I did this same process to a 1000 sq. ft. house near Chicago built in 1960 about 10 years ago. The return duct work was super leaky, sealed it up with spray foam and mastic. Rafter baffles, penetration sealing, cellulose blown to R49, etc. When I was all said and done, the winter heating bills went from $200-300/month to around $100/month. Since I did it myself, ROI was less than 1 year.
how expensive was it to remove existing cellulose? I had a team come out to my home and wanted to just blow on top of existing cellulose. I did ask about the removal of OLD cellulose, he advised against it because of cost etc
@@philevans4740 Mine was existing R15 fiberglass. Since I did it myself, I just moved everything around as needed for air sealing and then blew the cellulose over the top.
NICE!!! My house was built in 76, had no interior wall insulation at all in the attic. I put in another 18 rolls of regular insulation at the time and radiant heat barrier on the ceiling. Dropped the temperature in the rooms below my 5 degrees in the height of summer.
I've watched a lot of your videos Matt. I finally did an "Insulation 2.0" reboot on my house which was built in about 2000. Mine was very simple. I 1) raked old blown fiberglass into a few piles (did not remove), 2) Sealed ducts using a) Mastic, b) Caulk and c) Spray foam. 3) Used about 25 cans of spray foam for rim joists, can lights, penetrations etc and 3) blew in an R60 depth of cellulose. It took a lot of labor, but my materials were
Thanks for sharing your info. I was really on the fence about the time to recoup the cost of the project but think I will give it shot because of your experience.
Hey Andy thanks for the comment and sounds like a great results for your hard work. I am also in the process of doing a insulation 2.0 on my 2000 built home and would love to hear any tips/tricks or suggestions you can offer from your experience. I do have interest in doing attic ceiling spray foam but I have a gas furnace in my attic in Texas so from the video it appears I cannot do the spray foam in the attic ceiling! I am not sure if there is a work around or hack that could help and still allow to use spray foam. I was also confused alot of people commented on several videos not to use spray foam and that it wad dangerous trading the moisture in the attic or causing the wood to rott causing mold! Any thoughts of that?
These videos are awesome. Question: My forever home is currently being framed in East Tennessee. About 3200’ on Main floor and then a bonus room above the 3-car garage. So above the main home area it’s planned to simply have R-38 Blow in. I’ve been watching videos like this for years and have a buddy who spray foamed his home and swears by it; any reason (other than $16k in additional cost) to NOT spray foam the attic space instead? Air handler and duct work will be up there.
I'm getting ready to do the same to my house. Large 2008 build. No air sealing. I'm thinking about buying a dust collector from harbor freight ($100) to suck out the cellulose and move it into a pile elsewhere in the attic. Reverse the process to return it afterwards. Any thoughts? Tips? Tricks?
Matt, I DIY’d this to my attic based on your first “insulation 2.0” video. Rented an insulation vac, sealed all the penetrations, had R49 cellulose blown in. About $2k spent all in: 50% reduction in heating, thank you!
Pennsylvania climate. The massive savings were due to it being a really leaky 1970’s attic with inadequate insulation. Did not blow in cellulose myself. Hired that out for $1300. 900sq foot attic.
When I think of this kind of work I relate that to energy reduction, maybe there is a video but I have not seeing one yet, for you what was the benefit in energy reduction which translates into less expenses? How much time did it took you to get that investment back (ROI)?
Did this last fall on my 3,300 s.f. Colonial built in 91’ in Maryland. I paid someone $2k to suck out the old insulation. Spent about another $2k on foam, can lights covers, baffles and R-60 fiberglass insulation. Did the work myself and the wife helped load the insulation in the hopper to blow it back in. Turned out great and really helping with the energy bills!
@@therealweenis just found a small local attic insulation business and they were willing to do it for a reasonable price. As they said in the video, getting it clean is the worst part and it was well worth it to pay for that part. A clean attic was so easy to work on during the cool fall weather.
I did this in my house in Virginia before the builder put the insulation in. Since I was working in the summer, I would go by the house at around 9pm when the sun went down and worked till 11pm or midnight spraying the foam along the top plate and pipe/cable penetrations as well as electrical boxes in the ceiling. I also had a box fan (to cool me off when working in that still-hot attic) running off an inverter and a 12V battery I kept charged with solar panels since the electric company was taking their time getting the electricity connected. (This 12V battery also powered the backup sump pump to keep the basement dry, and continues to serve as a backup if the power goes out). I asked the builder about sealing the top plates but they said they don't do that. Fine, I'll do it myself. Results? My heatpump can maintain 68F in the house when it's 17F out, without using any aux heat. In fact I have the aux heat on a switch that I can turn on if I determine that the house is getting too cold. Never needed to turn it on yet.
I think it would be great to have a 3 budget tier recommendation video for a re-roof deck and attic insulation. Ex: convential build from the 70's, new decking and shingles. Your monoply framing envelope is outstanding, but not always achievable base on budgets
One thing that helped my (110 year old) Pennsylvania house this summer was putting radiant barrier up in the roof stringers, done "the Texas way" (as in this video), but with two layers of barrier. This was good for a 15--20 degree F drop in attic temps on sunny days, and didn't take very long to put in. And it has really improved the cooling in my upper floors on sunny days. (Tip: get the airflow right: guide air into the barrier chambers in at/from the eaves; leave a decent gap at the ridge if you don't have a ridge vent.)
I read the Fine Homebulding Magazine article featuring a Steve Baczek project that was to meet Passive House certification. Because he had nothing in the attic that needed regular access, and something like 30 inches of insulation, he put the attic access door on the gable end of the house and NOT going down into the living space of the house. No door to seal or insulate is brilliant.
I know your target audience is mostly home builders, but I'd love to see more on this line of what homeowners can do for an existing house - what we should look for, who we should be talking to, what products to ask about, etc. This video specifically would have been hugely valuable to me a couple years ago when I re-insulated. While I had gained enough knowledge form your channel and did ask them to "air seal", it was not done anything remotely like what you shown here. Probably because I used a typical insulation company. Even with with new R49 (code was R39) and radiant barrier install, the house is still very poor performance thermally. When it gets hot here (San Francisco Bay Area), my AC can run for 10 hours straight and the house will still get WARMER during peak heat.
Rent to suck out, and seal still apply. I would only hire for radiant barriers and installation. What is your BTU to SF ratio, 12000 BTU will do about 800 SF is San Francisco or 1000 in Seattle. I have 24000 BTU for 1800 SF, near Everett.WA. I the south you might need double that. Even with crappy insulation leaks (unsealed canned lights, etc.) it is plenty.
I have 5 canlights upstairs. 3 which are in the bathroom. The old owner did put covers over them but never used any spray foam to seal it!! The insulation really showed how much air actually had gone up into the attic.. imagine hot steamy air just flowing freely into the attic space. I am really happy that I went up there and sealed all the boxes with foam. Feels like a small and pointless thing to do, but it most definately will do a lot! Especially since I live in a cold climate
Had my 1970s home sealed and added insulation up to code. Since it's a split level it made a huge difference with the hvac. Now it actually shuts off during 95 degree weather which is really nice. Made a big dent in my energy bill too
Just started this project on my own home in April. Doing the work myself and still not done . My advice if you plan to do yourself is to do it in the winter . Get some buddies to help out if you can . I am using rockwool r23 for my first layer . Despite what they say if you have to do a lot of cuts it does get itchy and fibers do get in the air. I have a 1960 house so at least half of the batts needed to be cut once to 3 times . Please use gloves long sleeves and eyewear. I rented a vacuum to remove old insulation for about 400 bucks and 2 days . The rockwool cost me about 3k for a 1400 square foot house and about 400 square feet for the garage . Not sure if I'll use rockwool r23 again or r30 batts for the second layer .the foam gun was about 50 bucks and you'll need at least 3 cans of foam for the same square footage . I won't see the full benefits till I finish this winter so next summer should be great for me .
