How To Insulate An Attic In Texas

The two types of attic insulation available for diy are loose fill insulation and batts insulation.

How to insulate an attic in texas.

See below for a shopping list and tools. Attic temperatures can often approach 140f during the day. This old house general contractor tom silva and host kevin o connor demonstrate the proper way to insulate an attic. Further attic insulation can be done with attic tents which insulate the attic drop down stairs and slice your energy bill by about 145 annually.

Find your zone on the map and then use the chart to determine the level of insulation you need to properly insulate your attic walls floors and crawlspaces. Most attic insulation is either fiberglass batts roll out blankets pre cut to fit in the spaces between ceiling joists or cellulose loose fill pulverized paper or fabric that is blown into attic spaces with a large hose. Spray foam is a more expensive and more effective alternative to batt insulation. Uninsulated attic spaces are responsible for significant heat loss since heat rises in a building.

Insulation tips for hot humid climates. Because the simplest and cheapest way to insulate an attic is to add material to the floor. Achieving greater r values in attics the higher the r value the better the thermal performance of the insulation. Properly installed a foam attic can average 80 degrees in the hot texas sun.

Plan to pull up the flooring and layer new insulation on top of the old. Spray foam is great for hard to reach gaps because it starts off as a liquid that expands creating an insulation barrier. But if the floor is covered in plywood you can t stuff enough insulation beneath it to do the job sufficiently not even in warm climates. If you live in the texas panhandle consider increasing your insulation level to at least r 38.

In a standard insulation system ceiling insulation reduces the transfer of heat from the attic to the living space in the summer. Most of this heat enters the attic space through a multi step process.