Insulating A House Without An Attic

One way to insulate walls of an old house is to focus on the home s exterior.

Insulating a house without an attic.

Caulk window trim and use weatherstripping to reduce air leaks. 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. If you think you need more insulation consult a reputable expert. In most parts of the united states insulating the exterior edge of a slab can reduce heating bills by 10 to 20.

Lay a two by four on top temporarily compressing the insulation to a manageable thickness. Attach 1 inch foam board insulation. 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. 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. There is also a product available called thermadeck made in the metroplex which used in conjunction with construction like this provides an airspace and insulation. Install siding over the insulation. 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.

The r value is greater than fiberglass and it is fire retardant. Replace old windows with energy efficient units. Portable air conditioners do need to be vented to pump the hot air outside. Mini split ductless air conditioner.

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. The best way to insulate attic doors is to make a pillow made of insulation batting. Apply a house wrap vapor barrier to exterior walls.

Recycled newsprint makes up cellulose. For a greener insulation project cellulose blown in insulation is available. Adding some insulation to it would also be helpful.