I've now consumed I don't know how many hours of attic insulation thanks to Matt and other videos similar. I apologize ahead of time for the length of this comment but i'd love some advice from @Matt Risinger or someone else with knowledge in this space... House info: I live in GA, and my attic is almost identical to what they showed on this. HVAC (furnace) up in the attic with the same type of vent, blow in insulation, etc. My furnace is ~ 20 years old and will need to be replaced eventually. I got a quote from a well respected company in my area and they were pushing me really hard on another 80% efficient unit even though I asked for a more efficient so that I could essentially do what Matt showed in the Insulation 2.0 video where you bring the attic into the conditioned space. No matter how many different ways I asked, the answer was "you don't need anything more efficient than 80% in GA". More or less what that company was recommending was what was shown in this video - almost exactly. So my questions are here... Is it worth going the extra mile to make the attic space conditioned as opposed to what they did here and just sealed off the spaces coming down from the attic and reinsulating? And when I say "worth it" - is it worth the upgrade from an 80% efficient furnace to a 90%+ (most seem to be 96% once you go past 80), insulate the roof deck with something like rockwool that Matt shared in another insulation video, and seal off the air gaps on the attic floor? Or...would it make more sense to just do what they did here? I plan to be in my house for probably another 10 years, and I really like to be comfortable. I've done tons of reading on all this and watching videos like this to educate myself. I have ridge vents on the roof, so my understanding is I'd have to put in baffles that basically run from the soffits up to the ridge vents. I'd then want to put ~8" rockwool insulation underneath those baffles. I'd need to suck out the insulation in the attic and then seal all the leaks. I'd need to replace the furnace with a more efficient version that could be pvc vented. Thoughts? Ohh...and the reason I am considering rockwool over something like the open/closed cell foam is I've seen some videos where these things have gone horribly wrong - like making people sick, the home is unlivable, etc. And once you spray the foam...there's really no backing out afterwards.
16:57 Thanks for the clarification. I would have assumed that Quincy would have done the blower door test again to see the improvement. I would have also liked to have seen the blower door test done before the attic was re-insulated.
Great information, especially with temperatures and energy prices going up. Check with your city for rebates and low interest loans for home energy efficiency upgrades which usually include duct sealing, additional insulation, installation of solar screens on windows, AC system tune up, etc..
Radiant barrier also keeps radiant energy from penetrating the fiberglass and reduces heat through your ceiling by almost 50% based on the lab studies I have watched. You use about 10% less A/C just by adding a radiant barrier.
We have vapour barrier in my climate. So I use acoustical sealant and spray foam. I use this method every time and works great. A tip for those hoods is to add extra blown insulation to account for the height of that cover so you have an even r-49. I do this for ducts as well.
Good timing! Will be getting my attic airsealed next Monday! Also adding more insulation to R49 - right now I have a R9 or realistically even lower. Will be looking forward to see the impact with this hot Texas weather. I recently started logging the temperature in the attic (over 130 degrees) to see the impact of the radiant barrier which will also be installed with the new insulation. With all the duct work up there I want to see how much it lowers the temperature after installation.
@@Th3120ck I will be using Green Attics out of Dallas. It will be my first time using them. They also offer a paid energy consultation report with blower/thermal camera if you need that.
Great video and information. My attic is costing me a ton of $$. My house was built in 1974. I am a DIY person and will do this myself. Probably not perfect but a lot better than it is now.
This episode was outstanding ... best in a long time. You weren't trying to sell me some overpriced sponsored useless item ... like you used to do when I subscribed. Very helpful. More of these please.
I think if you are going through all that trouble and expense, you might as well replace the can lights with a modern, sealed one. Can lights are not expensive.
@@michaeldautry First thing I thought to if you went to all the work of removing the insulation and have easy access. Get rid of them all, and then you can still put hats over them and not worry about the heat with the LED like the old ones like that. Not only that you can get ones that you can change the colour temps as well for the area you are putting them in
@@illeatmyhat They have cover rings for that. Reason I know is I added extra potlights to my kitchen and dining room since the builder cheaped out, and wanted to keep them the same. Since its white on white, it just looks normal. Plus the flat look compared to the old school eyeball look is cleaner to. To each their own, but for this project, spending 10K on that, the upgrade to new lights that sue less energy and generate less heat, wouldnt be much extra
@@virgil3241 Can lights likely have LED bulbs in them already, no? That's one of the first things I did to my house when I bought it was take out the CFLs (and the one flood light there to draw more power so the dimmer worked well - I put in a modern smart dimmer too before the LEDs). I agree with the scope of the project and doing it at that time though, just don't think you will have energy savings via lighting.
I foam sealed all of my attic penetrations in 2020 as shown here by myself. I also installed foam boards (about 4-6 inches) from the top seal plate to the baffles which directs outside air flow through the baffles. I also installed Attic Foul to reflect heat back to the roof.
About how many man hours did it take and what square footage? I've considered doing something like this myself. Did you have to remove any loose insulation?
@@23ty45 On my 1400 sqft house, I spent probably 8+ hours tracing all my wall top plates to seal them and diggin for penetrations without removing all the insulation, just moving it around, trying my best not to crush it. The insulation was almost new, the people who flipped the house just did a shit job. Then I insulated my knee walls with foam board and added ~R10 worth of blown in cellulose on about half the house. All told I spent probably 20 hours in the attic.
@@mikew.5286 I don't have great numbers, as there were a number of things that changed in that time-frame (it was shortly after we moved in as well). But I can tell you that the open common area with vaulted ceilings that was my main focus went from being about 3-4 degrees colder than the rest of the house to being within a degree or two. My heat pump was struggling to maintain 70 degrees on a 30 degree day (I'm in Georgia, that's cold) prior to the change and I've never had it fail to achieve setpoint since.
in cold climates you want to mix cellulose and fiberglass. The cellulose itself will settle a lot as you push past R60. The fiberglass by itself will suffer thermal piping when it's at -40.
I have a low slope roof - 4/12, looks fine from the outside, but inside it is really difficult to work in the attic, especially with ducts in the way. This video shows a best case, with high sloped rafters and lot's of space in the attic. I suspect this is typical, at least in my area (mid Atlantic). How much does the slope of the roof contribute to the cost of this job?
Great stuff. I’d definitely love to find contractors in N. Alabama to take a look at our situation. I don’t want to admit what my utility bill was this month. 4300sq ft with some great options for swapping to a conditioned attic space.
Dude, same here. Older house, but also had some critters make a home of our attic a few years back. Got rid of them, but the insulation was never repaired/replaced.
