Old House Attic Insulation

In most climates it needs a vapor barrier.

Old house attic insulation.

Like other batt type insulation fiberglass has a predictable r value if not compressed but is difficult to fit around obstacles without leaving gaps. Rather than insulating the whole home and potentially causing problems like excess humidity you can properly seal the attic of an old house. Contractor or insulation installer s fee. The main factors that impact the cost are.

According to home advisor insulating your attic can cost between 1700 to 2100. The insulation must meet doe standards. Adding insulation where it was never designed to go mainly the walls of an old house causes a host of problems all due to the moisture issues it creates. Sometimes wood products such as sawdust or balsa wood were used at insulation in old homes but these are very ineffective.

To keep the ventilation space clear above soffit vents special baffles need to be installed before the insulation goes in. Fiberglass batts the insulation found in most houses in the u s are inexpensive and quick to install. Even if you bought the house with insulation already installed into it it s best to double check. This old house general contractor tom silva shows affordable ways to create an energy efficient attic how to know what insulation is behind your walls if you live in an older home understanding what pads your walls is essential to keeping your family safe.

Square footage of your attic. Wood can wet without issue but keep it wet and then the problems arise. In most cases the best type of attic insulation will be blown fiberglass or blown cellulose insulation. Vermiculite and perlite are older granulated insulations with relatively low r values which describes the product s thermal resistance.

The insulation materials used in older houses are not as effective in keeping heat in as the new ones. Here are just a few of the highlights. Type and material of your insulation. Insulating the attic and roof roughly a quarter of the average home s heat is lost through the roof.

The answer to making an old house inhabitable is insulation.