The do-it-yourself attic insulation assessment can help detect potential issues. Like a professional audit, you’ll complete a walk-through of your attic to identify air leaks and drafts and evaluate the performance of existing insulation. You should use a checklist to keep track of inspected areas and issues that you may want to address.
There is a reason for the insulation code requirements for the attic to be almost triple the requirements for the walls. But attics are still the most underappreciated areas of the house, and most homeowners will barely see their attic in their lifetime. The attic and the roof are the two areas of your home where heat travels the most. Without the proper insulation, even a new roof can’t stop the heat or cold! That’s why insulating your attic is an effective solution to keep your home at a comfortable temperature.
Understanding Temperature Change:
The big benefit of a DIY approach is that it can give good insight into areas that may cause health, structural integrity, and energy waste issues without incurring the cost of hiring a pro.
But first, get your facts:
- About 85% of homes in the US are under-insulated, and 15-48% of the energy loss can be attributed to improperly insulated attics.
- When your house was built, the builder likely installed the amount of insulation recommended at that time. Given today’s energy prices (and future prices that will probably be higher), the level of insulation might be inadequate, especially if you have an older home.
- Too much heat exchange in the winter creates Ice damming. In general, you can see heat escape if you see ice instead of snow on your roof in the winter. With ice, a heavy block of ice also puts unnecessary extra pressure on your roof structure. In the summer, the humidity can result in structural damage to homes. For one, it can cause the wood in your attic to rot. Rotting wood can damage the infrastructure of your home and attract pests. Secondly, excess water vapor can support mold growth. If left untreated, mold can cause permanent damage to your lungs.
- Neglected or contaminated attic insulation can lead to hazardous, severe health conditions, especially if pests such as raccoons, squirrels, mice, insects, and bats have nested in the space. If you have asthma or chronic allergies, attic insulation is vital. Insulating your attic prevents harmful pollutants such as dust and mold from entering your home. These pollutants can wreak havoc on your respiratory system, making it hard to breathe, and could lead to permanent lung damage. Insulating your attic allows you to breathe fresh air, improving your quality of life.
Checks:
There are several quick checks that you can do to determine if your attic needs more insulation and air sealing in your home. But before you can get started with the attic insulation assessment, let’s go over some safety tips:
- Watch out for nails pointing up through the ceiling or down from the roof deck.
- Walk on joists or truss chords, not exposed ceiling drywall or insulation, to avoid falling through the ceiling.
- Wear a protective mask to avoid breathing dust, pollens, and contaminants.
- Some attics have vermiculite insulation, which may contain asbestos. Vermiculite is a lightweight, pea-sized, flaky gray mineral. Do not disturb vermiculite insulation unless you have had it tested by an approved lab to ensure it does not contain asbestos. Contact your local health department for the name of an approved lab. Here is the EPA article: My attic has vermiculite insulation in it. Am I at risk? Should I take it out? | US EPA.
Here is some other helpful information if you suspect that your attic insulation contains asbestos: https://www.asbestos.com/exposure/home/
https://www.asbestos.com/abatement-guide/
There are two major factors in determining the sufficiency of insulation:
- Insulation R-value or the sufficiency of the actual insulation level (the higher the R-value, the better)
- Air leaks
While air leaks might not always be as stressed as actual insulation levels, they contribute to the efficiency of insulation just as much as insulation levels themselves. For example, wearing an insulated jacket in the cold winter will keep you warm if the jacket is zipped up and the body heat is not escaping through the sleeves, neck, and bottom. Suppose the jacket’s zipper is broken and not closing up. In that case, you will benefit from the jacket’s insulation little since most body heat is escaping instead of being retained. Here are several things you can do to determine your attic insulation levels.
R-Value (heat exchange resistance) rule of thumb: the higher R-Value, the better insulating performance. Depending on the type of insulation that you have, the measuring approach will be different. However, the final R-Value requirement should remain the same.
R-Value:
The most common attic insulation types are batts or loose-fill insulation.
With the fluffy, loose-fill insulation, we will look for the insulation depth and coverage uniformity. Loose-fill insulation is typically either cellulose or fiberglass. On average, loose-fill insulation is about R-3 per inch thick. You can simply stick a ruler inside your loose-fill insulation and read how many inches deep it is. You do not have sufficient insulation level if the total insulation depth is below 13 (or R-38). If the roof is uninsulated, attic insulation should be R-49 or at least 16 inches depth.
In addition to the thickness, check the uniformity levels; due to the nature of loose-fill, sometimes insulation can naturally be blown by “drafts” or air leaks (missing baffles by the roof line) as well as intentionally moved by HVAC service providers and blown from one spot to another inside your attic. When checking the uniformity, pay attention to eves length of the roof line; if the insulation levels are still above the 13 – 16 inch mark, the R-Value of your insulation might be sufficient for PA.
Does Your Home’s Insulation Stack Up?
With the bat insulation, determining the R-value is much easier if it’s faced bats. Most bat insulation will have the R-value printed right on the face of the bat; if not, use a ruler to measure the depth. As with the loose fill, uniformity is very important. Check that all bats are installed tightly to joists, and you don’t see any gaps in insulation.
