If your attic is unfinished and used only for storage, you
want to insulate the attic floor so that warm air is trapped below stairs, in
those rooms you actually inhabit. If your attic is finished, you want to
insulate above these finished spaces.
Your attic may have insulation already in place but if it's
been there for years, chances are it has compressed and is not as effective as
it once was, or as it could be. It's an easy matter to roll new insulation on
top of old and reap all the
benefits.
Your attic should also be properly ventilated to allow air
to circulate through the space.
Insulation Tips
When you insulate the attic floor, you simply lay rolls --
called batts -- or blankets of new insulation over the floor. Batts are precut
to a specific width. Blankets are wide and you cut them yourself.
Batts of insulation may have a paper or foil backing on one
side. If this is the case, lay this down, towards the heated part of the house.
If it's facing up, it can trap moisture, which you do not want.
Roll the insulation between the joists and do not leave any
gaps. Warm air will find its way through even the tiniest crevices. Install a
second layer of insulation perpendicular to the joists, so that they are
covered.
Do not get too close to light fixtures or the chimney.
Insulation needs to be distanced from anything that generates heat.
Fill in odd pockets of space with insulation cut to fit.
Push it into the area but do not compress it more than necessary.
Don't walk on the insulation unless you have to. Do not
store anything on it, such as boxes or suitcases. Above all, you don't want to
compress it, which detracts from its efficacy.
Finally, if you decide to lay insulation yourself, take
care. Wear long sleeves and long pants, gloves and a face mask. Protect your
eyes, too. You don't want to get fiber glass in your eyes or lungs.
