Traditional Attic Insulation

Spray foam stays in place and does not settle ensuring total continual performance.

Traditional attic insulation.

Professionals spray an expanding foam insulation into your attic sealing the cracks and insulating it from outside temperature variations. So it s time to pay close attention to what s happening up there. Traditional insulation could retain water potentially damaging your home as well as reducing the functionality of the insulation. There are other materials and systems that you can use to insulate your attic.

Foam once installed is an incredibly strong adhesive so when installed in a traditional attic scenario creates a air tight thermal blanket across the ceiling of a house. So starting off with one of the most common traditional insulation types fibreglass is a popular traditional insulation option on the market. The type of insulation you need depends on which type is currently installed and the required r value. Aside from the insulating benefits of foam a large benefit is that spray foam once installed will never settle blow around or disintegrate.

Developed in the 1930s the candy floss like insulation is the go to insulation method to date. Water retention can be a contributor to mold growth. Some installations can yield a higher r value than traditional batt insulation for the same thickness and can fill even the smallest cavities creating an effective air barrier. Be sure to check your current insulation in case it s time for an upgrade.

A short overview many homes have attics that are completely uninsulated. One that i like a lot since i built a house out of them is the structural insulated panel. Foam in place insulation can be blown into walls on attic surfaces or under floors to insulate and reduce air leakage. It s a sandwich of rigid foam insulation and plywood or osb oriented strand board the flaky plywood.

But when radiant barrier is added over traditional attic insulation emissivity levels drop considerably. It isn t sufficient protection against conduction. Traditional attic insulation and radiant barrier work together and each do their part. Proper attic insulation is the best way to prevent heat loss in the winter and retain cool air in the summer.

You can use the small pressurized cans of foam in place insulation to reduce air leakage in holes and cracks such as window and door frames and electrical and plumbing penetrations. The most common insulation materials are fiberglass cellulose and foam. Radiant barrier is your first line of defense against radiant heat and traditional attic insulation fiberglass or cellulose is the second line of defense against conductive heat gain.