Faced Vs Unfaced Insulation Attic In Florida

Any time you use a faced insulation the paper needs to be facing toward the living space.

Faced vs unfaced insulation attic in florida.

Now here s a situation where a homeowner what looks like many years ago added insulation they added a three inch layer but. Unfaced means the insulation lacks a vapor retarder paper or plastic facing. Insulation being unfaced doesn t mean it s a bad choice. Summary of faced vs.

Great for adding insulation if you re adding a layer of new insulation on top of old faced insulation unfaced is the way to go. For block walls interior insulation must meet or exceed r 7 8 and exterior insulation must be r 6. Unfaced batt insulation is often used for beefing up the r rating with the r rating being the insulation rating scale that says how much or how effective insulation needs to be in that space. The key difference between the two is that faced insulation keeps moisture out because it has kraft paper or plastic on one side whereas unfaced only provides insulation.

The same applies to faced unfaced and other kinds of insulation products. Framed wall insulation must meet or exceed r 13. Faced insulation is a vapor retarder and may need to be used in your home depending on your local building codes. In a nutshell.

Insulation requirements in florida. What is the right insulation for an attic. Residential requirements for insulation are divided by the location in the home. Unfaced insulation should be used when you re adding insulation to your attic that already has 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. Kraft faced insulation includes a paper vapor retarder which helps prevent mold and mildew. Faced or the type with paper is typically used in first time applications such as in walls ceilings floors and in crawl spaces. It means ensuring that it s the right product for your space.

Unfaced insulation pros. Air migrates from warmer spaces toward colder spaces and insulation is designed to help prevent or at least slow that migration. Unfaced batts are laid perpendicularly atop existing batts to improve heat retention and beef up the r value on the longer run. 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.

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.