How Thick Should Insulation Be In My Attic

Add insulation to attic.

How thick should insulation be in my attic.

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. 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. They come with or without a paper or foil facing that acts as a vapor barrier. 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.

The thicker the better. The recommended level for most attics is to insulate to r 38 or about 10 to 14 inches depending on insulation type. 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. For loose fill cellulose this translates to a total depth ranging from 8 inches.

Achieving greater r values in attics the higher the r value the better the thermal performance of the insulation. 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. Build it up to at least 12 inches for optimum insulating power. So if the ideal r value for your home is r 40 your contractor may only need to spray five inches of foam insulation.

Inspecting your attic insulation. In temperate coastal areas such as zone 3 attic insulation of at least r30 up to a maximum of r60 is recommended. Improve your home s comfort with one hour air. If you only have a few inches of insulation in your attic you are likely wasting money on your energy bills.

This is compared to having to stack fiberglass as high as 14 16 inches to get the same results. Recommended insulation levels for retrofitting existing wood framed buildings. Existing 3 4 inches of insulation. The most common form that insulation comes in is a batt or blanket these are large rolls of insulation that are easy to cut into usable shapes.

A good rule of thumb for insulating your attic is to make sure it is at least as tall as your ceiling joists. First things first you need to go up into your attic inspect the condition of the insulation and calculate the current level of insulation.