Insulating Hard To Access Attic
Before insulating seal any air leaks and make roof and other necessary repairs.
Insulating hard to access attic. To fix this energy nosebleed the hatch needs thicker insulation good weatherstripping and tight latches. In homes where access to the attic isn t desirable or possible the best place for overhead insulation is between the ceiling joists. With a helper to load the blower with insulation as needed start at the perimeter of the attic and work toward the attic access door. Joel hanawalt posted in general questions on march 15 2020 11 42am hi everyone in a little while i m going to have my roof replaced.
Most insulation i find in the attic of homes is air permeable air can travel through it. Fine homebuilding as this thermal image shows poorly detailed attic access hatches leak a lot of heat. Every attic access hatch needs weatherstripping. The pros charge 1 500 to 2 000 to do a 1 200 sq ft.
In addition to making the unit hard to get to for service high attic heat can trigger the. Some builders make their attic access hatches out of sip scraps. To make insulating an attic easier grab a helper and set aside two days. How much does attic insulation cost.
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. Because the simplest and cheapest way to insulate an attic is to add material to the floor. Cut out two pieces of rigid foam board that are 1 4 inch smaller than the hatch so homeowners can slide the attic access panel open easily. One for attic prep and the second to actually blow the insulation.
Adequate insulation reduces utility costs and conserves energy. Blowing attic insulation isn t hard but it s dusty sweaty work. You can do it yourself for about 500. Insulate and air seal any knee walls vertical walls with attic space directly behind them in your home as well.
Find a pre screened local home insulation contractor. If you need to add insulation in your attic save big by blowing in cellulose insulation yourself. When the shingles are all off it ll allow me access to a remodeled section of the attic. Fill every joist space completely and evenly with the insulation leaving attic vents uncovered.
This means while your insulation in the attic may slow the flow of heat via radiation it will not stop air flow from the living space which carries heat via convection if there is a path for air to travel. Sometime in the past they added a better entryway with a low pitch roof add on. If it is located in a conditioned part of the house also remember to insulate and air seal your attic access. Put it in an attic full of blown insulation and you re forcing it to work harder to vent its heat.
Install fiberglass batt insulation on top of the foam board. Attach the two layers of foam board together and apply them to the hatch.