Another way to determine what type of insulation you have in your home is to look at the insulation itself.
Attic insulation two types.
Choose from two types.
The third major type of insulation is spray foam.
Just as there are two types of blown insulation fiberglass and cellulose and two types of people those who divide everything into two groups and those who don t there are two types of spray foam open cell and closed cell.
Your home s r value score will guide you toward the type of insulation you need.
Both can be added to uninsulated attics or layered over existing material.
The three most common types of blown in insulation are loose fill fiberglass cellulose and rock wool each with its own pros and cons.
Spray foam offers the best attic insulation performance available.
For diy attic insulation you ve got two choices.
There are two types of foam in place insulation.
In particularly cold climates you might go up to r 60.
Once you ve decided which type is best for you examine the material options and prices to home in on the right product.
Both are typically made with polyurethane.
They sport insulation values of approximately r 6 5 and r 3 6 per inch respectively.
The most common insulation materials are fiberglass cellulose and foam.
This is an insulation material made from recycled paper.
Closed cell and open cell aka 2 pound and pound respectively.
Consider the key characteristics.
Spray foam attic insulation.
With closed cell foam the high density cells are closed and filled with a gas that helps the foam expand to fill the spaces around it.
Old attic insulation types.
Installing this type of insulation is an inexpensive and diy friendly project since the materials are designed to fit into the standard width between wall studs attic rafters and floor joists.
In general an attic s r value should be between r 30 and r 49.
Different insulation materials have unique strengths and weaknesses and some attics will be more suited for certain material than others.
Insulation types include loose fill batts rolls foam board spray board and vapor barriers.
Loose fill or batt the common term for blanket insulation.
For example if the insulation is loose fill grey soft and without a shine you probably have cellulose insulation.