Putting Insulation In Walls

Achieving greater r values in attics the higher the r value the better the thermal performance of the insulation.

Putting insulation in walls.

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. In some cases the cost of adding insulation may exceed the cost of energy needed to heat or cool it. The grade of batting will vary depending on the wall that you re insulating. Walls both exterior and interior are the next area to insulate in a home.

Insulating interior walls isn. Check the attic walls and floors adjacent to an unheated space like a garage or basement. So if your house was built before insulating walls became standard you can potentially save a great deal of energy by insulating. The advantages of insulating interior walls.

That creates gaps and air convection routes around the box. Most communities have building codes that require a minimum amount of insulation in a house s exterior walls and ceiling. Retrofit wall insulation is a debatable subject because there is no single right answer for all homes and homeowners. Rigid boards work best on exterior walls along with a vapor barrier.

Choose fiberglass insulation batting. While rated differently these two types of insulation are close enough in thickness that they can both fit into modern two by four wall systems. Tuck the snipped out plug of insulation behind the box. The third area that needs proper insulation is the floors.

Unfortunately however builders didn t insulate the walls of most homes built before the 1980s. Put the batt in place and use a scissors to snip around the box. Only a cost benefit analysis in relation to your own situation can help you arrive at the right answer. The structural elements are usually exposed in these areas which makes it easy to see what type of insulation you have and to measure its depth or thickness inches.

There are various grades of insulating batting for different locations in the house so you ll need a different insulation for interior exterior attic or basement walls. The r value of the batt measures the thermal resistance so the higher the r value the more effectively. Don t wrap fiberglass batts around electrical boxes or stuff full batts behind them.