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Updating insulation in existing house attic
Posted on 10/11/17 at 1:05 pm
Posted on 10/11/17 at 1:05 pm
Recently bought a house that has fiberglass batting in the attic. Electricity bill is ridiculous. Looking to update. Recently got an estimate to blow foam in the rafters, closing off eave vents and whirly birds for $6k.
Which method of insulation in an existing house is most cost effective?
Which method of insulation in an existing house is most cost effective?
This post was edited on 10/11/17 at 2:40 pm
20
Posted on 10/11/17 at 1:09 pm to purpngold
You could buy your own insulation and lay it yourself for much cheaper. I wouldn't pay someone 6k to blow.
That's what he said.
That's what he said.
Posted on 10/11/17 at 1:10 pm to purpngold
quote:
closing off eave vents and whirly birds
I'm not an expert on this, but is this common? I've always been under the impression that you want to keep air circulation in an attic. Is it different with foam insulation?
Posted on 10/11/17 at 1:11 pm to purpngold
How many sq feet? I'm not in the business, but you can rent the machine to blow in insulation. If you buy 10 bags of blown in you get the machine free to use for lowes and HD. Its something like 100 sq feet a bag, maybe less than that I cant remember. Most old homes only have 6-12 inches of insulation, and you want 18.
Posted on 10/11/17 at 1:11 pm to purpngold
its all about R-value of insulation, window thermal inefficiencies, and sealing the building envelope
Posted on 10/11/17 at 1:12 pm to purpngold
I bought $450 worth of r19 batts and rolled it out myself in my attic last summer. Helped a lot, but motherfrick was it hot 
Posted on 10/11/17 at 1:12 pm to purpngold
quote:
Updating inulation in existing house attic
Much easier than updating it in an attic that doesn't exist.
This post was edited on 10/11/17 at 2:03 pm
Posted on 10/11/17 at 1:13 pm to purpngold
Are you even sure $6K on insulation will reduce your bill enough to see a ROI in a couple of years?
Posted on 10/11/17 at 1:15 pm to purpngold
What's your return on that $6k. 10 years?
and do it yourself if you're going to do something. wait until the colder months so you don't die in your attic.
You should also look into your doors and windows not being air tight.
I need new insulation in my 30 year old house, but more importantly, i need to seal up my doors so they don't have a constant air flow across them. Having 3 old french doors that i can literally see through the cracks in them, as well as a very inefficient doggy door is probably worse than the crappy insulation i have. having two kids that don't know how to close doors doesn't help either.
and do it yourself if you're going to do something. wait until the colder months so you don't die in your attic.
You should also look into your doors and windows not being air tight.
I need new insulation in my 30 year old house, but more importantly, i need to seal up my doors so they don't have a constant air flow across them. Having 3 old french doors that i can literally see through the cracks in them, as well as a very inefficient doggy door is probably worse than the crappy insulation i have. having two kids that don't know how to close doors doesn't help either.
Posted on 10/11/17 at 1:15 pm to purpngold
Why would you close off vent?
Posted on 10/11/17 at 1:16 pm to purpngold
quote:
closing off eave vents and whirly birds
do you have natural gas water heaters in the attic, if so, where are you going to get your combustion air? will now need to run intake air to the heaters, and depending on the distance and BTU of the heaters, they may need to be changed to a forced combustion type.
as for the original question, foaming the attic will greatly help, as you keep the heat out. I have been in an attic after the foam and it greatly changed the temps. however, we had to replace the gas water heaters heaters.
this will also effect hag central heat on you AHU in the house as well
Posted on 10/11/17 at 1:16 pm to LNCHBOX
quote:
I bought $450 worth of r19 batts and rolled it out myself in my attic last summer. Helped a lot, but motherfrick was it hot
Why is the R19 a better route to go instead of blow in insulation?
Posted on 10/11/17 at 1:20 pm to High C
All depends on if that is where you are actually gaining / losing heat. In one of our previous houses, we added another layer of fiberglass in our attic. Did not get much if any return on it, because the outside walls were still 2x4 studs with R11 from the late 70s (found during a remodel) and single pane windows.
Biggest thing is to find out where you are gaining / losing heat and work on that problem.
Biggest thing is to find out where you are gaining / losing heat and work on that problem.
Posted on 10/11/17 at 1:20 pm to Brummy
quote:
I'm not an expert on this, but is this common? I've always been under the impression that you want to keep air circulation in an attic
I don't know why. The insulation is really there to keep air from moving, as air is an awesome insulator. I don't understand why you'd want to move a bunch of hot air around the attic.
Posted on 10/11/17 at 1:21 pm to idlewatcher
quote:
Why is the R19 a better route to go instead of blow in insulation?
It's not necessarily better or worse. I didn't feel like dealing with the blower as I was doing it DIY. For the space in my attic it was just easier for me.
Posted on 10/11/17 at 1:22 pm to idlewatcher
quote:
Why is the R19 a better route to go instead of blow in insulation?
blown in insulation will settle over time, where as the rolled insulation wil not. however, blown insulation will have less voids and is easier to get into small cracks and crevices.
The OP is not asking about either. he is talking about foam insulation
with foam insulation in the attic you go from a 130-140 space to a 80-85 degree space. think igloo ice chest for attic...
Posted on 10/11/17 at 1:22 pm to baldona
quote:
How many sq feet? I'm not in the business, but you can rent the machine to blow in insulation. If you buy 10 bags of blown in you get the machine free to use for lowes and HD. Its something like 100 sq feet a bag, maybe less than that I cant remember. Most old homes only have 6-12 inches of insulation, and you want 18.
He said on the rafters. He's talking about the expanding foam they spray directly under the roof. That stuff isn't cheap and not really a DIY project.
Posted on 10/11/17 at 1:24 pm to td1
quote:
Why is the R19 a better route to go instead of blow in insulation?
Either is fine. If you blow over fiberglass, you will put weight on the fiberglass and decrease its R value by compressing it.
I have always heard you can fiberglass over blown, but do not blow over fiberglass.
Posted on 10/11/17 at 1:26 pm to purpngold
Do it yourself baw! Did it for years for beer money for Jim Walter homes while in College.
Posted on 10/11/17 at 1:31 pm to tketaco
In our humid a$$ climate, I would not live in a house with a fully sealed attic that was not conditioned (AC & Heat). That is begging for a mold / mildew issue!
Had to edit this: No matter how hard you try, you will have heat escape into the attic in the winter and cold escape into the attic in the summer. Where the two meet condensation forms.
Had to edit this: No matter how hard you try, you will have heat escape into the attic in the winter and cold escape into the attic in the summer. Where the two meet condensation forms.
This post was edited on 10/11/17 at 1:37 pm
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