How to Add Insulation to Your Attic

Gale Tedhams: Hi! I am Gale Tedhams with Owens Corning and I am going to show you how to insulate your attic. Homes and buildings are the number one user of energy in the United States, today and it's estimated that over 80 million homes are under-insulated. A well insulated home can save up to 20% an energy for heating and cooling and can make the house more comfortable.

Today, I am going to show you one of the most common areas of your home that might be under-insulated, your attic. How easy it is to determine, if you have enough insulation or need more. We will look insulation options that are available to you, the tools you'll need, and how to install the insulation.

We are going to use two different products. We are going to show you how to install Batt Insulation and we are also going to install Blown-In Fiberglass Insulation. Finally, we will show you how to top-off the project by insulating your attic stairway entrance using an attic stairway insulator.

Now, before we get started, we want to make sure that we are prepared for the job with all the proper tools. We will need a stapler. We need a tape measure, we will straightedge and a utility knife to cut the batts. We will also need a work light and a platform, so that we can expand that across the joist for easy footing.

We always need to keep safety in mind when we are doing any home project. Now there is a lot of dust in the attic. So we want to make sure to wear a long sleeved loose-fitting shirt, work gloves, safety glasses, and a dust mask.

Before we begin, let me tell you a little bit about myself. I am a Civil Engineer and I've been working with Owens Corning for over 30 years. I have seen a lot insulation, but this might be the first time for you. Let me show you how easy it is!