How Thick Should Insulation Be In Your Attic

Existing 3 4 inches of insulation.

How thick should insulation be in your attic.

Inspecting your attic insulation. The insulation in your attic should be at least 12 thick. Batt spray and blown. There are three common attic insulation types used today.

In the baltimore area the u s. Department of energy recommends r 49 attic insulation. First things first you need to go up into your attic inspect the condition of the insulation and calculate the current level of insulation. They come with or without a paper or foil facing that acts as a vapor barrier.

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. However building codes only require an r 38. The most common form that insulation comes in is a batt or blanket. Achieving greater r values in attics the higher the r value the better the thermal performance of the insulation.

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. Recommended insulation levels for retrofitting existing wood framed buildings. Different types of insulation take up different amounts of space to insulate effectively.

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. It is not uncommon to see 15 to 20 of insulation in a well insulated 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. They range from around 1 to 3 inches in thickness and can be used in multiple applications ranging from walls to attics.

The recommended level for most attics is to insulate to r 38 or about 10 to 14 inches depending on insulation type. In a cooling climate a good blanket of attic insulation helps keep the house cooler and reduces the load on air conditioning equipment. Add insulation to attic. 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. These are large rolls of insulation that are easy to cut into usable shapes.