Windows are notorious for air leaks from the 80s usually because of leaks around frames in my experience. Taking trim of and spray foaming but check window structure to look for cracks or other possible air leaks. Insulated Windows warranty are usually 5 to 8 years.
Matt 👍🏼 video, love the way you ask the pertinent questions. Most of your followers would be asking someone like Quincy on their project. Keep building 👊🏼
Fantastic topic for a video and great timing. My 1960 ranch has a continuous attic space that continues all the way through to the garage space which has almost no insulation at all (Chicago area climate). I’m going to build knee walls and completely seal off this space to separate them and insulate the garage fully anyways. Thanks for the great info. I’m very excited to keep learning and doing the right modifications to bring my home into the modern world of efficiency.
Wish everyone building and remodeling would pay more attention to the attic and penetration points for air leaking and make sure when doing the work they make entry point into rooms and such into attic or from attic to room air sealed by sealing up the overcuts, holes, etc…. All need is some good caulk down in room side and attic is fire stop spray foam and seal the things that need sealed; in my area these products are still readily available at supply houses (for lower costs for contractors) or even places like big box stores, and also online. But, like they said in vid, you have companies that come in and spray n go; something that might save money up front; but not doing you any favors down the road, imo
Id love an expert to reply to this as well. Way too scared to do it without knowing how the pros check to make sure it wouldnt get too humid or moldy in the attic. I bought a whole home dehumidifier, still chickened out of enclosing attic.
It would be good to see an exterior insulation roof retro fit project if you come across one. This would be a great option for bungalows that have upstairs rooms with ceilings following the roof lines. There are a lot of houses like that in the midwest and during a re-roof there's an opportunity to add some insulation capacity.
Yeah, I live in WA but my biggest problem is my roof becomes a hot plate every summer. It bakes my attic. My house gets hot from the ceiling, I can touch it and it it warm regardless of how may feet of insulation. When the insulation is 130 too it is not helping !!
Our brand new house with well done duct work they said had 120 cfm of leakage. We had aeroseal come in a seal it up. They said that was very normal. It was leaky enough that it was like leaving a window open when the A/C was running.
Whereabouts in NorCal? Curious what contractor you've found? I'm in the Sacramento area, and we are trying to "fix" all the shortcuts our contractor took on our 1994 new home build. Now we're just old & tired enough to want to find someone to do the individual stuff. Attic and windows are tops to get that energy savings for us - tired of giving all the $$$ to PG&E 🤦♀️
Another place to find “us” is to look at their utility provider’s websites for preferred contractors. I own the first one listed in the Minneapolis metro area and this is what we do.
Spray foam the top of the exterior walls. The company I had come out did a great job with all the mechanical penetrations like light fixtures and vent fans. But they did not do the top of the exterior walls. So there is still an air path from the receptacles through the wall and through the gap between the drywall and top plate in the attic. So make sure to verify the top of the exterior walls.
I sealed all the attic penetrations in our 1979 house in 2009 about a year after we moved in. Replaced the missing fire collar on the pipe for the furnace and closed the gap around it. Started installing pro vents so we could add venting at the soffit and add a ridge vent. I also installed in ceiling speakers. Hubby couldnt work in the attic with a 4/12 roof pitch. Health issues got in the way so I'm getting back to finishing up so we can replace the insulation. I'm not sure what to do about the in ceiling speakers though. The attic space acts as the speaker enclosure so I'm not sure what impact treating them like can lights would have. I guess I'll have to try one to find out.
Just bought a home with blown insulation(seemingly too much). Absolute nightmare fuel to do work so far in terms of updating lighting in the rooms upstairs, getting to the air handler etc.
🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: 🏠 Attic insulation upgrades can be done through air sealing and adding more insulation or using spray foam at the roof line. 🌡️ In regions like Texas, vented attics are common due to the absence of basements, with ductwork and HVAC systems often located in the attic space. 💡 Upgrading attic insulation involves addressing air leakage issues, which can significantly impact energy efficiency and comfort. 🛠️ Air sealing measures include sealing can lights, top plates, plumbing and electrical penetrations, HVAC boots, and mechanical fan exhausts. 🌬️ Baffles are essential to prevent insulation from being blown away by wind and maintain thermal efficiency in the attic. ☀️ Radiant barriers complement insulation by reflecting radiant heat, especially in regions with intense sun exposure like Texas. 💸 The cost of attic insulation upgrades typically ranges from $4.50 to $6 per square foot, with additional expenses for radiant barriers. 📐 Hiring a home performance contractor knowledgeable about building science is crucial for effective insulation upgrades and addressing air leakage issues. Made with HARPA AI
I saw a video where they used a foam product connected to the roof rafters. They seal it with foam. This leaves an air path between the decking and the foam. I think it was called SilverGlo. What do you think about that?
I suspect that many houses with rooms over garages have the floor truss area between the floor and ceiling completely open to the attic space in the front of the garage. It's made worse when they use open web trusses, now that air is leaking throughout the entire 1st/2nd floor space. My dad's house was built this way and it was very expensive to heat and cool. And it was built in 1987 when you'd think they know better, but this is Virginia.
Same attic with same leaks and a ridge vent with baffles and vented soffit. Was thinking of adding like 2 inches of foam without sealing ridge or soffits...leaving my Rockwool and white stuff on the ceiling. Good idea or recommend sealing up,pulling loose fill...then foaming? Livingston texas in the humid Houston market.
I always wonder why the videos always pick the extremely easy 6/12 and above pitch attics while the huge majority of homes in this country are 4/12 and very difficult to work in? It would be more helpful to show realistic conditions and how to deal with them than these ideal situations. In a 4/12 it isn't about what you use as much as it is in how to lay down correctly and how to reach the eaves for effective coverage. Not much value to showing an attic with eight foot peak and scads of room to move about in.
You have HVAC equipment in the attic that may need servicing. With R-49 insulation, the insulation will cover the bottom chord of the truss. What do you install to help a repair man safely reach the HVAC equipment and be able to work on it?
That’s what I was thinking… get one of those spray foam kits, flash the ceiling and all the penetrations, and then blow in cellulose (which is less nasty than fiberglass). I’m going to do that to my kitchen ceiling remodel… if the weather ever breaks 105 degrees.
Awesome DIY. 👍 I’m getting old enough that I’d rather just pay someone to do it. LOL! 😂 I think I’ve found a good contractor that is going to do a “2.0” job.
Howdy Matt, My name is Wayne Lanham. I love watching your videos! My wife Cindy and I live at Lake Brownwood. We have an amazing home built in the early 1980's by a banker from Lubbock. He was building a bit ahead of the current building trends. One thing he did not do well was the insulation of the home. We are all electric and our electric bill averages $750+ per month year-round. We need some help making the right decisions on how to proceed with fixing our home. We are both real estate agents with Lake Homes Realty and I'm also in the Scrap Metals business. We would love to hear from you and get some ideas. Wayne & Cindy
I have a problem with using blown cellulose fibers for insulation. Overtime, it attracts huge amount of dust and dirt particles which can be harmful to your lungs especially if a person has respiratory ailments like asthma. Anyone with an older "loosely" built home with blown insulation will attest just how dusty their home gets. We found out the hard way. My son has asthma. We bought a 70s ranch with blown insulation in the walls and attic space. But the HVAC was inadequate so I had a new system installed including new ductwork. Soon after, my sons asthma worsened to the point of having to be hospitalized. We changed the filters weekly to no avail. The dust was everywhere. It was a nightmare. My son had to stay with my parents until I could sell the house and buy another one.
