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Insulation For Your Attic
Adding
insulation in your attic can drastically help reduce your
heating and cooling bills each month. The
attic is a perfect place for hot and cold air to leak in and
out. With proper insulation, your attic can provide you with
an energy efficient home. There are many options for insulating
your attic.
Insulating your attic is the number one way to help improve
your heating and cooling bills and help make your home more
energy efficient. When properly installed, attic insulation
can decrease your energy bill by about twenty percent or more
per month. In addition, there are many different types of material
that can be used for insulating your attic. In most cases,
you do not even have to hire a professional to install. The
homeowner can do most attic improvements.
When looking at the type of insulation you will want to install
in your attic, think about the R-value. The R-value
of insulation is the insulation’s ability to resist heat flow. The higher
the R-value, the more effective it will be to insulate. Insulations
materials can vary in thickness. Some insulation averages R-3
while others are as high as R-8 per inch. It is important to
remember that over time, any insulation will loose some of
its ability to insulate and will reduce in R-value.
There are many reasons to consider replacing or improving
attic insulation. For those who have little or no insulation,
or who have very old insulation, replacing insulation has benefits.
Also, you should consider insulation if you have high energy
bills or if you attic or walls have been exposed during remodeling.
Before
replacing or adding insulation to your attic you should
determine whether or not you have moisture problems. Problems
with moisture can become worse with adding insulation. Insulation
can trap moisture causing mildew and mold to grow and spread.
In addition, when water and moisture collect in the attic,
it can cause stains and rot. Before putting in any insulation,
it is best to seal all air leaks. This not only helps moisture,
but also reduces heating bills by keeping cold air from entering
the home.
There
are many kinds of insulation that can be added to your
attic. Insulation sheets and bats are easy to install. If you
have an open attic space, some insulation sheets some may not
be easy to install if the joists are not spaced evenly. Also,
by applying a second layer of insulation blankets crosswise
over the first layer can help seal cracks. This will help reduce
heat loss. This can also prevent moisture problems.
Another type of insulation that is good for the attic is loose
fill insulation. This is perfect for filling irregular shaped
spaces. It also can have more complete coverage than bats.
When installing loose fill insulation, it can be blown from
a machine or hand poured and bought in a bag. If you like do-it-yourself
projects, you can rent machines that will blow the insulation
at rental stores. Caution should be used when using a machine
to blow in insulation. The settings must be carefully set so
that not too much insulation is used. If the insulation is
too thick, it can cause settling and may not properly insulate
the attic.
There are commonly used types of insulation that can be good
options for using in attic spaces. Cellulose insulation is
made from ground wood or paper. This type of insulation is
often used in attics and usually has additives to prevent mold
and resistance to fire. Fiberglass insulation is made of molten
glass strands. This type is also fire resistant. Wood shavings
used to be commonly used, but are not used much any more, especially
in attics. Insulation made of wood shavings can be too heavy
for the inside of attics and can promote fungal growth.
When working with insulation in your attic, extreme caution
should be used. You should always protect your hands
and eyes when applying insulation. Many types of insulation can irritate
that eyes, nose and throat. It is always recommended to wear
protective gear when using insulation in any part of you home.
Adding or replacing insulation in your attic can be a good
way to help lower your heating and cooling bill. Professionals
can be hired to apply the insulation or many choose to do it
themselves. # # # # #
SolveYourProblem.com : 2007
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