Old attic insulation types.
Different types of old attic insulation.
5he house was built in 1944 and is northern virginia.
Loose fill insulation consists of natural or man made fibers that are blown into the ceiling cavity.
Find your zone on the map and then use the chart to determine the level of insulation you need to properly insulate your attic walls floors and crawlspaces.
In particularly cold climates you might go up to r 60.
First you should understand the different types of insulation.
Batt or blanket insulation is made from glass or cotton fiber and comes in roll form usually in widths of 16 or 24.
Because blown in insulation which is fiberglass generally can go on top of the existing insulation the negative thing about blown in insulation is that it makes the attic absolutely impassable when you re done and you need a lot more thickness of it because it has more air inside of it than you would if you used fiberglass bats.
Insulation types include loose fill batts rolls foam board spray board and vapor barriers.
One of the biggest problems with old attic insulation types is that some of them are contaminated with asbestos.
It has a sparkle or shine in the sunlight.
R value ratings vary among different types and forms of home insulations and among products of the same type and form.
Your home s r value score will guide you toward the type of insulation you need.
One of the most common materials containing asbestos fibers is attic and wall insulation.
The type of insulation you need depends on which type is currently installed and the required r value.
Both can be added to uninsulated attics or layered over existing material.
For diy attic insulation you ve got two choices.
In general an attic s r value should be between r 30 and r 49.
The most common insulation materials are fiberglass cellulose and foam.
There are five main types of insulation that you may encounter.
Due to the age it disintegrates into dust when i compress it between my fingers.
Once you ve decided which type is best for you examine the material options and prices to home in on the right product.
I suspect the insulation is original.
Achieving greater r values in attics the higher the r value the better the thermal performance of the insulation.
It looks to be a white batt type insulation.
Loose fill or batt the common term for blanket insulation.
Signs of asbestos contamination.
As we mentioned previously vermiculite can often come with some asbestos mixed into it.
But just because your insulation is old doesn t mean it is dangerous.
I am trying to identify the type of insulation in my attic.