@@woohunter1 great idea today with new construction. But we didn’t have access to air sealing technology in the 90s. Most buyers don’t think about air sealing a turn key home buy.
@Matt Risinger Did you perform the test out blower door before or after insulation? It's worth mentioning to your audience that you want to test out Pre insulation that way if there are additional areas in the attic you still have access for sealing. Based on the homes I've tested I would say this one likely has open floor trusses to the porch on the opposite side,overhangs, etc. Which can be exceptionally expensive to remedy.
Hello thank you for the valuable information. I have already gone through the foam process / retrofit. Do I need to still seal the can lights with foam at the rough deck or does the can sealing only apply to blown in insulation?
Great video! What do you suggest aside from this when you live in a 8 plex condo where 4 u it’s are on the second floor and is one large open attic? If I do all of this and nobody else does, I’m just wasting money? Suggestions please?
Will this process help if the attic penetrations and poor insulation causes a humidity issue during the summer that is not present in the winter. My issue is a higher than expected humidity level, especially, upstairs, when it is hot and humid.
Great Video, only wished the estimate price for the spray foam insulation was provided too. Even thought it wasn’t an option. My opinion is that improvement of the home insulation is better money spent than solar panels.
non contractor question: Matt, could they have used before the insulation went in, that system that sprays some kind of plastic type stuff in the air to close out all the little leaks in the attic? I know they use it in new construction a lot & with the insulation gone, it was a lot like a new build. Thanks.
spray foaming the underside of roof sheathing is a big mistake because it can hide roof leaks. we bought a house in FL that had some past roof leaks and some of the sheathing was completely rotten and had to be cut out. the home inspection might have missed it if all that rotten plywood had been hidden by spray foam.
Matt I wish you guys would have talked about some of the performance spray caulk used instead of canned foam it can be applied quicker and probably cheaper and doesnt need the insulation value of spray foam as the blown in goes right on over it. I know there is a big gap challenge that foam fixes but what about a combination of the two?
Do you have any insulation 3.0 advice or how to retrofit this style attic with spray foam, for those who do not have the vented furnace flue? How to seal soffits, etc. Thank you!
In a very similar setup, could you add platforms for storage? What would that look like? The wind in my dry client up the baffets, blew so hard my attick access busted apart and I have an exposed attic access. Is that normal?
How heavy can blown-in cellular get before you have to worry about it breaking through the ceiling? In the part of my attic that had a good 12 ft of space they put something like 30 or 40 inches of cellulose which it felt like a lot over the back side of the house where it gets the most sun. Since they insulated, the room stays so much colder and is easier to cool down. Are you supposed to put something down between the rafters and the cellulose insulation?
The recessed can light covers stick up so they don’t look like they have any R value at all. Wouldn’t it be better to remove the can light fixtures and replace them with the new flat LED style ‘can lights’? That way you could get an almost uniform R-49 across all of the ceiling. Also, any one you recommend for home performance work in Dallas? PS: Love the show!
Hey Matt , Texas builders don’t insulate over the garage .. if you add a mini split shouldn’t you be insulating the garage attic celing ? Vapor barrier or unsheathed insulation ?
Can a 80% furnace like that never be located inside the condition space? I purchased a new furnace like that last year and want to move it to an interior closet.
Yes it can, my 5 ton on the main side of the house is in a closet and is a 80%. But it's bad as it sucks air right out of the living space to burn with the fuel. My 2.5 ton is in the attic over the Master and pulls air out of the attic. Next year or so I'm doing Mini-split heat pumps as I'm in South Texas and dont really need these big Nat Gas heaters.
@@TdrSld Thanks for the info. I'm in San Antonio so I completely agree about not needing the nat gas heaters. I wish I had known more about this stuff last year when I replaced my AC system.
Hi Matt, I live in Austin and have a asphalt shingle roof. Would you recommend spray foam to insulate the attic? I heard the heat might damage the shingles and is only recommended for metal roofs.
My builder refused even with metal claiming that it would damage the decking. I used spray foam on the floor of the attic and then blown in on top of that. I looked into radiant also but I have no ridge vent.
Thanks for the video, looks like I’m in for the same kind of treatment here in Georgia, was that fiberglass insulation that was blown in and could you use cellulose in a southern climate with all the humidity ? Has anyone else used cellulose in a hot humid section of the country?
I did this same process to a 1000 sq. ft. house near Chicago built in 1960 about 10 years ago. The return duct work was super leaky, sealed it up with spray foam and mastic. Rafter baffles, penetration sealing, cellulose blown to R49, etc. When I was all said and done, the winter heating bills went from $200-300/month to around $100/month. Since I did it myself, ROI was less than 1 year.
What did you use to spray it?
how expensive was it to remove existing cellulose? I had a team come out to my home and wanted to just blow on top of existing cellulose. I did ask about the removal of OLD cellulose, he advised against it because of cost etc
@@philevans4740 Mine was existing R15 fiberglass. Since I did it myself, I just moved everything around as needed for air sealing and then blew the cellulose over the top.
NICE!!! My house was built in 76, had no interior wall insulation at all in the attic. I put in another 18 rolls of regular insulation at the time and radiant heat barrier on the ceiling. Dropped the temperature in the rooms below my 5 degrees in the height of summer.
@@philevans4740a few years ago i paid about $1 per square foot as part of a spray foam installation.
I've watched a lot of your videos Matt. I finally did an "Insulation 2.0" reboot on my house which was built in about 2000. Mine was very simple. I 1) raked old blown fiberglass into a few piles (did not remove), 2) Sealed ducts using a) Mastic, b) Caulk and c) Spray foam. 3) Used about 25 cans of spray foam for rim joists, can lights, penetrations etc and 3) blew in an R60 depth of cellulose. It took a lot of labor, but my materials were
Thanks for sharing your info. I was really on the fence about the time to recoup the cost of the project but think I will give it shot because of your experience.
Hey Andy thanks for the comment and sounds like a great results for your hard work. I am also in the process of doing a insulation 2.0 on my 2000 built home and would love to hear any tips/tricks or suggestions you can offer from your experience. I do have interest in doing attic ceiling spray foam but I have a gas furnace in my attic in Texas so from the video it appears I cannot do the spray foam in the attic ceiling! I am not sure if there is a work around or hack that could help and still allow to use spray foam. I was also confused alot of people commented on several videos not to use spray foam and that it wad dangerous trading the moisture in the attic or causing the wood to rott causing mold! Any thoughts of that?
These videos are awesome. Question: My forever home is currently being framed in East Tennessee. About 3200’ on Main floor and then a bonus room above the 3-car garage. So above the main home area it’s planned to simply have R-38 Blow in. I’ve been watching videos like this for years and have a buddy who spray foamed his home and swears by it; any reason (other than $16k in additional cost) to NOT spray foam the attic space instead? Air handler and duct work will be up there.
I'm getting ready to do the same to my house. Large 2008 build. No air sealing. I'm thinking about buying a dust collector from harbor freight ($100) to suck out the cellulose and move it into a pile elsewhere in the attic. Reverse the process to return it afterwards. Any thoughts? Tips? Tricks?
