Attic Insulation is not only Important for the Winter

by Mark Row

Get your Attic Ready for the Sunrays

When people think of insulation what they usually have in mind is protecting their home from the cold during the winter. However, what is usually neglected is the fact that insulation also plays a very significant role in protection from the heat. This especially applies to certain areas within your home which are under a direct effect of steaming sunrays during the months with highest temperatures. Only when people who invested a lot of money and time into remodelling their attic space and turning it into a living area, try spending some time inside, it is then when they realize that attic insulation is not only important for the winter, but can also help them keep their cool in any part of the year. So, if you are planning on spending some quiet time in your attic but still not feel like in an oven, proper insulation is something worth considering.

Although it may seem that installing attic insulation is everything you will have to do, note that there are certain things that could affect the material’s capacity to slow down heat flow and thus reduce the overall performance of installed insulation. Since this is neither practical nor economical, we will try to give you a complete guide to having a heatproof attic space in no time.

• Plan ahead

If you are seriously considering adding attic insulation, you should bear in mind all potential obstacles. Note that the material will have to go around all wires, electrical outlets and safety boxes so if you are in the construction phase, plan this ahead, in order of avoiding some potential problems later on. If you are planning on using your attic space for conducting cables and wires, make sure to do it prior to adding insulation in order of avoiding stepping on and walking over your insulation and reducing its effectiveness, especially if you have opted for mineral wool which is particularly sensitive to pressure. On the other hand, since there is always a chance of some unexpected repair work that needs to be done appearing, make sure to cover your insulation and properly protect it, but also not entirely block the access to it, since, just like any other thing, it may need to be checked and replaced in certain situations.

• Proper ventilation and air tightness

Prior to adding attic insulation, you will have to deal with the air currents and in more than one way. The first important thing is air leaks. Note that air pushed through the insulation material can affect or reduce its capacity to reduce heat transfer from the outside to the inside. Namely, insulation is designed to work as a heat barrier which will stop the heat from going through the material and into your attic space, thus increasing the inner temperature. This is why it is important to seal all air leaks within the ceiling and prevent the air rushing through the insulation material and affecting the inner temperature.

This also goes for proper attic ventilation. Since attics are placed directly below the roof space, they are under the direct influence of the sun, especially if you are dealing with a metal roof construction which will get steaming hot after hours of direct exposure to the sun. In time, the heat shall be transferred to your attic space and raise the inner temperature. The hot air shall be trapped inside so the attic will not cool down if the outside temperature starts to drop. This is why adequate ventilation is crucial. It can be provided with proper roof vents, especially designed to let the air circulate throughout the attic. Another (quite simple and common) solution is using strong, larger fans.

• Choose insulation material wisely

One potential way of insulating your attic is by insulating the ceiling of your top floor. However, bear in mind that this will completely cut off your attic space from the rest of your interior, which could be a good thing for protecting the floors below from the temperature fluctuations under the roof, but probably not the greatest idea if you are planning on spending some time there and turning it into a living space. This is why insulating under the roof space is a much better idea. This way, you will prevent the heat from entering the attic but at the same time allow some heat/cold exchange between the attic and the rest of you interior.

There are quite a few attic insulation materials you can use. One option is using blow-in or spray foam insulation, blown into the roof space using special equipment (why it must be done by a professional) which will expand later on and fill the space being insulated. However, this is not such a simple task, why people tend to opt for materials such as glass or mineral wool which can be easily (once cut to the right size) placed between the roof joists. The same goes for rigid insulation boards which are bonded to any flat surface (already there or specially constructed) with nothing more than some adhesive and precise positioning. For more on insulating your roof, please visit our blog and articles on flat and pitched roof insulation. 

For more information on loft insulation materials and attick insulation installation, please read related blog articles and product descriptions on our website. If you have any questions please post them in the comments below.