How much attic insulation do I need?
90% of homes in the United States are under-insulated. If you suspect that your one of the 90%, there’s a simple insulation inspection you can perform to help you determine your insulation needs. Making sure you have the correct amount of attic insulation helps prevent ice dams in the winter, helps you save money on energy bills, and keeps your house a comfortable temperature.
Inspecting your attic insulation
Your attic needs to have a certain amount of insulation in it, and there’s a recommended level of insulation for your attic, all depending on where you live. Right off the bat, you need to go up to your attic and inspect the insulation, and calculate its current levels.
Here is how to assess what you’ve got:
WHAT YOU SEE: Loose fibers
| WHAT IT PROBABLY IS: Light-weight yellow, pink or white – fiberglass | TOTAL INSPECTION R-VALUE: = 2.5 x depth
|
Dense grey or near white, may have black specs | Rock wool
| = 2.8 x depth
|
Small gray or flat pieces or fibers (from newsprint) | Cellulose
| = 3.7 x depth
|
Granules
| Light-weight – vermiculite or perlite* | = 2.7 x depth
|
Batt | Light-weight yellow, pink, or white – fiberglass | = 3.2 x depth |
*care should be taken as this material can possibly have asbestos in it. You should have it tested before disturbing it
Is my attic insulation where it needs to be?
In the chart above you will see what your attic insulation should be (based on your climate).
Need help determining what you have? Need help improving what you have?
Call North Central Insulation for a free estimate.
1-800-433-5176
NCI – because saving energy and money makes a difference.
