What Insulation Should I Install In My Attic?
Are you looking to improve your attic’s insulation? Having a well insulation attic can save you money continuously, both in heating and cooling costs and in preserving the life of your shingles.Attic insulation ties in with ventilation. It is not worth much doing one without the other. We have focused a lot on ventilation in the past. The goal of both good insulation and good ventilation is to establish an attic that has the same temperature inside as it does outside. This never happens in reality, but that is the goal. If we can create an attic space that can keep the warm air from your home in winter from going through the ceiling, it can help lengthen the life of the shingles as well as prevent ice dams.So how should we install our attic insulation? There are so many options, it is hard to sift through all of the information. Take a look at some of the available insulation below:
Generally, blown in insulation is better than batt insulation in attics. The most common attic insulation is cellulose, which is basically just recycled paper treated to be more fireproof and rodent / insect proof. We want to make it easy for you to look into all of your options in one place. Just refer to the chart below to see what insulation might fit your needs.
Cementitious Foam for Attics
Cementitious Foam is basically a lightweight cement substance that can be sprayed into your attic’s ceiling cavity. It looks like shaving cream as it is sprayed in, and dries without shrinking away, successfully blocking air flow. This foam is naturally water and fireproof, and blocks sound effectively. Perhaps the only disadvantage of this product is it’s price!
Cellulose Loose Fill Insulation
The most popular of attic insulation, cellulose is a recycled and inexpensive naturally-insulating product that has a high R-Value. However, it does have several downsides. It is treated to resist fire and rodents, but this non-toxic chemical has been known to seep out if the material under certain circumstances. Also, if cellulose insulation gets wet at all, it will take a very long time to dry, if ever. Overall, it is not a bad choice for the average homeowner.
Loose Fill Sheep's Wool Insulation
Another potentially expensive, but high quality, product is natural sheeps wool. It is available in batts and as loose fill. It is the ultimate green product, naturally fire and water resistant, and also serves as a good sound barrier. It also never ‘settles’ like many other loose fill products do, increasing it’s effectiveness.
Loose Fill Fiberglass Insulation
Fiberglass insulation is recycled glass and plastic blown into tiny fibers. This insulation is incredibly inexpensive, but is prone to damage from moisture and has a relatively low R-Value per inch. It also requires special installation and safety gear to install.
Polystyrene Insulation
Polystyrene is essentially styrofoam. It is also known as EPS, expanded polystyrene and extruded polystyrene, depending on the type of polystyrene you are talking about. This can be used as a board, a foam or as little beads (loose fill). This is generally an expensive option and, instead, we recommend EPS for roof insulation for homes or buildings without an attic.
Good luck insulating your attic! If you have any questions, please contact us today at 801-487-5151