Attic Insulation Too Much

If a home is over insulated and is too tightly sealed moisture can get trapped inside.

Attic insulation too much.

Most homes will keep fairly cool with just six to eight inches of insulation but over time insulation settles so having a little extra doesn t hurt. Unless your roofing system has insulation on the roofing deck and is designed without ventilation your furnace should not be heating your attic. There comes a point where too much insulation starts to have a negative effect financially environmentally and in terms of the longevity of your home. It is therefore important to allow the entry of fresh air into your attic to prevent the build up of humidity.

Poor insulation is usually the culprit although if you enter the attic on sunny winter day your attic space can be warmed by the sun more than your furnace. Your attic should have a certain amount of insulation in it and the recommended level of insulation for your attic is dependent on where you live. Add the right kind of insulation. And you may also qualify for a tax credit on the blown in attic insulation cost check with the irs or at energystar gov.

You could see your energy bills go down by as much as 15 to 25 percent depending on your climate and existing levels of insulation. Your attic vents allow warm air to expelled more naturally replacing it with cooler air from outside. Loose fill or batt the common term for blanket insulation. Without proper ventilation a home can build up too much moisture especially in the attic warm air rises which can cause mold problems and overall lower indoor air quality.

Fortunately insulation fixation is a monkey not many people have on their backs. However there can be a downside if your insulation material is blocking your vents. When you can see the joists you definitely need more insulation. Both can be added to uninsulated attics or layered over existing material.

Too much insulation is not a problem. The higher the r value the better the thermal performance of the insulation. If your insulation doesn t measure up and you need more installation can be done as a weekend diy project or you can call a professional installer to handle the job. The long term payoff of insulating an attic is impressive too.

The point of diminishing returns. Once you ve decided which type is best for you examine the material options and prices to home in on the right product. The recommended level for most attics is to insulate to r 38 or about 10 to 14 inches depending on insulation type. So yes it is possible to over insulate your house.

The right amount of insulation in a home be that attic walls or floor will of course vary by region.