By Most people have ordinary insulation installed in their attics. It is the stuff which is made of fiberglass or cellulose. You get this clear right before you start that radiant barriers are not intended to replace regular attic insulation. They are used to reduce heat loss or gain specifically. They do not reduce heat by conducting efficiently, but by reducing radiant heat and make traditional insulation much more effective.
If you are building a new home, invest a couple of thousands more in radiant barrier insulation for attic. You can install the radiant barriers in the attic spaces and reduce radiant heat transfer up to 97% reducing energy bills up to 40%.
The radiant barriers are made of aluminum, and you need one that is double-sided, durable and strong. You should not start when cutting the vents around. Also, you will always want to use a perforated product that breathes to avoid trapping moisture.
Thus, the step number one is to calculate how much material you need. If you cannot do the calculations, your dealer will help you. The only tools needed are a staple gun and a standard utility knife for cutting.
All you do is simply staple your radiant barrier to the bottom of the joists. In colder climates, you can put the sheet directly onto the attic insulation. It is not a complicated process, so do not complicate it in overthinking it. Remember that a radiant barrier does not have to look pretty. Really no matter what the radiant barrier looks like, if you get the blade between the ceiling and the insulation, it is going to work.
Well, now that you are in the attic on a nice cool day, start working from below. If the wall that parallels your beams is 40 feet, it is how long the first run must be. Space between floor and the edge of the blade will allow fresh cool air to flow behind the radiant barrier. Now staple four times in each second beam. You can staple each if you like, or one in three depending of the separation of the woods. It takes about five minutes to staple a 40 foot run. When you reach the ventilation tubes, simply cut it around. Make the large about six centimeters cut around flammable pipes like hot water heaters. When the first run is in place, start at the second, overlap the foil by about two inches. When you get to cross supports, you will need to wrap the blade around them. If you use the truss as a cutting board, it becomes an easy and fast process. Cut a tee in foil and wrap. Remember that it is not supposed to be airtight because the blade is like shade and it has a cumulative effect. Run the paper all the way up and leave a space of 3 to 6 inches on top. The warm air will rise and leave the attic through this gap. This method significantly reduces the heat in your house.
Insulation of attic staircase is one of the most difficult tasks out there in home improvement. But if done correctly, this improvement will save you up to 20% on your energy bills.
Walls around Attic Stairway
The insulation of the walls around attic stairway is a challenge as they are usually finished surfaces. The walls must have holes drilled in them in a line and then they will be satiated with cellulose insulation dense package for R-value and the maximum sealing air. Don’t forget the walls of the closet and up the staircase, which are not the outer walls. The exterior walls should be insulated already. If not, you should be concerned about this project. Flank isolation is also very important.
The door
There are some options in the insulation of the door according to the width of the door. If the door is standard size, then you could go to your local mill works shop and buy one. External door with pre-hung insulation is the reason for the exterior door and it is because it is made to withstand extreme temperatures and be pre-hung, and it has all the seals and air sealing products that are already part of the door and door frame. You simply have to remove the old door marking as carefully as possible so as not to damage the door frame. This work should be done by a professional if you have not installed a door before.
If an exterior door cannot be used, you will need to glue 2 layers of 2 insulation foam with polyicynene board to the inside of the door. Make sure the door closes properly and then compression seals should be added to make sure the door seals properly.
The End of the Stairway
If the bottom of the staircase box is finished with drywall, then the holes should be drilled under each step and dense package cellulose should be used to insulate and seal the air passages. If this method is used, it is important to make sure that all gaps and cracks are filled and/or caulked to prevent any problems.
If the Stairway is unfinished, foam insulation should be used to seal and insulate the steps. This will insure that there is no air movement and the steps are completely insulated and sealed.
The Attic Floor
It is important to check the attic floor around the hollow of the staircase as insulation is usually low in this area because of people moving things and storing objects close to the staircase as well. It is recommended that blowing in the cellulose insulation can be used to a minimum depth of 12 centimeters. If there is a floor surface to walk, simply make holes in the soil and add the cellulose dense package insulation in the necessary areas. Luckily, it does not include the whole attic.