How did you find the leaks in the ductwork? Flex duct?
Matt,
I DIY’d this to my attic based on your first “insulation 2.0” video. Rented an insulation vac, sealed all the penetrations, had R49 cellulose blown in. About $2k spent all in:
50% reduction in heating, thank you!
What climate was that in? My ROI on propane saved would pay that off in 2 winters.
Did you blow the R49 yourself? How long did that take?
Pennsylvania climate. The massive savings were due to it being a really leaky 1970’s attic with inadequate insulation.
Did not blow in cellulose myself. Hired that out for $1300. 900sq foot attic.
When I think of this kind of work I relate that to energy reduction, maybe there is a video but I have not seeing one yet, for you what was the benefit in energy reduction which translates into less expenses? How much time did it took you to get that investment back (ROI)?
Good job, was near Philly now I'm in Boston. Housing stock 100 years+... Kinda scared about the cost.
Nice to see a video relevant to those of us who dont have a high performance custom home. 1956 bungalow here
Posting this comment from the very first sealed attic I’ve ever seen in person, doing a central vac install. So luxurious to work in!
Did this last fall on my 3,300 s.f. Colonial built in 91’ in Maryland. I paid someone $2k to suck out the old insulation. Spent about another $2k on foam, can lights covers, baffles and R-60 fiberglass insulation. Did the work myself and the wife helped load the insulation in the hopper to blow it back in. Turned out great and really helping with the energy bills!
How much would it have been if you paid someone to spray the foam?
@@Th3120ck i got a quote a few years earlier and it was $14k to do the attic and insulate my rim joistin the basement…
I'm also in the New England area, how did you go about finding someone to suck out the old insulation alone?
@@therealweenis just found a small local attic insulation business and they were willing to do it for a reasonable price.
As they said in the video, getting it clean is the worst part and it was well worth it to pay for that part. A clean attic was so easy to work on during the cool fall weather.
I did this in my house in Virginia before the builder put the insulation in. Since I was working in the summer, I would go by the house at around 9pm when the sun went down and worked till 11pm or midnight spraying the foam along the top plate and pipe/cable penetrations as well as electrical boxes in the ceiling.
I also had a box fan (to cool me off when working in that still-hot attic) running off an inverter and a 12V battery I kept charged with solar panels since the electric company was taking their time getting the electricity connected. (This 12V battery also powered the backup sump pump to keep the basement dry, and continues to serve as a backup if the power goes out). I asked the builder about sealing the top plates but they said they don't do that. Fine, I'll do it myself. Results? My heatpump can maintain 68F in the house when it's 17F out, without using any aux heat. In fact I have the aux heat on a switch that I can turn on if I determine that the house is getting too cold. Never needed to turn it on yet.
I have literally been actively researching this all week. Talk about timing
I think it would be great to have a 3 budget tier recommendation video for a re-roof deck and attic insulation. Ex: convential build from the 70's, new decking and shingles. Your monoply framing envelope is outstanding, but not always achievable base on budgets
2nd this
One thing that helped my (110 year old) Pennsylvania house this summer was putting radiant barrier up in the roof stringers, done "the Texas way" (as in this video), but with two layers of barrier. This was good for a 15--20 degree F drop in attic temps on sunny days, and didn't take very long to put in. And it has really improved the cooling in my upper floors on sunny days. (Tip: get the airflow right: guide air into the barrier chambers in at/from the eaves; leave a decent gap at the ridge if you don't have a ridge vent.)
Whoops! 2 layers will cause mold within the space. It has holes for a reason
I deliberately left ways for air to flow in at the bottom and out at the top of both chambers. Good air flow -> dry -> no mold.
why not open cell spray foam in tx?
I read the Fine Homebulding Magazine article featuring a Steve Baczek project that was to meet Passive House certification. Because he had nothing in the attic that needed regular access, and something like 30 inches of insulation, he put the attic access door on the gable end of the house and NOT going down into the living space of the house. No door to seal or insulate is brilliant.
I know your target audience is mostly home builders, but I'd love to see more on this line of what homeowners can do for an existing house - what we should look for, who we should be talking to, what products to ask about, etc. This video specifically would have been hugely valuable to me a couple years ago when I re-insulated. While I had gained enough knowledge form your channel and did ask them to "air seal", it was not done anything remotely like what you shown here. Probably because I used a typical insulation company. Even with with new R49 (code was R39) and radiant barrier install, the house is still very poor performance thermally. When it gets hot here (San Francisco Bay Area), my AC can run for 10 hours straight and the house will still get WARMER during peak heat.
Rent to suck out, and seal still apply. I would only hire for radiant barriers and installation.
What is your BTU to SF ratio, 12000 BTU will do about 800 SF is San Francisco or 1000 in Seattle. I have 24000 BTU for 1800 SF, near Everett.WA. I the south you might need double that. Even with crappy insulation leaks (unsealed canned lights, etc.) it is plenty.
I have 5 canlights upstairs. 3 which are in the bathroom. The old owner did put covers over them but never used any spray foam to seal it!! The insulation really showed how much air actually had gone up into the attic.. imagine hot steamy air just flowing freely into the attic space. I am really happy that I went up there and sealed all the boxes with foam. Feels like a small and pointless thing to do, but it most definately will do a lot! Especially since I live in a cold climate
Had my 1970s home sealed and added insulation up to code. Since it's a split level it made a huge difference with the hvac. Now it actually shuts off during 95 degree weather which is really nice. Made a big dent in my energy bill too
Just started this project on my own home in April. Doing the work myself and still not done . My advice if you plan to do yourself is to do it in the winter . Get some buddies to help out if you can . I am using rockwool r23 for my first layer . Despite what they say if you have to do a lot of cuts it does get itchy and fibers do get in the air. I have a 1960 house so at least half of the batts needed to be cut once to 3 times . Please use gloves long sleeves and eyewear. I rented a vacuum to remove old insulation for about 400 bucks and 2 days . The rockwool cost me about 3k for a 1400 square foot house and about 400 square feet for the garage . Not sure if I'll use rockwool r23 again or r30 batts for the second layer .the foam gun was about 50 bucks and you'll need at least 3 cans of foam for the same square footage . I won't see the full benefits till I finish this winter so next summer should be great for me .
I've now consumed I don't know how many hours of attic insulation thanks to Matt and other videos similar. I apologize ahead of time for the length of this comment but i'd love some advice from @Matt Risinger or someone else with knowledge in this space...
House info:
I live in GA, and my attic is almost identical to what they showed on this. HVAC (furnace) up in the attic with the same type of vent, blow in insulation, etc.
My furnace is ~ 20 years old and will need to be replaced eventually. I got a quote from a well respected company in my area and they were pushing me really hard on another 80% efficient unit even though I asked for a more efficient so that I could essentially do what Matt showed in the Insulation 2.0 video where you bring the attic into the conditioned space. No matter how many different ways I asked, the answer was "you don't need anything more efficient than 80% in GA". More or less what that company was recommending was what was shown in this video - almost exactly.
So my questions are here...
Is it worth going the extra mile to make the attic space conditioned as opposed to what they did here and just sealed off the spaces coming down from the attic and reinsulating? And when I say "worth it" - is it worth the upgrade from an 80% efficient furnace to a 90%+ (most seem to be 96% once you go past 80), insulate the roof deck with something like rockwool that Matt shared in another insulation video, and seal off the air gaps on the attic floor? Or...would it make more sense to just do what they did here? I plan to be in my house for probably another 10 years, and I really like to be comfortable.
