Is it possible for there to be too much insulation in an attic?

Answer 1

if you don't add enough it won't insulate properly so you waste money

if you insulate all the way to the side walls and don't leave an air gap you can get condensation build-up in the attic and possibly create mold issues

Answer 2

Higher electric bills!

For a normal roof that uses regular trusses, the insulation is put into the rafters directly over the ceiling so there is a dead air space in the attic.

This helps regulate heat and moisture under the roof. Inadequate insulation will let the heat and cold pass through the ceiling so you will have high heating and cooling bills as the seasons go.

In time the build up of moisture can cause the attic to rot, but this takes a long time and the cases are fairly rare.

Answer 3

Insulation must be properly installed in order to do its job. It is always best to read and follow all manufacturer installation instructions. In walls and attics the insulation is intended to keep the heat and cold separate from each other. This is usually done with a barrier of trapped air, or inert gas in sealed windows. Insulation traps small amounts of air into thousands or millions of separate spaces with a very low conductive material. If a material becomes compressed it will fail to hold the air and become more likely to transfer heat to the cold side of the barrier. If the insulating material gets moist it may also transfer heat more efficiently. If the material fills only a portion of the void then there are fewer air spaces and thus a greater chance of heat getting to the cool side as well. Improper insulating may result in increased heat and cooling loads, diminished comfort. Improper vapor barriers where required may lead to condensation and possible mold growth. ALWAYS follow the manufacturer installation instructions, and local building codes. Hope this helps! Maintain

Answer 4

Simple answer is no. Insulation does have diminishing returns as you add additional inches. Depending on your location, R-50 is about as high as would almost ever be needed and an R-30 is very efficient.

Answer 5

It may take more energy to heat and cool, really not much difference. Insulation is not a perfectionist thing.

Insulation that is not installed well can be completely useless. If gaps around insulation between ceiling joists are only 5mm or 0.2" (1/5 of an inch) the insulation can be reduced in effectiveness by 20%. Insulation that is compressed is also reduced in effectiveness.

Choose insulation to suit the available space and install carefully. Blown or loose insulation in a drafty roof space will be blown about and have no effect.

Insulation that is incorrectly installed can also be a fire hazard. especially around electrical fittings such as lights.

Insulation that gets wet can be a mold problem and will also be ineffective.

Answer 6

Dangerous mold problems, waste of money,baking the roof sheathing, dry rotting the truss's or rafters.will this increase heating efficiency?

Answer 7

1. the insulation can collect moisture
2. the insulation can fall through the walls to lower floors (this is true of some blowin/pourin insulation types)
3. etc.