Old House Attic Insulation

Insulating the attic and roof roughly a quarter of the average home s heat is lost through the roof.

Old house attic insulation.

Vermiculite and perlite are older granulated insulations with relatively low r values which describes the product s thermal resistance. This is a safe first step to retaining heat and saving energy. In most cases the best type of attic insulation will be blown fiberglass or blown cellulose insulation. Some homeowners also take the time to build walkways and or storage platforms in the attic prior to installing insulation.

The answer to making an old house inhabitable is insulation. According to home advisor insulating your attic can cost between 1700 to 2100. The insulation must meet doe standards. The insulation materials used in older houses are not as effective in keeping heat in as the new ones.

Here are just a few of the highlights. Adding insulation where it was never designed to go mainly the walls of an old house causes a host of problems all due to the moisture issues it creates. Shredded newspaper or loose fill cellulose was another common insulation in the past. To keep the ventilation space clear above soffit vents special baffles need to be installed before the insulation goes in.

Contractor or insulation installer s fee. In most climates it needs a vapor barrier. Even if you bought the house with insulation already installed into it it s best to double check. Sometimes wood products such as sawdust or balsa wood were used at insulation in old homes but these are very ineffective.

Type and material of your insulation. The main factors that impact the cost are. Rather than insulating the whole home and potentially causing problems like excess humidity you can properly seal the attic of an old house. Wood can wet without issue but keep it wet and then the problems arise.

Fiberglass batts the insulation found in most houses in the u s are inexpensive and quick to install.