I've done tons of reading on all this and watching videos like this to educate myself. I have ridge vents on the roof, so my understanding is I'd have to put in baffles that basically run from the soffits up to the ridge vents. I'd then want to put ~8" rockwool insulation underneath those baffles. I'd need to suck out the insulation in the attic and then seal all the leaks. I'd need to replace the furnace with a more efficient version that could be pvc vented.
Thoughts? Ohh...and the reason I am considering rockwool over something like the open/closed cell foam is I've seen some videos where these things have gone horribly wrong - like making people sick, the home is unlivable, etc. And once you spray the foam...there's really no backing out afterwards.
16:57 Thanks for the clarification. I would have assumed that Quincy would have done the blower door test again to see the improvement. I would have also liked to have seen the blower door test done before the attic was re-insulated.
Great information, especially with temperatures and energy prices going up. Check with your city for rebates and low interest loans for home energy efficiency upgrades which usually include duct sealing, additional insulation, installation of solar screens on windows, AC system tune up, etc..
Radiant barrier also keeps radiant energy from penetrating the fiberglass and reduces heat through your ceiling by almost 50% based on the lab studies I have watched. You use about 10% less A/C just by adding a radiant barrier.
I am doing this same project right now! I am in for 1500.00 Blown in Cellulose R60. DIY all the way!
We have vapour barrier in my climate. So I use acoustical sealant and spray foam. I use this method every time and works great. A tip for those hoods is to add extra blown insulation to account for the height of that cover so you have an even r-49. I do this for ducts as well.
“Wind washing” the insulation! Wow! Very interesting!
Matt love the videos please keep doing what your doing. I’m still a new builder and trying to always provide the best service and knowledge
As a master chimney sweep I’m glad to hear you didn’t spray. I get that draft issue call a lot.
Good timing! Will be getting my attic airsealed next Monday! Also adding more insulation to R49 - right now I have a R9 or realistically even lower. Will be looking forward to see the impact with this hot Texas weather.
I recently started logging the temperature in the attic (over 130 degrees) to see the impact of the radiant barrier which will also be installed with the new insulation. With all the duct work up there I want to see how much it lowers the temperature after installation.
Same here. Getting a rodent exclusion done, will replace all blown insulation with new...interested to see what I need to check for.
How much is it going to cost? And how much sq ft?
@@wkobayashim i will be paying around $4/sqft for removal, gap-sealing, and re-adding insulation
@@Marco-fe5wu what city are you in? Know anyone in DFW?
@@Th3120ck I will be using Green Attics out of Dallas. It will be my first time using them. They also offer a paid energy consultation report with blower/thermal camera if you need that.
Great video and information. My attic is costing me a ton of $$. My house was built in 1974. I am a DIY person and will do this myself. Probably not perfect but a lot better than it is now.
This episode was outstanding ... best in a long time. You weren't trying to sell me some overpriced sponsored useless item ... like you used to do when I subscribed.
Very helpful.
More of these please.
Ouch.
Quincy is very professional!!
I think if you are going through all that trouble and expense, you might as well replace the can lights with a modern, sealed one. Can lights are not expensive.
Solid idea 💡
@@michaeldautry First thing I thought to if you went to all the work of removing the insulation and have easy access. Get rid of them all, and then you can still put hats over them and not worry about the heat with the LED like the old ones like that. Not only that you can get ones that you can change the colour temps as well for the area you are putting them in
if the original can lights are too large compared to modern lights, then it becomes a drywall patching job. Project scope creep can be a real issue.
@@illeatmyhat They have cover rings for that. Reason I know is I added extra potlights to my kitchen and dining room since the builder cheaped out, and wanted to keep them the same. Since its white on white, it just looks normal. Plus the flat look compared to the old school eyeball look is cleaner to. To each their own, but for this project, spending 10K on that, the upgrade to new lights that sue less energy and generate less heat, wouldnt be much extra
@@virgil3241 Can lights likely have LED bulbs in them already, no? That's one of the first things I did to my house when I bought it was take out the CFLs (and the one flood light there to draw more power so the dimmer worked well - I put in a modern smart dimmer too before the LEDs). I agree with the scope of the project and doing it at that time though, just don't think you will have energy savings via lighting.
I foam sealed all of my attic penetrations in 2020 as shown here by myself. I also installed foam boards (about 4-6 inches) from the top seal plate to the baffles which directs outside air flow through the baffles. I also installed Attic Foul to reflect heat back to the roof.
About how many man hours did it take and what square footage? I've considered doing something like this myself. Did you have to remove any loose insulation?
@@23ty45 On my 1400 sqft house, I spent probably 8+ hours tracing all my wall top plates to seal them and diggin for penetrations without removing all the insulation, just moving it around, trying my best not to crush it. The insulation was almost new, the people who flipped the house just did a shit job. Then I insulated my knee walls with foam board and added ~R10 worth of blown in cellulose on about half the house. All told I spent probably 20 hours in the attic.
@@tscook10 results?
@@mikew.5286 I don't have great numbers, as there were a number of things that changed in that time-frame (it was shortly after we moved in as well). But I can tell you that the open common area with vaulted ceilings that was my main focus went from being about 3-4 degrees colder than the rest of the house to being within a degree or two. My heat pump was struggling to maintain 70 degrees on a 30 degree day (I'm in Georgia, that's cold) prior to the change and I've never had it fail to achieve setpoint since.
in cold climates you want to mix cellulose and fiberglass. The cellulose itself will settle a lot as you push past R60. The fiberglass by itself will suffer thermal piping when it's at -40.
I have noise issues, using denim, 2 layers.
I have a low slope roof - 4/12, looks fine from the outside, but inside it is really difficult to work in the attic, especially with ducts in the way. This video shows a best case, with high sloped rafters and lot's of space in the attic. I suspect this is typical, at least in my area (mid Atlantic). How much does the slope of the roof contribute to the cost of this job?
Great stuff. I’d definitely love to find contractors in N. Alabama to take a look at our situation. I don’t want to admit what my utility bill was this month. 4300sq ft with some great options for swapping to a conditioned attic space.
Dude, same here. Older house, but also had some critters make a home of our attic a few years back. Got rid of them, but the insulation was never repaired/replaced.
Windows are notorious for air leaks from the 80s usually because of leaks around frames in my experience. Taking trim of and spray foaming but check window structure to look for cracks or other possible air leaks. Insulated Windows warranty are usually 5 to 8 years.
I like at the end when Matt signs off with his build show comment, the insulation guy looks over at him like dude you're crazy
Matt 👍🏼 video, love the way you ask the pertinent questions. Most of your followers would be asking someone like Quincy on their project. Keep building 👊🏼
Fantastic topic for a video and great timing. My 1960 ranch has a continuous attic space that continues all the way through to the garage space which has almost no insulation at all (Chicago area climate). I’m going to build knee walls and completely seal off this space to separate them and insulate the garage fully anyways. Thanks for the great info. I’m very excited to keep learning and doing the right modifications to bring my home into the modern world of efficiency.
I have a rambler, all one big shaped attic. Water and heat in crawl space and electrical and NG above.
