Proper Roof Insulation

Fiberglass batts the insulation found in most houses in the u s are inexpensive and quick to install.

Proper roof insulation.

Get the most out of your home with proper roof insulation. Depending on where you live and the part of your home you re insulating walls crawlspace attic etc you ll need a different r value. You put a lot into keeping your home running. Typical recommendations for exterior walls are r 13 to r 23 while r 30 r 38 and r 49 are common for ceilings and attic spaces.

Always cover the tops of the ceiling joists to make sure the insulation is deep enough to reach your target r value and. Like other batt type insulation fiberglass has a predictable r value if not compressed but is difficult to fit around obstacles without leaving gaps. Insulation puts the money back in your pocket by protecting your home from the elements and lowering energy costs. This foam can be used on either the outside or the inside of the sheathing.

By the mother earth news editors. This guide to proper attic insulation includes tips on vent areas right side up puckers loose or compressed insulation animal nests mold and more. R value is a measure of insulation s ability to resist heat traveling through it. Recommended home insulation r values insulation level are specified by r value.

A vent baffle should be installed between the insulation and the roof decking to maintain the ventilation channel. Next you ll have to build up the layers and since many attics harbor pipes and electrical equipment you ll have to work around the pipe work and electrical gear and create storage decking if you want to use the space for storing stuff. Because the roof isn t in play here it doesn t matter how many hips valleys dormers or gables there are. It s also easier and often less expensive to pile on fiberglass or cellulose insulation at the attic floor to hit target r values than it is to achieve a comparable r value in the roof plane.

This is different from the normal roll up type of insulation as it comes in panels rather than paper covered fiberglass. More insulation installation tricks and tips work from the perimeter of the attic toward the door or hatch so that you don t trample all over the insulation you just. In most climates it needs a vapor barrier. The higher the r value the better the thermal performance of the insulation.

The most proper insulation level to use on ceilings are r 30 batts that are as thick as r 25 batts but fit into a 2x10 framing.