New Attic Insulation Over Old

Wet insulation is a breeding ground for mold mildew or rot.

New attic insulation over old. Be careful no matter what you do in the attic. Any existing batt or roll insulation in the attic should have the facing against the attic drywall floor or no facing at all. Can you add new insulation over old insulation. The vapor retarder on top of or between layers of insulation can trap moisture.

Unless you have rodent droppings or mold in the existing insulation you can leave it in place. Insert the ruler through the insulation until it makes contact with the attic floor. Any new roll or batt insulation installed over existing insulation in the attic needs to be without a vapor retarder face. If it s clear the insulation level is well under 12 inches or you cannot see the floor joists you could certainly benefit from adding more.

The vapor retarder on top of or between layers of insulation can trap moisture. Any new batt or roll insulation installed over existing insulation in the attic needs to be without a vapor retarder face. In most cases existing insulation typically fiberglass batts installed between attic floor joists can be covered by new insulation. Any existing batt or roll insulation in the attic should have the facing against the attic drywall floor or no facing at all.

Any existing batt or roll insulation in the attic should have the facing against the attic drywall floor or no facing at all. This method can be used in any climate though it historically has been most popular in colder climates. You can buy them unfaced or simply remove the paper or foil backing. Your home was built before the ban on asbestos so unless you get the insulation tested assume it is in there.

Over the insulation install laying foil over on top of insulation on the attic floor this is probably the easiest method to install radiant barrier atticfoil is to lay the foil out over the existing insulation on the attic floor. Any new batt or roll insulation installed over existing insulation in the attic needs to be without a vapor retarder face. Always use unfaced batts both when laying product for the first time and to prevent moisture from becoming trapped between new and old layers of insulation. The levels of attic insulation recommended today by energy star are substantially higher than those used earlier so it s worth checking out what s recommended in your geographic area.

If the insulation appears wet you have an underlying problem that needs to be addressed first. Take a quick visit up to the attic armed with a ruler to determine how much insulation is there. However you must guard against mold and mildew growth. The vapor retarder on top of or between layers of insulation can trap moisture.

Place a new layer of unfaced batts perpendicular to the old layer to cover any gaps in the lower layer.