can I Insulate My Attic Myself

Your attic door is more likely in a hallway or inside a closet though.

Can i insulate my attic myself.

Consumers are often told by spray foam contractors to do the rafters. Add the right kind of insulation when adding additional insulation you do not have to use the same type of insulation that currently exists in your attic. Blowing attic insulation isn t hard but it s dusty sweaty work. Because the simplest and cheapest way to insulate an attic is to add material to the floor.

When you insulate attics and crawlspaces you ve got to vent them too since home insulation changes the way attics and crawlspaces breathe it s critical that you maintain or install proper ventilation fig. That s because it s easier for the contractor to spray than clean up existing insulation deal with any can lights or venting etc. Stop using your attic for storage. The recommended level for most attics is to insulate to r 38 or about 10 to 14 inches depending on insulation type.

You can do it yourself for about 500. Unless your home was specially constructed for energy efficiency you can probably reduce your energy bills by adding more insulation. How much does attic insulation cost. As far as the price difference i would recommend you get 3 estimates in the town where you live and do not take the lowest one.

If you re not do the attic floor. While insulating your attic space with foam can be an effective way to lower heating costs you can use a simple reflective foil material as a cost effective alternative. Sometimes it isn t necessary to insulate an attic door because it is located in an unconditioned area of your home like the garage. The required amount of ventilation is a net free ventilation area nfva of 1 150 of the square footage of the attic.

In that case it should be insulated with the correct r value for your climate per recommendations given by the department of energy. Many older homes have less insulation than homes built today but even adding insulation to a newer home can pay for itself within a few years. If you need to add insulation in your attic save big by blowing in cellulose insulation yourself. The pros charge 1 500 to 2 000 to do a 1 200 sq ft.

By stapling the foil sheets to your attic roof rafters you can reflect the heat that hits the rafters back down into your home s living space. At first it seems odd to add insulation for warmth and then purposely create ventilation holes for cold air to enter. Yes lay the insulation batts perpendicular to the joists if you are installing it yourself and be careful not to block off the eaves and remember to install air chutes in each rafter space. If you re using the attic for living space then you need to insulate the rafters.

Often people throw insulation into the attic which blocks the vents to the outside air turning the attic into a greenhouse. One for attic prep and the second to actually blow the insulation. But if the floor is covered in plywood you can t stuff enough insulation beneath it to do the job sufficiently not even in warm climates.