Attic Insulation Effectiveness

A radiant barrier is designed to increase the effectiveness of your thermal envelope.

Attic insulation effectiveness.

By reducing the amount of radiant heat reaching the insulation in your attic the insulation remains cooler and is able to keep your home more comfortable. When it is most effective attic ventilation fans work best if the attic floor is thoroughly sealed hvac equipment is well insulated and sealed and attic insulation is less than r 19. If installed on top of attic floor insulation the foil will be susceptible to dust accumulation and may trap moisture in fiber insulation so it is strongly recommended that you not apply radiant barriers directly on top of the attic floor insulation. The bottom line is that although you can certainly put r 40 insulation under your slab or r 80 insulation in your walls it may not be the smartest thing to do.

That doesn t mean all those higher levels of insulation are cost effective though. To determine how much insulation you need for your climate consult a local insulation contractor. The higher the r value the more effective an insulating material is. Attic insulation that is less than r 19.

Recycled glass or sand that s melted and spun into fibers. In general an attic s r value should be. On the flip side if your insulation levels are that low you would probably see more bang for. Your home s r value score will guide you toward the type of insulation you need.

An attic fan can be used temporarily during the summer to decrease the electric bill but it won t be the best option in the long run. Insulation level are specified by r value. Bountiful eave soffit ventilation space. The higher the r value the better the thermal performance of the insulation.

The table below shows what levels of insulation are cost effective for different climates and locations in the home. R value is a measure of insulation s ability to resist heat traveling through it. Attic ventilation fans could be effective if your home has. It is meant to supplement insulation not replace it.

An attic floor that is thoroughly air sealed. You ve got to do the calculations to find where your optimum is. The effectiveness of an insulation material s resistance to heat flow also depends on how and where the insulation is installed. Handy homeowners can install blown in insulation in the attic.

Blowing insulation into walls is best left to the pros because it involves drilling into stud spaces that may contain electrical. To be effective the reflective surface must face an air space.