Is Kraft Paper Needed For Attic Insulation

Why doesn t it matter.

Is kraft paper needed for attic insulation. Outside is very cold and dry so the water vapor in your home is trying to leave. The first thing that you need to know is what type of insulation will work best for your home. Batts in the rafters simply jamming batts between the rafters of a cathedral ceiling or insulated attic will interfere with the roof s ability to breathe. Unfaced insulation is fiberglass only and does not have any type of facing attached to it.

Roll insulation is best for floors ceilings and roofs with a long joist or rafter bays and for tall walls. According to owens corning and certainteed makers of insulation kraft paper is a retarder not a barrier. They also state that the vapor retarder is a one way ticket to allow moisture out of the structure but not back in. An unfaced insulation product does not mean that this.

When using insulation that has either paper or plastic facing that moisture barrier faces outward toward the attic space. This is usually kraft paper but sometimes other types of paper can be used. You can install the paper facing however you want as long as the building inspector lets you of course. Kraft paper the asphalt impregnated brown paper facing available on insulation is rarely called for these days.

Unfaced means the insulation lacks a vapor retarder paper or plastic facing. Kraft faced insulation includes a paper vapor retarder which helps prevent mold and mildew. Some builders rely on batts with attached kraft paper facing to do that job but tom recommends unfaced batts covered in plastic with all the seams taped shut. Kraft faced insulation is manufactured with a paper facing on one side of the insulation.

Any potential changes can be secured by asking your local insulation dealer. First the kraft paper is a vapor retarder meant to reduce the potential for moisture problems caused by diffusion. The painted drywall of your home and perhaps the kraft paper lining of your wall and ceiling insulation are slowing the vapor s exit. It could just as well be a paper faced material or an unfaced material this kind of material lacks the paper that gives it steadiness.

When insulation was first developed it was only an inch or two thick and the attached kraft facing was stapled to studs to keep it from sagging. All kraft faced insulation is easy to cut with a sharp utility knife or insulation knife. Even if the attic space is unheated it typically is warmer than the. Some escapes through air leaks.

Kraft faced or paper faced insulation comes in batts and long rolls. The paper serves as a vapor barrier and the paper tabs are used to fasten the insulation in place. Kraft faced insulation should be installed in exterior walls exterior basement walls and attic ceilings by pressing the product into the wall cavity with the paper side facing outward towards the installer. The batts are precut to fit into cavities on standard 8 foot high walls.