Adding Insulation to the Attic

Katie Jewell
by Katie Jewell
$180
8 Hours
Medium
This weekend my husband and I blew 9 additional inches of insulation into the attic. There were already 8 inches in there, but that was only an R-factor of 25, and the minimum recommended amount for northern climes is R-37. We are up to R-50! We should get about a 20% reduction in our electricity bills in the upcoming winter months. And most importantly, we will be more comfortable. The biggest thing to make sure of when you are doing this is not to cover up the soffits. It is very important for attics to breathe. In order to do that, you need to somehow shield the soffits. We did that by building a little 12 inch wall out of cardboard and stapling that to the edges of the attic eaves. The other thing you want to do is to make certain that you are wearing the correct protective gear (a face mask and googles) and long sleeves and pants. Finally make sure that you have a safe way to maneuver around your attic since we don't want anyone falling through the ceiling.
We bought all of the insulation and got the machine for 4 hours.
The hose went all the way up into the attic.
It looks like a cotton candy factory exploded.
Katie Jewell
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
Go
Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
Comments
Join the conversation
Next