Wish everyone building and remodeling would pay more attention to the attic and penetration points for air leaking and make sure when doing the work they make entry point into rooms and such into attic or from attic to room air sealed by sealing up the overcuts, holes, etc…. All need is some good caulk down in room side and attic is fire stop spray foam and seal the things that need sealed; in my area these products are still readily available at supply houses (for lower costs for contractors) or even places like big box stores, and also online. But, like they said in vid, you have companies that come in and spray n go; something that might save money up front; but not doing you any favors down the road, imo
Perfect timing. Been wanting to do this to our 21 year old home and wasn’t sure where to start. Will start with our canned lights first!
I also have cold returns in the attic, insulated but I need to check and most likely seal.
Could you do a video on how you convert a vented attic to a conditioned attic. How do you seal up the soffits and avoid things like ridge rot?
Id love an expert to reply to this as well. Way too scared to do it without knowing how the pros check to make sure it wouldnt get too humid or moldy in the attic. I bought a whole home dehumidifier, still chickened out of enclosing attic.
Yes. Will do.
It would be good to see an exterior insulation roof retro fit project if you come across one. This would be a great option for bungalows that have upstairs rooms with ceilings following the roof lines. There are a lot of houses like that in the midwest and during a re-roof there's an opportunity to add some insulation capacity.
Yeah, I live in WA but my biggest problem is my roof becomes a hot plate every summer. It bakes my attic. My house gets hot from the ceiling, I can touch it and it it warm regardless of how may feet of insulation. When the insulation is 130 too it is not helping !!
Our brand new house with well done duct work they said had 120 cfm of leakage. We had aeroseal come in a seal it up. They said that was very normal. It was leaky enough that it was like leaving a window open when the A/C was running.
I love your show I'm doing my house over here in Northern California . 😊 . I told my contractor do the insulation 2.0 just like you suggested.
Whereabouts in NorCal? Curious what contractor you've found? I'm in the Sacramento area, and we are trying to "fix" all the shortcuts our contractor took on our 1994 new home build. Now we're just old & tired enough to want to find someone to do the individual stuff. Attic and windows are tops to get that energy savings for us - tired of giving all the $$$ to PG&E 🤦♀️
Wo did you use? Would love to do this to my house
the use of "suspect," that touch of modern building science
Another place to find “us” is to look at their utility provider’s websites for preferred contractors. I own the first one listed in the Minneapolis metro area and this is what we do.
Spray foam the top of the exterior walls. The company I had come out did a great job with all the mechanical penetrations like light fixtures and vent fans. But they did not do the top of the exterior walls. So there is still an air path from the receptacles through the wall and through the gap between the drywall and top plate in the attic. So make sure to verify the top of the exterior walls.
Could you use batts on the attic floor instead of blown-in insulation?
Yes
Yes you can but batts are not only more expensive but a lot more time consuming to install.
It's amazing what the basics will do
For the cost of the hi hat shield and spray foam, just replace the lights with led high hat pucks. Saves on your electric bill too.
I sealed all the attic penetrations in our 1979 house in 2009 about a year after we moved in. Replaced the missing fire collar on the pipe for the furnace and closed the gap around it. Started installing pro vents so we could add venting at the soffit and add a ridge vent. I also installed in ceiling speakers. Hubby couldnt work in the attic with a 4/12 roof pitch. Health issues got in the way so I'm getting back to finishing up so we can replace the insulation. I'm not sure what to do about the in ceiling speakers though. The attic space acts as the speaker enclosure so I'm not sure what impact treating them like can lights would have. I guess I'll have to try one to find out.
How big are the speakers? If there’s no subwoofer, you should be fine with sealing them.
@@woohunter1 they are all 8", 2 in each room except the bathroom. It wasn't large enough for two so there's one stereo speaker.
I’ve been researching this to DIY this fall. Loved your last video and this one is also great
Would it have been an option to blow all that insulation to one side, seal the bare ceiling and then blow it back and do the other side?
Sealing the top plates is very important. We used butyl caulk before spray foam came along
Is there a healthier spray foam vs petroleum based? Good to go gas free for air quality as well. 👏
Matt actually has a video on this too. ua-cam.com/video/eLIrSENjFRs/v-deo.html
no, the gas trapped in the foam is what insulates
In 1-part spray foam the gas is just carbon dioxide.
Just bought a home with blown insulation(seemingly too much). Absolute nightmare fuel to do work so far in terms of updating lighting in the rooms upstairs, getting to the air handler etc.
Great Show thank you. The question I have is: Is it possible to reuse what they sucked out? If not why not? Thank you.
Excellent video. A good IR scan can tell you a lot also.
🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation:
🏠 Attic insulation upgrades can be done through air sealing and adding more insulation or using spray foam at the roof line.
🌡️ In regions like Texas, vented attics are common due to the absence of basements, with ductwork and HVAC systems often located in the attic space.
💡 Upgrading attic insulation involves addressing air leakage issues, which can significantly impact energy efficiency and comfort.
🛠️ Air sealing measures include sealing can lights, top plates, plumbing and electrical penetrations, HVAC boots, and mechanical fan exhausts.
🌬️ Baffles are essential to prevent insulation from being blown away by wind and maintain thermal efficiency in the attic.
☀️ Radiant barriers complement insulation by reflecting radiant heat, especially in regions with intense sun exposure like Texas.
💸 The cost of attic insulation upgrades typically ranges from $4.50 to $6 per square foot, with additional expenses for radiant barriers.
📐 Hiring a home performance contractor knowledgeable about building science is crucial for effective insulation upgrades and addressing air leakage issues.
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I saw a video where they used a foam product connected to the roof rafters. They seal it with foam. This leaves an air path between the decking and the foam. I think it was called SilverGlo. What do you think about that?
Quincy’s the man.
I suspect that many houses with rooms over garages have the floor truss area between the floor and ceiling completely open to the attic space in the front of the garage. It's made worse when they use open web trusses, now that air is leaking throughout the entire 1st/2nd floor space. My dad's house was built this way and it was very expensive to heat and cool. And it was built in 1987 when you'd think they know better, but this is Virginia.
Same attic with same leaks and a ridge vent with baffles and vented soffit. Was thinking of adding like 2 inches of foam without sealing ridge or soffits...leaving my Rockwool and white stuff on the ceiling. Good idea or recommend sealing up,pulling loose fill...then foaming? Livingston texas in the humid Houston market.
I always wonder why the videos always pick the extremely easy 6/12 and above pitch attics while the huge majority of homes in this country are 4/12 and very difficult to work in? It would be more helpful to show realistic conditions and how to deal with them than these ideal situations. In a 4/12 it isn't about what you use as much as it is in how to lay down correctly and how to reach the eaves for effective coverage. Not much value to showing an attic with eight foot peak and scads of room to move about in.
Would love to see what you would do for a retrofit for a northern IL climate where we don't have a/c in the attic.
in Canada and we have the same problem without the gaz appliance. Thx for the insight
You have HVAC equipment in the attic that may need servicing. With R-49 insulation, the insulation will cover the bottom chord of the truss. What do you install to help a repair man safely reach the HVAC equipment and be able to work on it?
How about spray foaming the attic floor with open cell to get a good air seal? Kind of like flash and bat.
