Attic Insulation Effectiveness

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

Attic insulation effectiveness.

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. Bountiful eave soffit ventilation space. It is meant to supplement insulation not replace it. You ve got to do the calculations to find where your optimum is.

To be effective the reflective surface must face an air space. Attic ventilation fans could be effective if your home has. On the flip side if your insulation levels are that low you would probably see more bang for. The higher the r value the more effective an insulating material is.

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. Insulation level are specified by r value. Because of this compression loose fill insulation r value does not change proportionately with thickness. Hvac equipment in the attic that is well insulated and sealed.

An attic floor that is thoroughly air sealed. R value is a measure of insulation s ability to resist heat traveling through it. Commonly used and inexpensive but fibers can irritate lungs and skin though less so than in years past thanks to better manufacturing and it s less effective at blocking airflow than other. Blowing insulation into walls is best left to the pros because it involves drilling into stud spaces that may contain electrical.

The table below shows what levels of insulation are cost effective for different climates and locations in the home. The higher the r value the better the thermal performance of the insulation. 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. In general an attic s r value should be.

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. Your home s r value score will guide you toward the type of insulation you need. The effectiveness of an insulation material s resistance to heat flow also depends on how and where the insulation is installed. Recycled glass or sand that s melted and spun into fibers.

Handy homeowners can install blown in insulation in the attic. To determine how much insulation you need for your climate consult a local insulation contractor.