Attic Floor Insulation

Don t skip the insulation in the floor.

Attic floor insulation.

These r values are a sum meaning this should be the total r value once you add up the entire depth of insulation. Attic flooring consists of materials as basic as sheets of plywood as well as more elaborate interlocking floor systems. Stop using your attic for storage. Because the simplest and cheapest way to insulate an attic is to add material to the floor.

First if you never build a room in the attic the insulation in the floor area will save energy costs. That means insulating the attic floor only not the walls and having vents in the roof. Plan to pull up the flooring and layer new. Most houses attics are built without flooring and are not designed to carry the heavy load of finished space.

While local codes vary many communities will not permit the ceiling in a finished. No matter how old your home is it s a good idea to see if there are ways to improve its insulation. However in some cases the joists are intentionally built strong enough for the homeowner to later build out the attic. Considering usable floor space.

Start with the attic floor. Even easier you can also use a prefabricated attic floor kit designed specifically to raise the attic floor above the insulation. While you can get by cheaper by adding no insulation there are two reasons to add insulation between floor joists. The higher the r value the better the thermal performance of the insulation.

Air from rooms below will not escape rapidly into the attic. The headroom in the attic will determine how much usable floor space you have. Find your zone on the map and then use the above insulation r value chart to determine the level of insulation you need to properly insulate your attic walls floors and crawlspaces. The table below shows what levels of insulation are cost effective for different climates and locations in the home.

However if you keep the storage weight to a minimum you may be able to build a storage platform above the insulation by attaching supporting beams to the sides of the trusses. Most homes are insulated in the attic and any floors located above unfinished basements or crawl spaces. 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. The ceiling load may include items like drywall ducts recessed lights bathroom fans and attic insulation.

The solid base. How to insulate a finished attic. How to lay attic flooring on top of fiberglass insulation. A finished attic should be insulated much like the rest of the house with insulation in the walls and ceiling.

With a finished attic insulation must help keep the attic areas comfortable. Attic insulation between roof trusses.