Importance of Ceiling Insulation
Ceiling Insulation – its importance to your home
Thermal insulation is very important as it helps a lot to keep the house warm during the cold season and cool during the summer. In these circumstances, ceiling insulation is very important because it can protect the house from all the climatic changes. It is recommended that ceiling insulation be installed between the conditioned and the unconditioned areas.
Forms of Ceiling Insulation
There are two types of insulation that can be used: fiberglass batts and fiberglass loose-fill. They are most handy as they are inexpensive and can last for five to eight years. The fiberglass loose-fill must be used with a blown in insulation tool. An important thing to know about insulation is the R-value of the material used. If the R-value — meaning the resistance to heat loss or gain — is higher, it means that the material is a better insulator.
Insulating the Attic
The attic must be insulated with a material that has a high R-value. For insulating the joints in the attic, insulation material that has a density of R-40 is preferred. The higher the resistance value, the bigger the comfort in the house will be. It must be kept in mind, though, that the material will be more expensive.
Materials and Tools for Ceiling Insulation
For insulating the ceiling several materials and tools are needed, like loose-fill or batt type material, adhesive backed rubber weather stripping for attic doors. It is also necessary to use portable extension cords, wooden planks, a hammer and duck tape.
Attic Insulation
If the attic is finished, there will be an entire process to insulate it. Holes are to be made in walls and different type of attic construction will need different types of insulating materials. So, it is advisable to install R-38 insulating material along the collar beams and R-11 in the knee walls. Because the ceiling in the attic is sloped, the insulation will be done around the rafters. The procedure includes drilling holes in the ceiling and filling them.
The Finishing
After insulating the attic, attention should be paid to the attic access door, which requires R-30 insulating material. On the top of the door, R-17 batt insulation must be used. This way, the colder air from the attic is hindered from entering into the warmer atmosphere of the house. After all that, the access door must be sealed with rubber stripping, and the job finished using duct tape.