Is It Really That Important?
Short answer; Yes! Your attics insulation is one of the most critical factors in maintaining an energy efficient & comfortable home. Over time, this insulation becomes matted down or falls away from vertical wall spaces in your attic, degrading its ability to resist heat. Insulation also does not perform well when it has been poorly, incompletely, or inadequately installed. These failing or incomplete installations significantly reduce the nominal R-value of the attic.
Do I Have Enough?
No matter what kind of insulation you currently have in your attic, one quick way to determine if you need more is to look across the span of your attic. If your insulation is just level with or below your floor joists (i.e., you can easily see your joists), you should add more. If you cannot see any of the floor joists because the insulation is well above them, you probably have enough and adding more may not be cost-effective. It is important that the insulation be evenly distributed with no low spots; sometimes there is enough insulation in the middle of the attic and very little along the eaves. To have adequate insulation and ventilation at the eaves, Rafter Vents must be installed.
How Much Should I Add?
Insulation levels are specified by R-Value. R-Value is a measure of insulation’s ability to resist heat flow. The higher the R-Value, the better the thermal performance of the insulation. The recommended level for our region (Climate Zone 2) is to insulate to R-38 or about 10 to 14 inches, depending on insulation type.