That’s what I was thinking… get one of those spray foam kits, flash the ceiling and all the penetrations, and then blow in cellulose (which is less nasty than fiberglass). I’m going to do that to my kitchen ceiling remodel… if the weather ever breaks 105 degrees.
@@robwalker8530 I am finishing up a post frame garage (conditioned space) and I might try it as well.
@@robwalker8530 That's how mine was done, works great! Fully sealed!
This channel is a wonderful resource. Thank you!
great video with pros doing a great job !
Awesome DIY. 👍
I’m getting old enough that I’d rather just pay someone to do it. LOL! 😂
I think I’ve found a good contractor that is going to do a “2.0” job.
Howdy Matt,
My name is Wayne Lanham. I love watching your videos! My wife Cindy and I live at Lake Brownwood. We have an amazing home built in the early 1980's by a banker from Lubbock. He was building a bit ahead of the current building trends. One thing he did not do well was the insulation of the home. We are all electric and our electric bill averages $750+ per month year-round. We need some help making the right decisions on how to proceed with fixing our home. We are both real estate agents with Lake Homes Realty and I'm also in the Scrap Metals business. We would love to hear from you and get some ideas.
Wayne & Cindy
I have a problem with using blown cellulose fibers for insulation. Overtime, it attracts huge amount of dust and dirt particles which can be harmful to your lungs especially if a person has respiratory ailments like asthma. Anyone with an older "loosely" built home with blown insulation will attest just how dusty their home gets. We found out the hard way. My son has asthma. We bought a 70s ranch with blown insulation in the walls and attic space. But the HVAC was inadequate so I had a new system installed including new ductwork. Soon after, my sons asthma worsened to the point of having to be hospitalized. We changed the filters weekly to no avail. The dust was everywhere. It was a nightmare. My son had to stay with my parents until I could sell the house and buy another one.
Air seal first, you shouldn’t be in constant contact with ANY insulation.
@@woohunter1 great idea today with new construction. But we didn’t have access to air sealing technology in the 90s. Most buyers don’t think about air sealing a turn key home buy.
@@johnnelson8956 doesn’t matter if it’s blown in, fiberglass, rock wool, etc. do your best to air seal before re-insulating.
Yes, this is what I did. Good stuff
Random question. Where do you think the best way to exhaust bathroom air is?
@Matt Risinger Did you perform the test out blower door before or after insulation? It's worth mentioning to your audience that you want to test out Pre insulation that way if there are additional areas in the attic you still have access for sealing.
Based on the homes I've tested I would say this one likely has open floor trusses to the porch on the opposite side,overhangs, etc. Which can be exceptionally expensive to remedy.
I’ll be addicted adding insulation to my WI house this fall I’ll be keeping it vented.
Hello thank you for the valuable information. I have already gone through the foam process / retrofit. Do I need to still seal the can lights with foam at the rough deck or does the can sealing only apply to blown in insulation?
I was just researching this for my house! Thanks for the information!
Great video! What do you suggest aside from this when you live in a 8 plex condo where 4 u it’s are on the second floor and is one large open attic? If I do all of this and nobody else does, I’m just wasting money? Suggestions please?
Most new gas furnaces does have an induced draft motor and double walled flue pipe
Will this process help if the attic penetrations and poor insulation causes a humidity issue during the summer that is not present in the winter. My issue is a higher than expected humidity level, especially, upstairs, when it is hot and humid.
Awesome content on these home insulation & sealing leaks! I live in San Antonio Texas any resources for us?
Thanks
Now do you insulated over on the ceiling speakers where the vault with the speakers is only a couple feet and a tight squeeze?
Great Video, only wished the estimate price for the spray foam insulation was provided too. Even thought it wasn’t an option. My opinion is that improvement of the home insulation is better money spent than solar panels.
non contractor question: Matt, could they have used before the insulation went in, that system that sprays some kind of plastic type stuff in the air to close out all the little leaks in the attic? I know they use it in new construction a lot & with the insulation gone, it was a lot like a new build. Thanks.
Most likely not given the house has vented soffits.
I hate walking into my attic and discovering a film crew.
spray foaming the underside of roof sheathing is a big mistake because it can hide roof leaks. we bought a house in FL that had some past roof leaks and some of the sheathing was completely rotten and had to be cut out. the home inspection might have missed it if all that rotten plywood had been hidden by spray foam.
Thanks for the info Matt! 😃👍🏻👊🏻
Matt I wish you guys would have talked about some of the performance spray caulk used instead of canned foam it can be applied quicker and probably cheaper and doesnt need the insulation value of spray foam as the blown in goes right on over it. I know there is a big gap challenge that foam fixes but what about a combination of the two?
taking massive notes thanks guys.
Do you have any insulation 3.0 advice or how to retrofit this style attic with spray foam, for those who do not have the vented furnace flue? How to seal soffits, etc. Thank you!
In a very similar setup, could you add platforms for storage? What would that look like?
The wind in my dry client up the baffets, blew so hard my attick access busted apart and I have an exposed attic access. Is that normal?
Very nice, any info on actual utility bill's after the completion ?
How heavy can blown-in cellular get before you have to worry about it breaking through the ceiling? In the part of my attic that had a good 12 ft of space they put something like 30 or 40 inches of cellulose which it felt like a lot over the back side of the house where it gets the most sun. Since they insulated, the room stays so much colder and is easier to cool down. Are you supposed to put something down between the rafters and the cellulose insulation?
The recessed can light covers stick up so they don’t look like they have any R value at all. Wouldn’t it be better to remove the can light fixtures and replace them with the new flat LED style ‘can lights’? That way you could get an almost uniform R-49 across all of the ceiling.
Also, any one you recommend for home performance work in Dallas?
PS: Love the show!
Hey Matt , Texas builders don’t insulate over the garage .. if you add a mini split shouldn’t you be insulating the garage attic celing ? Vapor barrier or unsheathed insulation ?
How much more would this have been as a conditioned attic with spray foam and an appropriate new furnace? Thanks!
Can a 80% furnace like that never be located inside the condition space? I purchased a new furnace like that last year and want to move it to an interior closet.
Yes it can, my 5 ton on the main side of the house is in a closet and is a 80%. But it's bad as it sucks air right out of the living space to burn with the fuel. My 2.5 ton is in the attic over the Master and pulls air out of the attic. Next year or so I'm doing Mini-split heat pumps as I'm in South Texas and dont really need these big Nat Gas heaters.
@@TdrSld Thanks for the info. I'm in San Antonio so I completely agree about not needing the nat gas heaters. I wish I had known more about this stuff last year when I replaced my AC system.
Need proper air way to the attic if installing in a closet.
Hi Matt, do you have any reviews of the REME HALO whole home in-duct air purifier or TRANE CleanEffects whole home air cleaner?
Hi Matt, I live in Austin and have a asphalt shingle roof. Would you recommend spray foam to insulate the attic? I heard the heat might damage the shingles and is only recommended for metal roofs.
My builder refused even with metal claiming that it would damage the decking. I used spray foam on the floor of the attic and then blown in on top of that. I looked into radiant also but I have no ridge vent.
Thanks for the video, looks like I’m in for the same kind of treatment here in Georgia, was that fiberglass insulation that was blown in and could you use cellulose in a southern climate with all the humidity ? Has anyone else used cellulose in a hot humid section of the country?