Exterior Wall And Attic Insulation Is Used To

Many homes built in the early 1950s often featured little in the way of wall insulation.
Exterior wall and attic insulation is used to. Drill holes in the sheathing and blow insulation into the empty wall cavity before installing the new siding and. Add r5 insulative wall sheathing beneath the new siding. The most effective places to add insulation to older homes are exterior walls attics basements and crawl spaces. In addition to the exterior walls you should also insulate any walls between the living space and unconditioned areas like garages or attic storage spaces.
Most homes are insulated in the attic and any floors located above unfinished basements or crawl spaces. In addition to walls and attics insulation should be installed in ceilings with unheated spaces basement walls floors above vented crawl spaces cathedral ceilings floors over unheated garages or porches knee walls and in between interior walls especially bathrooms as well as ceilings and floors. The higher the r value the better the thermal performance of the insulation. You can achieve better thermal performance in your attic by adding an additional layer of insulation.
Homeowners rely on this type of insulation which is usually made of polyurethane polystyrene or polyisocyanurate for both exterior and interior wall sheathing. Installing attic insulation is one of the most valuable ways to save energy and keep your home warmer. The goal is to create a consistent wrap around the home a thermal envelope with no penetrations. Adding extra insulation to the exterior walls of an older home when renovating or remodeling is a great way of improving a home s walls thermal performance and reducing energy use while reducing heating bills carbon footprint and improving a building s comfort level.
Still in use today it s made by melting down rock and sand and then spinning it together to make an insulating fiber. R values vary based on the type thickness and density of the material being used. Achieving greater r values in exterior walls in exterior walls add insulating sheathing to achieve a greater r value in your wall system. There is no need to insulate between areas that are both conditioned.
Add r5 to r6 insulative wall sheathing beneath the new. If you re adding a room or finishing a previously unfinished area be sure to insulate the exterior walls. Wall insulation whenever exterior siding is removed on an. However when insulation was used it usually consisted of a product called rock wool or stone or slag wool.
If you plan to install new siding on your house add exterior wall sheathing beneath the new siding. In unfinished attic spaces insulate between and over the floor joists to seal off living spaces below. Seal up door and window cracks with caulk. If the air distribution is in the attic space then consider insulating the rafters to move the distribution into the conditioned space.