Face Or Unface Insulation In Uninsulated Attic

The good news is that the solution to your problem isn t that difficult.

Face or unface insulation in uninsulated attic.

Unfaced means the insulation lacks a vapor retarder paper or plastic facing. If you re putting it in an exterior wall the facing is on the interior side of the home where drywall will be laid. Facing is a thin layer of paper or plastic attached to one side of batting insulation which is sold in a roll. Unfaced insulation when adding more insulation to an attic that already has insulation use unfaced insulation.

Faced insulation if the attic doesn t have any existing insulation use faced insulation with the paper facing toward the heated living space. Kraft faced insulation includes a paper vapor retarder which helps prevent mold and mildew. As you ve discovered since you already had insulation in your attic the layer of new insulation you added should have been unfaced to prevent moisture from becoming trapped between the layers. The same is true for an attic floor.

Faced insulation has flanges on the outside of the batt that need to be stapled to the wall studs and joists. Whether you choose faced or unfaced insulation for the attic depends on the. The primary reason to insulate any part of the home is to provide a thermal barrier between conditioned heated or cooled interior space and the outdoors or unheated spaces such as an unfinished. The facing should aim down toward the living space.

Kraft faced insulation should be installed in exterior walls exterior basement walls and attic ceilings by pressing the product into the wall cavity with the paper side facing outward towards the installer. You can buy them unfaced or simply remove the paper or foil backing. Simply peel the facing paper off the top layer of insulation. For many contractors the decision to use one kind of insulation over the other depends solely on preference rather than a by the book decision making process.

Watch this video to find out more.