What is the most important place to insulate a house?

Attic. Arguably the most important space in the home to insulate is the attic. This is primarily because heat naturally rises, which means that the attic will hold a lot of the heat generated in the home. During the winter, having that heat escape through the attic will push up energy bills.

What part of a house should you insulate first?

Since warm air has a tendency to rise and cool air to fall, insulating the attic is the place to start. If the attic is unfinished, the insulation should be installed on the floor. If the attic is used as a living space, say a home office or play room, the insulation should be placed between the rafters.

Where should I add more insulation to my house?

Is it more important to insulate walls or ceiling?

The answer is, you should do both. The average home needs to be insulated high, middle, and low. All three areas are important. This means you need to have attic insulation, wall insulation, and basement or crawlspace insulation to produce the greatest level of comfort and energy.

Is it more important to insulate walls or attic?

As for attic vs. wall insulation, always go for the attic. The largest pay back will be seen here. You would stop heat loss from natural convection and block solar gain (an increase in heat) in the attic, which can result in energy savings of 30 to 50 percent.

How to Choose and Use Insulation | This Old House

Where should you not put insulation?

Never place insulation close to water heaters, oil burners or anything hot. The backing is especially flammable and will be a major fire hazard for your home.

What parts of the house should be insulated?

Can you have too much insulation in your ceiling?

It is possible to over-insulate your house so much that it can't breathe. The whole point of home insulation is to tightly seal your home's interior. But if it becomes too tightly sealed with too many layers of insulation, moisture can get trapped inside those layers. That's when mold starts to grow.

Should I insulate all walls in my house?

In most cases, interior walls are not insulated during construction. Unlike exterior walls, which must meet local and state codes for insulation, interior wall insulation is rarely required. This is because interior insulation has much less impact on your home's energy efficiency – but it can still play a role.

Should I insulate every wall?

Absolutely. Wall insulation prevents your home from heating up in summer and keeps your home warmer in winter. Around 15-20% of a home's heat loss and gain occurs through the walls. Without adequate insulation in your walls, heat would pass in and out of your wall material without much resistance.

Is it better to insulate the inside or outside of a foundation?

You can effectively see and correct any moisture or structural problems (efflorescence, cracks, spalling and eroded mortar). Rubble or brick foundations and foundations with water leakage, dampness or other moisture problems should be insulated from the outside.

Is it better to insulate inside or outside?

Interior insulation is cost effective, but can reduce usable space and doesn't protect against water. Exterior insulation is expensive and susceptible to insects. Regardless of the insulation choice, efficiency, toxicity and resiliency must all be taken into account as well.

Is it better to insulate inside or outside of house?

External wall insulation is the best way to insulate your walls. External insulation involves fixing insulation materials such as mineral wool or expanded polystyrene slabs to the outer surface of the wall.

Is it better to insulate attic or crawlspace?

Having a well-insulated crawlspace can even protect against moisture and pests. Attics – Hot air rises, so in the winter, heated air will travel up and get trapped in the attic. This is a huge waste of energy since attics usually don't need to be heated well anyway.

Should you insulate the underside of your roof?

But the best solution is actually to insulate both the attic floor and the underside of the roof. In this way you prevent the heat from the rooms below escaping to the attic rooms above. At the same time, the areas below the roof benefit from increased comfort both during the winter and the summer.

Is it worth insulating the outside of your house?

Is external wall insulation worth the cost? Considering the impact of cost savings from fuel bills, the value added to your home and the difference it will make to the environment and your carbon footprint, EWI is well worth it. Your house will be more energy efficient, feel warmer and look great!

Should bathroom walls be insulated?

Proper insulation will help keep your bathrooms a comfortable temperature year-round. Bathroom projects need special consideration because of the humidity and moisture that bathrooms generate. When moisture becomes trapped in walls, mold and mildew can grow, damaging your home and presenting a potential health danger.

Should you insulate the bottom of your house?

Crawl space insulation, as a part of overall home air sealing and insulation, helps maintain your entire home's energy efficiency. Without insulation, heat and cool air are easily lost through the floor. Insulation also helps to preserve the air quality and reduce energy costs.

Should you put plastic over ceiling insulation?

Most climates require a vapor barrier to cover ceiling insulation, but not all insulation requires a vapor barrier. It's always important to refer to your state's building codes.

How often should ceiling insulation be replaced?

As a general rule, insulation should be replaced or retrofitted every 15 to 20 years. However, it may need replacing or retrofitting sooner depending on the type of insulation installed, the R rating of the original insulation, compression and movement over time, and whether any damage has occurred.

Do you need an air gap for ceiling insulation?

Leave a minimum 20mm air gap between insulation and sarking membrane or roof material. Lay insulation between ceiling joists using the poker to push them into limited access areas. Do not leave any gaps between the insulation and ceiling joists.

How can I tell if my room is poorly insulated?

How do you tell if your house is poorly insulated?

What not to do with insulation?