Attic insulation is available with and without a paper facing. The facing contains a thin layer of asphalt, which acts as a vapor barrier to block moisture. It’s important to use the right type of insulation to prevent moisture problems in your attic.
Here’s what you need to know about the facing on attic insulation:
- Faced Insulation: If the attic doesn’t have any existing insulation, use faced insulation with the paper facing toward the heated living space.
- Unfaced Insulation: When adding more insulation to an attic that already has insulation, use unfaced insulation.
Watch the video above to find out more.
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT
Althea asks: Should I use faced or unfaced insulation in my attic?
Danny Lipford: I’ve always said adding insulation to your attic is some of the best money you can spend to make your house more energy-efficient, but whether to use faced or unfaced insulation is a great question. Now here’s a situation where a homeowner, what looks like many years ago, added insulation, they added a three-inch layer, but it has facing on it, and that could create a moisture trap between the living area and the underside of the insulation.
So, when you’re adding insulation to an existing attic that has insulation, you’ll want to use an unfaced type of material. In that way, you won’t have to worry about that moisture trap. And all you have to do is get a few rolls of this, roll it out perpendicular over the ceiling joist that you have in your attic, and then you’ve created that insulation barrier that’s going to save you money, summer or winter.
