Do You Have To Replace Attic Insulation

Don t do this job yourself.

Do you have to replace attic insulation.

A rule of thumb visible floor joints mean you don t have enough insulation experts say. Dirty attic insulation on the other hand could have been the result of pests like rodents and birds that contaminated the insulation which can lead to an unhealthy home. Attic floor insulation works as the main barrier to prevent heat from escaping when it spreads to the attic through a process called thermal flow. Any existing batt or roll insulation in the attic should have the facing against the attic drywall floor or no facing at all.

If either of these situations are the case it s time to remove insulation from attic spaces to maximize the safety and energy efficiency of your house. Removal and replacement of attic insulation including sealing penetrations from below assuming you already have the standard vapor barrier on top of the topfloor ceiling drywall should run in the 1 2 sf range in a normally accessible attic if low headroom less than 5 feet or so down the middle or low headroom flat roof then closer to 3 sf. Since the 1970s insulation manufacturers have greatly improved their products to keep more heat or cold in and save you more energy. Attic spaces have low hanging ceilings and flooring that s not the sturdiest.

Attempting to inspect or replace the insulation yourself can cause injury. Your cavity insulation sits below that decking against your roof s studs and sheathing. So there s really no need to do anything to the insulation in your attic unless you have some sort of damage on your decking. Batt or rolled insulation or blown loose fill insulation fiberglass or cellulose can be installed on top of old insulation.

But if you can t afford to shell out a few hundred bucks for this service. In that case you may need to replace insulation after the roofer removes the decking boards. In a perfect world you d hire an energy auditor to tell you exactly how much protection you re getting from the few inches of attic insulation you may already have and to pinpoint things like air leaks that you can seal to make sure your insulation will do its job well. Mold can grow from the warm humid atmosphere in an attic causing hazardous air quality for.

You should also replace insulation if your roof has had a leak or you suspect water has gotten into the insulation. Insulation should also be replaced in some cases sooner than 15 years if it is no longer doing its job properly.