How Thick Should Insulation Be In Your Attic

Inspecting your attic insulation.

How thick should insulation be in your attic.

The most common form that insulation comes in is a batt or blanket. The insulation in your attic should be at least 12 thick. Add insulation to attic. They come with or without a paper or foil facing that acts as a vapor barrier.

It is not uncommon to see 15 to 20 of insulation in a well insulated attic. However building codes only require an r 38. There are three common attic insulation types used today. Find your zone on the map and then use the chart to determine the level of insulation you need to properly insulate your attic walls floors and crawlspaces.

Different types of insulation take up different amounts of space to insulate effectively. 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. Typically houses in warm weather states should have an r 38 insulation in the attic whereas houses in cold climates should have r 49. These are large rolls of insulation that are easy to cut into usable shapes.

First things first you need to go up into your attic inspect the condition of the insulation and calculate the current level of insulation. If your attic insulation is only a few inches thick or if you can see the ceiling joists you re wasting money on your heating and cooling bills. Batt spray and blown. Existing 3 4 inches of insulation.

Recommended insulation levels for retrofitting existing wood framed buildings. 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. The thicker the better. Achieving greater r values in attics the higher the r value the better the thermal performance of the insulation.

This flexible insulation material is most often packaged in rolls that come in various thicknesses and standard widths usually 16 inches and 24 inches to fit between joists or studs in a house s framing. These insulation levels will keep heated air from migrating out in winter. Typical fiberglass batt insulation has an r value between 2 9 and 3 8 per inch of thickness. In a cooling climate a good blanket of attic insulation helps keep the house cooler and reduces the load on air conditioning equipment.

Attic insulation is measured by an r value which indicates how insulation controls the flow of heat and cold through your home. Department of energy recommends r 49 attic insulation.