Insulating A House Without An Attic

Mini split ductless air conditioner.

Insulating a house without an attic.

In most parts of the united states insulating the exterior edge of a slab can reduce heating bills by 10 to 20. But this will require either cross battening and a metal roof on battens or else a new layer of decking. Install siding over the insulation. Recycled newsprint makes up cellulose.

Lay a two by four on top temporarily compressing the insulation to a manageable thickness. Apply a house wrap vapor barrier to exterior walls. I would lean toward adding rigid foam either on top of the roof or on the inside under the joists if reducing headroom isn t a problem. Insulating a slab in an existing home can be expensive and disruptive but if the slab in your home is cold it is possible to dig around the perimeter of the house and install insulation usually foam board.

A portable air conditioner is the easiest solution for cooling your attic. Over insulating an attic or crawl space won t save you enough money on power bills to make the expense worthwhile. Portable air conditioners do need to be vented to pump the hot air outside. If you think you need more insulation consult a reputable expert.

For a greener insulation project cellulose blown in insulation is available. The r value is greater than fiberglass and it is fire retardant. But if you ve got an unfinished attic giving it proper insulation is one of the simplest ways to keep a lid on your heating bill this season. Finally run a standard utility knife along the edge of the lumber through the insulation and down to.

Replace old windows with energy efficient units. Adding some insulation to it would also be helpful. One way to insulate walls of an old house is to focus on the home s exterior. Depending on your climate you ll need r 30 to r 49 to meet code which is 5 to 8 1 2 inches of polyiso rigid foam which is r 6 per inch.

It s a standalone unit that s about two feet tall and 18 inches wide and has wheels for mobility. It s a diy project you can tackle in a weekend and the savings you ll get add up every year says toh general contractor tom silva. The best way to insulate attic doors is to make a pillow made of insulation batting.