Adding Insulation To Attic Floor

Attics are a top pick when homeowners decide to gain some extra storage or add a guest room but not all attic flooring structures are up to the task of supporting the weight of a new living space.

Adding insulation to attic floor.

Check the attic walls and floors adjacent to an unheated space like a garage or basement. Any existing batt or roll insulation in the attic should have the facing against the attic drywall floor or no facing at all. Plan to pull up the flooring and layer new. Adding flooring to your attic is a relatively low cost project running about 5 12 per square foot about 190 for a 10 x 10 area if you do it yourself.

The structural elements are usually exposed in these areas which makes it easy to see what type of insulation you have and to measure its depth or thickness inches. Build up the height of the joists prior to installing flooring when the insulation reaches the tops of the joists. Batt or rolled insulation or blown loose fill insulation fiberglass or cellulose can be installed on top of old insulation. Even easier you can also use a prefabricated attic floor kit designed specifically to raise the attic floor above the insulation.

Block all vents in the attic floor with baffles making sure to extend the baffles at least four inches above the planned thickness of your insulation. When adding additional insulation you do not have to use the same type of insulation that currently exists in your. Stop using your attic for storage. 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.

Whether you live in a warm weather state as i do or in a cooler northern climate it s hard to stay comfortable and keep your energy bills in check if you don t have adequate insulation in the attic. 3 have a friend add material to the hopper. Attic insulation between roof trusses. Since the insulation is in the floor of the attic you will need to add insulation to the rafters as well so as to make the attic space into usable living space.

Because the simplest and cheapest way to insulate an attic is to add material to the floor. 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. 1 put on work gloves safety glasses and a dust mask before entering the attic. To install fiberglass batts over existing insulation lay the batts perpendicular to the joists so they do not compress the insulation below.

Start with the attic floor. Add the right kind of insulation.