New Attic Insulation Over Old

Your home was built before the ban on asbestos so unless you get the insulation tested assume it is in there.

New attic insulation over old.

Any new roll or batt insulation installed over existing insulation in the attic needs to be without a vapor retarder face. The vapor retarder on top of or between layers of insulation can trap moisture. 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. Place a new layer of unfaced batts perpendicular to the old layer to cover any gaps in the lower layer.

Unless you have rodent droppings or mold in the existing insulation you can leave it in place. The old insulation can be fluffed a bit with a leaf rake which will help. Any existing batt or roll insulation in the attic should have the facing against the attic drywall floor or no facing at all. Any new batt or roll insulation installed over existing insulation in the attic needs to be without a vapor retarder face.

If the insulation appears wet you have an underlying problem that needs to be addressed first. You can buy them unfaced or simply remove the paper or foil backing. Can you put insulation over existing insulation. 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.

Be careful no matter what you do in the attic. Any new batt or roll insulation installed over existing insulation in the attic needs to be without a vapor retarder face. The vapor retarder on top of or between layers of insulation can trap moisture. This method can be used in any climate though it historically has been most popular in colder climates.

Yes in most instances you can. Take a quick visit up to the attic armed with a ruler to determine how much insulation is there. The vapor retarder on top of or between layers of insulation can trap moisture. Wet insulation is a breeding ground for mold mildew or rot.

In most cases existing insulation typically fiberglass batts installed between attic floor joists can be covered by new insulation. 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. Insert the ruler through the insulation until it makes contact with the attic floor. 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.