How to insulate your attic
You hear all the time about the importance of conserving energy and how it’s good for the environment and your bank account. Increasing the amount of
insulation in your home can help you save on energy bills and can qualify you for provincial federal government eco-energy grants.
Insulating Your Attic – Where to start?
Experts suggest starting at the top, in your attic. Insulating your attic, saving money and helping keep the planet green can be done in a few simple steps.
The first thing you need to do is figure out how much insulation you already have. Measure the thickness of your attics existing insulation using an insulation ruler. To help save as much as 28%* on your heating and cooling energy bills it is recommended that you should have 15 inches of bat insulation. Now calculate how many packages of insulation you will need to finish the job. Determine the area in square feet to be insulated by multiplying the length times the width in feet. Measure the distance between joists, the long wooden dividers on the attic floor to determine the required insulation width for the job. Divide the total square footage to be insulated by the square foot per package rounding up to the next whole number to determine the total number of packages you will need.
Remember to always work safely when insulating. Wear the right protective gear.
Long sleeve shirts and pants, work gloves, work boots, approved safety glasses and a disposable dust mask. Light up your work space so you can see properly and leave the bundles of insulation in tack, open only one at a time. Start at the outer edges of the attic and work your way into the centre, placing bats
perpendicular to the joists.
For proper ventilation install ready to use rafter vents between roof rafters, also known as rafter baffles. This will provide unrestricted air flow through the soffits into the attic reducing the risk of condensation. When insulating around electric wiring or plumbing, split the bat and fit it around the wire or pipe. Also be sure to keep insulation at least 75 mm away from metal chimneys, gas water heaters flues or other heat producing devices.
And that’s all it takes to save you money on your energy bills. Not to mention you will help reduce green house gases by a half ton per year, year-after-year