Insulating the attic is the most cost-effective method of saving energy. As the heat rises, it is not surprising that 25% of the heat escapes through the roof, so energy is lost through the roof. You can learn about the attic insulation methods here.

Once the main elements that can cause air leaks in the attic have been sealed, the time has come to proceed with the insulation or its improvement. The most commonly used insulators in accessible attics are mineral wool (glass or rock) in mats or loose cellulose.

Insulating the attic is worth it. An average household can save 800-1000 m³ of natural gas annually by insulating the attic. With a gas price of $ 0.62 per m³, that saves around 500 Dollars. The costs of placing the insulation are therefore recovered relatively quickly. Besides that, the comfort of living will greatly increase because less heat is lost through the attic. Thanks to the improved indoor climate, the attic becomes an interesting space for use as living space or for storage.

When you want to insulate the attic, you can insulate both the roof and the attic floor. If you are using the attic only as a storage room, you will do well to insulate the attic floor. Would you like to use the attic as a living room, you will have to insulate the roof too. Obviously, it is also perfectly possible to insulate both the floor and the roof. Here is an overview of the methods and options:

Option 1: Insulate the attic floor

Insulating the attic floor is the best option for saving heating costs.

The heat from the rooms no longer escapes to the attic, which saves you on your heating costs. In terms of price, floor insulation is the cheapest option. The installation method generally depends on the construction of the floor. So, you must apply a different insulation method depending on whether it is a solid concrete load-bearing structure or a wooden herringbone structure.

Insulation of the attic with wooden support structure

A non-solid attic floor can be insulated by filling the space between the joists with an insulating material. The mineral wool insulating panels are particularly suitable for this. It is recommended to reach a thickness of 15 to 23 centimeters. It is the thicknesses which have the best relation between costs and savings.

Just like when insulating the roof, you should always provide a vapor barrier that must be attached to the interior side of the construction, aligned with the warm side. If a vapor barrier is difficult to install, there are insulating batts with a vapor barrier. This is often called kraft faced.

In addition to mineral wool, the floor can also be filled with mineral flakes or with polyurethane foam (PUR). The finish of the floor depends on whether the floor should still be passable. If the floor is not used often, the choice is often made on inexpensive wooden panels such as oriented strand board (OSB) or fibreboard.

Insulate an attic with a solid supporting structure

In the case of a solid floor, the insulation must obviously be mounted above the floor. First, a vapor impermeable film is applied to the existing surface. This film should not be fixed, except at the joints.

The same applies to the film cuts adjacent to the walls. Then the pressure-resistant insulating panels can be installed above the film. These panels are preferably placed in two crossed layers (a thickness of 20 centimeters in total).

If you do not choose hard insulation boards, you can opt for mineral wool. In this case, a wooden frame should be installed on the floor in which the insulation is inserted. The costs will obviously be a little higher. Receive a tailor-made price for this work here.

Option 2: Insulate the roof from the inside

By insulating the roof, you get a pleasant atmosphere that is less susceptible to temperature variations. The simplest way to insulate a pitched roof is to use mineral wool.

In the case of glass wool or rock wool insulation, the space between the rafters is completely filled with insulation. It is very important that the insulation is applied in a sufficiently thick layer. It is recommended to apply a layer of 15 to 20 centimeters, otherwise the insulating power of the layer will be reduced. In most cases, there is not enough room between the rafters to install such insulation. In order to remedy this problem, you can install new rafters which are laid crosswise.

You should always cut the mineral wool in a format slightly larger than the distance between the rafters. An extra centimeter is enough. The glass and rock wool are well compressible and stays tidy when you insert it between the rafters. Above the insulation, a vapor barrier must be applied.

In addition, you can also buy mineral wool that already has a vapor barrier, including tab mattresses. These have an aluminum film on one side which functions as a vapor barrier. They are available in different thicknesses, from 6 to 22 centimeters and in different widths from 35 to 60 centimeters.

They are particularly useful in case of equal distance between the rafters. The tabbed mattresses are stapled to the front of the rafters. The joints are sealed with aluminum tape.

Option 3: insulate the attic roof from the outside

If the roof covering needs to be replaced or the roof needs to be replaced completely, you can insulate it from the outside. Several insulating panels are available for this purpose, some of them are already provided with boards. It goes without saying that exterior insulation is the most drastic measure, but if the roof needs to be renovated and the attic finish is impeccable, this is an option to consider. However, the most correct method is always interior insulation.

2 thoughts on “Does Attic Insulation Help Solve Critical Problems?

  1. Loft Boarding Specialist says:

    I couldn’t agree more with your points in this post about does attic insulation help. It’s refreshing to see someone addressing this issue, and your suggestions for tackling it are spot on. Looking forward to reading more.

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