We all know that insulating an attic is one of the main ways to conserve energy, heat and money into your home. So why do so many people overlook this?
Especially in Canada, we must be aware of the extreme conditions our beautiful country can put us through and be prepared for the worst occurrences.
How To Insulate An Attic?
Today we are going to give you some tips on how to insulate your loft, and also perhaps educate you on the ways that you can use green products to do this, as efficiently or better than non eco friendly alternatives.
How Much Attic Insulation Do You Need?
You should have enough insulation so you cannot see the floor joists of the attic. If you can see them, add some more until you can’t. This is a simple indication of if you have enough insulation.
Different materials of insulation measured by the R-Value. This value measures how good the material is at insulating. If the material is super efficient, you may need less than a lesser efficient material.
How To Put Insulation In Your Attic?
1. Make sure you are wearing gloves, an eye mask and a dust mask. If you are using synthetic fiber insulation this can be very dangerous to get in the lungs.
2. Make sure you have cleared the attic area that you are working in from all things such as Christmas decorations, suitcases and more junk. We know people like to place junk in an attic and use it for general storage, but this is not great for the insulation point of view. View this article on how to create more space in your loft with storage trunks for tips and ideas.
3. Work from the outside in to avoid standing on the already laid insulation.
4. Lay the insulation so it is covering the joists
5. When you are finished, make sure you shower to remove the fibers from you that may have gotten attached.
This is loosely how to insulate your house for winter. Making sure you have the right insulation will mean no more sky high heating bills, and will make your home a lot more eco friendly.
What Is Green Insulation?
Green insulation is simply renewable insulation. A lot of the common insulation methods have nasty chemicals such as formaldehyde and other nasties. The synthetic fiberglass is also dangerous to breathe in and can cause serious health risks.
We are here to show you how to insulate your home in a more green, mindful way.
Wool Insulation
How To install Wool Insulation?
Simply lay the wool so it is covering the joists. Just like you would with the regular insulation. This Sheep wool insulation is brill because it is a form of sustainable design which we really need more of in this current climate.
How To Make Sheep Wool Insulation?
Simply get some wool and spin it all together, it does not have to be too neat as it is supposed to interlock just like a sheep’s coat to maximise heat.
Cotton Insulation
Is Cotton A Conductor Or Insulator?
Cotton is a good insulator. You may be wondering why is cotton wool a good insulator of heat, and it is because, like wool, the fibers are so close together they trap heat in, because of the density of the material. This is why cotton wool is also a good sound insulator.
What Is A Green Roof?
A green roof is the practice of essentially covering your roof with earth and then letting nature take over and grow plants on it. This results in wildflowers, increased insects, wildlife and even has a benefit to your home too.
Do Green Roofs Provide Insulation?
Yes – If you are looking for a major alternative to regular insulation. Try a green roof. These rooves not only look pretty but they reduce energy cost and actually absorb heat for your home. In the summer they have the opposite effect and gently cool the home, so your home is regulated year round.
Why are green roofs good?
The natural protection against the elements allows green roofs to last up to twice as long as regular roofing.
Overall – we think that some of these Eco green insulation options are even better that the non renewable options, so make your own choice but please keep in mind the wonderful alternatives that there are on offer too. Here at Green Design studio we have a large range of Eco friendly products for you to browse.