Suppose your existing insulation is not contaminated and is in good condition. In that case, you can supplement it by adding more insulation without wasting the perfectly good insulation you already paid for. Upgrading your attic insulation is a cost-effective way to improve your living comfort, home’s air quality, and health and reduce energy bills. Once the insulation level and uniformity are observed and measured, the next step is to determine the condition of the existing insulation, as it will determine whether you should keep the existing insulation and just supplement it or not.
Condition of existing insulation:
Over time, insulation can become damaged. When determining conditions, you must check for insulation contamination, integrity, and structural items.
- Start with the smell test: Is it easy to breathe? By breathing the air in the attic, you can identify potential issues with the insulation. Remember that many insulation products were treated with formaldehyde back in the day. The smells can range from “Old Home”, and “Mold / Mildew” smell to pest feces and urine smell, which would indicate there is a potential for pest contamination. Nonetheless, look for signs of mice defecation even if you don’t believe your house has mice. Some of these animals may also die inside your house, but might be covered by the existing insulation.
- Discoloration of insulation. Typically, insulation is a uniform color. Discoloration of the insulation can be an indicator of many things. When you inspect your space, look for discoloration of black, brown, orange, and pink spots on your insulation; this will give you the indication that you are dealing with dirt, pests, or mold.
- When insulation looks “dirty,” it might be all the dust and moisture from air infiltration. Any wire, light, duct, or pipe penetration through the attic floor can result in air leakage if it is not properly finished or installed. Most air leaks will bring moisture that will trigger mold growth and contaminate the insulation. You are more likely to find mold on the top surface of attic insulation sheets, and you might see the spores or growth on settled dust. This growth can happen with leaky roofs and looks like a black or thin, spotty gray layer in different patterns. Use a flashlight and a magnifying glass to examine the suspected mold closely. Wear protective gear, like goggles, gloves, and a mask, just in case. Toxic black mold on insulation can also look green or gray in the middle with white edges before it turns black.
Health Issues:
Mold isn’t the only thing that can cause your attic to smell. Attic insulation can get damp with excessive air moisture, causing condensation to drip from different areas. Apart from leading to an unpleasant smell, wet insulation will likely not function correctly and possibly require replacement. In addition to the cost of this, consider the added expense of your energy bills caused by reduced energy efficiency in your home. Yellowing or brown spots can also be an indicator of pest activity. Examine the floor surface of the attic by lifting the insulation and look for signs of pest defecation or torn-through bat insulation. You can narrow down the reasons for discoloration by the results of other tests, like the smell test.
There is a strong correlation between contaminants in your home and health issues. This correlation is true for your attic as well. If you have had recent troubles with allergies or worsening respiratory issues, it can indicate a problem in your attic. Even dust accumulating in the attic (Ceiling dust) poses a probable health hazard if the dust is allowed to enter the living areas of a house, thereby exposing the occupants, especially children, to elevated levels of metals and fine particulates
Air Leakage:
While “dirty” insulation can already point to air leakage, homeowners can do more to pinpoint the gaps so they can come back and seal them later. Start by conducting a visual air leakage inspection and look for cracks and gaps at the common leak sites, where different construction materials meet. Look for holes; light from the outside should not be coming through the attic ceiling and roof eaves. To evaluate the attic floor, you must pull up the existing insulation and examine all penetration points, such as openings for wire, light, duct, or pipe work. Air leaks also happen around dropped soffits, through recessed lighting, electrical boxes, and at intersections of floors/ceilings
How to find Air Leakage in your home:
- Shining a flashlight over all potential gaps at night while a partner observes the house from outside. Extensive cracks will show up as rays of light. Not a good way to detect small cracks.
- You can also try a smoke test. On a windy day, shut off all attic ventilation and hold a lit incense stick next to potential air leakage spots.
- Another successful strategy is to think back to snow days and recall if there is snow on your roof or if it is ice. If the roof is clean of snow, it is most likely quickly melted by the heat escaping into your attic from the heated quarters of the house. In general, you can see heat escape through air leaks if you see ice instead of snow on your roof in the winter. Heavy blocks of ice are also putting pressure on your roof structure.
After the evaluation, ensure your attic is air sealed, eliminating any holes, cracks, or other gaps that allow air transfer between the inside and the outside. Standard methods for air sealing include filling holes with expanding foam and caulk. Also, remember that even with air sealing, attics typically require some degree of ventilation. Proper attic insulation helps keep the heat produced by your heating systems during the winter months, while also preventing hot air from spreading through your home from the attic during the summer. Neglecting your attic can lead to serious damage and hazardous health conditions, especially if pests such as raccoons, mice, and bats have nested in the space. Upgrading your attic insulation is a cost-effective way to improve your living comfort, home’s air quality, health, and reduce energy bills.
Here is a great resource from Energy.gov: Methodology for Estimated Energy Savings from Cost-Effective Air Sealing and Insulating | ENERGY STAR. The article provides a tool to estimate potential energy savings from home air sealing and re-insulation.
Guide to Home Insulation by the Department of Energy.
