The Right Way to Add More Insulation to Your Attic

The Best Technique for Adding Attic Insulation

Adding insulation is one of the easiest things we can do to lower energy costs, often by as much as 20 percent a year. Now, for most of us, that adds up to more than 250 dollars. Many attics have only four to six inches of insulation. Depending on where you live, that simply may not be enough. Fiberglass insulation usually comes with a paper moisture barrier. Always make sure the vapor barrier is facing the heated portion of your home. If this were an attic, the barrier would be on the bottom.

When adding insulation, you'll first want to bring the fiberglass up to the tops of the joists. To do this, use an unfaced insulation with no paper moisture barrier. Once you're level with the joist tops, you can add more insulation by running it at right angles to the joists. This too should be unfaced material with no vapor barrier. In many parts of the country, the EPA recommends 12 inches of insulation or more. If you're insulating floors that have a crawl space or unheated basement underneath, install the insulation with the vapor barrier facing up toward the heated spaces above. These wire rods support the insulation and keep it in place. So whether you do it yourself or have someone do it for you, do insulate. It reduces your heating and cooling costs and conserves energy.