Attic Insulation Questions

[Bill]

Since it's looking like a rain-out here in Houston (and thus, not blazing hot outside), I'm thinking about adding insulation to my attic. I've got blown in insulation, except for a section that was damaged during Ike, where I had R-30 rolled insulation installed. I actually noticed a difference in a/c costs after that. I'm thinking about getting a few more rolls of R-30.

If I remove the blown insulation, can I just toss it on top of the blown insulation in another area, to make the R value of the other area higher?

Besides gloves and a painter's mask, what other PPE should I be using? Of course, I would be wearing a long sleeved shirt and long pants.

Also, any recommendations on a DIY radiant barrier for the underside of the roof?

[Stangkiller]

Since it's looking like a rain-out here in Houston (and thus, not blazing hot outside), I'm thinking about adding insulation to my attic. I've got blown in insulation, except for a section that was damaged during Ike, where I had R-30 rolled insulation installed. I actually noticed a difference in a/c costs after that. I'm thinking about getting a few more rolls of R-30.

If I remove the blown insulation, can I just toss it on top of the blown insulation in another area, to make the R value of the other area higher?

Besides gloves and a painter's mask, what other PPE should I be using? Of course, I would be wearing a long sleeved shirt and long pants.

Also, any recommendations on a DIY radiant barrier for the underside of the roof?
I have nothing to add, other than suggesting hiring somebody to touch that shit instead of you. :rofl:

[Bill]

I have nothing to add, other than suggesting hiring somebody to touch that shit instead of you. :rofl:



That's the thing....if I pay someone to do this work, it really won't make economic sense. I'm pretty conservative with my a/c and heat, so it would take me forever just to recover my initial investment with utility savings, much less have any kind of ROI.

[Stangkiller]

That's the thing....if I pay someone to do this work, it really won't make economic sense. I'm pretty conservative with my a/c and heat, so it would take me forever just to recover my initial investment with utility savings, much less have any kind of ROI.

I'm talking just a laborer, not necessarily an insulation company.

[Bill]

I'm talking just a laborer, not necessarily an insulation company.

I thought about that, however, I'm a little nervous about having someone I just picked up at Home Depot in my house, much less, up in my attic, where he could easily fall through the ceiling. Of course, I could fall through the ceiling, too, so there's that.

Speaking of, all this rain has caused us problems, and work is backing up. I picked up a day laborer to run an extra weedeater to get a tank farm mowed. The guy had obviously never run a weedeater in his life, and he was an older guy. Not to be stereotyping, but damn, what Mexican guy has never run a weedeater before? It boggles the mind.

[Aerovette]

Blown in is a lot less work and should achieve the same results.

A friend of mine did a barrier and it made a huge difference. Our house was built with it and I can be on the attic in August and it is pretty tolerable. Not cool, but not horrible either.

[mrvette]

Aside from my white painted shingles, that dropped my attic temps by over 40f when my HVAC failed some years ago, I goofed and should have put the air handler up top near the living room/garage block wall, and ran the output ducts UNDER the ceiling sheetrock, and framed in a sofitt to cover them, through the LR/over the front door, window, into BR #1 , through BR#2, turn over the closets, and into the back section of the house....all inside so they don't suck attic heat radiation when the A/C is off, blasting the house with 80f air when it cuts on.....then to cool that off.....

ducts in the attic are a PIA.....

I could probably cut 50/month easy off the A/C bill for that trick alone.....

:issues:

[LATB]

Spray foam the lid. FTW.

[Frizzle]

IMO if your going up there... get a Tyvek jump suit. You will sweat like a mofo... however, its a lot better to come out drenched in your own sweat then to sweat and have the fiberglass get into your skin.

I'd also just wait till October or November now before tackling any sort of attic projects.

I hate when I get calls for attic fans in June, July and August... I tell them I'll get to it in November or they can hire some one else. Just not worth the hassle.

[Dave]

Spray foam the lid. FTW.

But slightly more $$$$ than what he's talking.



To the OP, yes. Throw the blown-in on top of other blown in, roll the batts out and it'll be fine. The more PPE the better. Respirator, not a painter's mask, and the tyvek suit is a good idea.

[Craig]

Spray foam the lid. FTW.

Yup. Expensive but worth it. Pays for itself in less than two years.

[LATB]

Yup. Expensive but worth it. Pays for itself in less than two years.

I didn't use it on my current home. But will on the new one. :seasix:

[Dave]

I didn't use it on my current home. But will on the new one. :seasix:

Going to have lots of it in my new home as well. :seasix:

[LATB]

Going to have lots of it in my new home as well. :seasix:

It can be used in walls. The big bang for the buck is the roof because with it (and not insulating the ceiling) you are conditioning the attic. :seasix: