My Attic Has No Insulation

When using insulation that has either paper or plastic facing.

My attic has no insulation.

For diy attic insulation you ve got two choices. Loose fill or batt the common term for blanket insulation. In fact the reason for your hot temperatures is due to a lack of insulation and the radiant heat from the sun. Install low gable vents located above the top level of the attic ceiling insulation use eye brow vents that are on the top of the sloping roof surface near the soffit eave area.

Sometimes there is enough insulation in the middle of the attic and very little along the eaves. If you are installing a new roof consider a drip edge vent. Inspect the attic if your attic is not sufficiently vented you probably won t have to look very hard to find signs. Attic insulation r 50 is now the code.

Focus on the other ventilation you have in the attic. They include rafters and ceiling joists that are damp or blackened with mold. Unless your roofing system has insulation on the roofing deck and is designed without ventilation your furnace should not be heating your attic. Install batting between the roof rafters for finished attic spaces.

If your attic insulation covers your joists and is distributed evenly you probably have enough. To see how to add insulation out to the eaves see installing rafter vents. You are unable to keep the hot air from getting into the attic because there is no insulation to protect the attic from the hot air. You can use either faced or unfaced batting for this installation.

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. It is important that the insulation be evenly distributed with no low spots. Thick insulation between 14 and 18 inches is what is needed in most cases but that s not all. Unvented attic assemblies unvented attics rely on an air impermeable insulation installed to the roof deck s underside i e.

Both can be added to uninsulated attics or layered over existing material. Old homes rarely have anything near that. Preferably some at the top of the roof and some at the bottom.