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Planning to Insulate Your Attic? You Need to Read This!

Insulating an attic is always a good idea. There are plenty of benefits to this, such as improved air quality, deterring pests, stabilizing the whole room’s temperature and more. However, quite a few elements are involved in the whole process. This includes various types of insulation and materials, all the way to installation and target R-values.

How Attic Insulation Helps Save Money

When a house is located in a cold climate, there’s no doubt that wintertime means an extra need for keeping things warm. That can really bring a power bill up. Prices for heating oil and natural gas are likely to rise again in the coming winter, so conservation where (and when) possible is ideal.

Ideally, you would be able to take on the services of an energy auditor so that you can find out how much protection your existing attic insulation is giving you. They will also be able to specifically point out air leaks so that they can be sealed, ensuring that the insulation does its job properly. However, not everyone can afford an energy auditor because they usually cost a couple hundred.

Read on to learn more information about insulating your attic before you get the process going:

The Costs

The cost of attic insulation is typically in the thousands. Insulating an attic will vary widely in price, which is often impacted by factors such as:

  • Contractor fee
  • Insulation installer fee
  • Insulation material
  • Insulation type
  • Square footage of the attic

Don’t Overlook the Attic Floor

The traditional use of an attic is for storage. However, the moment you stop doing that, you’ll get more out of it! It’s the cheapest and easiest way to insulate an attic. All you need to do is add material to the floor! If that floor ends up covered in plywood, though, there won’t be enough insulation underneath for the job to get done, even in places where the climate is warmer.

Pull the flooring up, layering new insulation over the old one. However, without the floor, you will need to find another place to put sports equipment and out-of-season clothes (like heavy coats in the summer).

Pick the Insulation Type and Material Wisely

When attic insulation happens through the do-it-yourself (“DIY”) route, the options are blanket insulation—sometimes known as batt—or loose fill. They can be layered over existing material or get added to uninsulated attics by default. It’s essential to peruse labels for specifics given material options available out there.

  • Batts – This material is flexible, usually packaged in rolls from standard widths and varying thicknesses (typically 16 to 24 inches). It’s meant to fit between studs or joists in the framing of a house. Sometimes they come with a foil or paper facing that serves as a barrier for vapour. 
  • Loose Fill – Insulation fibres are in bags, then are blown in place until they reach the desired density and depth. This is done through special machinery that’s generally available for rent. The fill can be poured in place and then manually spread. However, it’s a manual process that’s labour-intensive with questionable results.

Conclusion

Attic insulation is particularly important for houses in cold climates, but they’re a need everywhere. It’s a great way to cut down on costs, especially with power bills. A good rule of thumb is to pick insulation type and material smartly.

Need foam spray insulation in Saskatoon? Reach out to PolarTech Spray Foam today! We’ve got professional spray foam insulation installation and removal services from experts.

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