Top Things You Should Consider Before Insulating Your Attic Space

Attic insulation is important for keeping your home and roof healthy. With proper insulation, your home’s energy efficiency is improved and your roof is kept in good condition.

In this post, seamless gutter and roofing expert Deschutes Roofing discusses some things that you should keep in mind before starting your insulation project.

Insulation Costs

The cost of your attic insulation is influenced by the following:

• The size of your attic
• The materials used for insulation
• Consultation and labor fees (electrician’s fee may also be included in estimating costs)

Insulation Materials

Good insulation materials significantly help in preventing costly roofing repairs, so choosing the proper material for your attic is key to keeping your home and roof in good condition. When it comes to attic insulation, there are two main choices — loose-fill and batts. Both of them work on uninsulated attics and can be layered to provide better insulation. Each of them works best in specific scenarios, and here’s more information to help you decide:

• Loose-fill consists of insulation fibers packed in bags and blown in place using a specific machine. Their contents could be fiberglass, cellulose, or mineral wool. Though they can be spread manually, it wouldn’t be as precise as doing it with a machine. This type of insulation is best for:
  • Attics with many existing obstructions and penetrations
  • Attics with existing insulation (it works well in filling gaps and joints)
  • Attics with irregular joint spaces
  • Attics with limited headroom and hard to move in

• Batts, or blanket insulation, are flexible materials that come in rolls with varying thicknesses and widths (usually 16 to 24 inches). They are designed to fit between the joists and studs of a home’s frame and come in rolls of fiberglass, cellulose, mineral wool or cotton. They also come with or without a foil that serves as a vapor barrier. This type of insulation can be layered on top of each other to increase insulation. This insulation material is best for:
  • Attics with standard joint spacing
  • Attics that have sufficient room for moving around
  • Attics that don’t have many obstructions

Need new insulation or seamless gutters for your home? Deschutes Roofing installs insulation and gutter systems with great workmanship and efficiency. To get started with your project, fill out our contact form or call us at any of these numbers — (541) 241-5720 (Bend), (503) 967-9590 (Portland), (541) 246-6860 (Eugene), (503) 468-7663 (Lake Oswego) or (503) 928-8750 (Beaverton).