Adding Attic Insulation To Old House

How to insulate an old house.

Adding attic insulation to old house.

Install siding over the insulation. This old house general contractor tom silva explains the wide world of spray foam insulation how to install insulation learn how to beef up your wall s weather protection in 4 easy steps. Fill the gaps your insulated attic isn t necessarily a sealed attic. Attach 1 inch foam board insulation.

Apply a house wrap vapor barrier to exterior walls. Many old houses had some attic insulation usually cellulose or rock wool but these materials lose their effectiveness over time. Let s apply this knowledge to your. Remove the outlet cover and shine a flashlight into the crack around the outlet box.

Pull out a small amount of insulation if needed to help. The easiest way to add attic insulation is with fiberglass batts. Plan to pull up the flooring and layer new insulation on top of the old. You should be able to see if there is insulation in the wall.

Lay the batts perpendicular to the joists so. Make sure you use an unfaced batt one without a paper or foil layer so the insulation does not trap moisture in the ceiling. 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. Caulk window trim and use weatherstripping to reduce air leaks.

How to install attic insulation over existing insulation wear a long sleeve shirt gloves eye protection and a dust mask. Because the simplest and cheapest way to insulate an attic is to add material to the floor. We all know that hot air rises as cool air sinks to a low level. Replace old windows with energy efficient units.

If the existing insulation is near or above the top of the joists it is a good idea to place the new batts perpendicular to the old ones because that will help to cover the tops of the joists themselves and reduce thermal bridging through the frame. If there is not any insulation in your attic fit the insulation between the joists. Before you begin the installation of insulation. Why the attic is key 1.

How to insulate walls in an old house. 3 have a friend add material to the hopper. Inspect the exterior walls by using an electrical outlet.