Attic Insulation

Insulating your attic is very important. Not only will it lower power consumption but it also makes your house’s living condition better. As the law of thermodynamics state that heat passes from hot to cold area, summer days would be very well baking residents of non-insulated houses. You can avoid this uncomfortable scenario by installing attic insulation. 

There are three commonly used forms of attic insulation, cellulose-based, installed fiberglass and lastly spray-foam. These materials have their own unique way of insulating your attic but they also share some kind of weakness. 

Cellulose-based insulation are made from bits of newspapers chemically treated to lower its flammability and true indeed, cellulose-based insulation could create a firewall of some sort as they take a very long time to ignite. If ever they do get ignited, they burn slow and do not emit toxic gases. They are usually installed with the use of a blower to attach them to the underside of the roof. 

Fiberglass is made from molten glass jetted through tiny holes to create the fiber and matted as a finish product. The quality of its insulation is highly dependent on how it was installed. If you’re going to use this form of insulation, it would be better to have professionals install it for you as this method is very crucial. Also, fiberglass must be cut and stripped according to your attic’s ceiling or between your floor joists and these would require some tools that are not readily available.

Lastly, spray-polyurethane foam is gaining popularity nowadays as this insulating method is very cost effective. Foam is sprayed on the underside of the roof and also the walls of the attic, completely covering any air leaks. Spray foam insulation also dictates a non-vented attic thus lowering the chances of temperature-swing that could occur with vented attics. 

Of course, the insulation methods presented above also have their own downsides. Cellulose-based insulation can corrode any metal it covers because of its chemical treatment and water content. Since, water is also in play, this type of insulation must be properly dried to prevent moisture from building up and having a rampant growth of mildew. 

The main problem with fiber glass is the cost and also must be kept from electrical wirings to prevent fire hazards. Fiberglass can be a firecracker when ignited and can emit toxic gases. 

Spray foam insulation has gotten quite a bit of flack from traditional building industry as non-vented type of insulation may impose some problems with the structural materials. Wood trusses supposedly need to “breathe” and covering roof underside could lead to higher temperatures causing shingles to rise. However, these claims are not perpetrated by valid researches.

Knowing these set of facts, you can decide on the proper insulating method for your house. You also have some factors to consider like the general temperature in your area, humidity, and how torrential snow or rain can affect your attic. Your decision will highly depend on the function of your attic (living quarter or storage space) and ultimately, your budget.