How To Insulate An Attic In Texas
Uninsulated attic spaces are responsible for significant heat loss since heat rises in a building.
How to insulate an attic in texas. 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. Because the simplest and cheapest way to insulate an attic is to add material to the floor. Spray foam is a more expensive and more effective alternative to batt insulation.
Properly installed a foam attic can average 80 degrees in the hot texas sun. 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. 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 of this heat enters the attic space through a multi step process. See below for a shopping list and tools. 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. Attic temperatures can often approach 140f during the day.
Achieving greater r values in attics the higher the r value the better the thermal performance of the insulation. In a standard insulation system ceiling insulation reduces the transfer of heat from the attic to the living space in the summer. It comes with a higher r value and can also be used in place of caulking to seal the space. This old house general contractor tom silva and host kevin o connor demonstrate the proper way to insulate an attic.
Residents of southern and central texas should insulate their attics to at least r 30 or about 9 5 inches of conventional fiberglass batt insulation. Insulation tips for hot humid climates.