East Bay Attic Insulation

Most older homes in the East Bay, Albany, San Rafael and surrounding areas were constructed without any attic insulation, and many still don’t have any! Installing attic insulation is a low-cost measure that has positive effects on the energy consumption and livability of your home.

Attic insulation can make or break a home’s heating and cooling efficiency. Poorly insulated attics mean your home is less comfortable and more expensive to heat and cool.

Stack Effect & Attic Efficiency

Because of the tendency for warm air to rise out the top of a home, the attic is the biggest priority for insulation installation, especially in older homes that need insulation everywhere. In a home that is not properly air sealed or insulated, air flow behaves according to something called the Stack Effect, a process in which cold air:

1. Cycles in through the basement.
2. Flows up into the home, where it is warmed.
3. Travels up and out through the attic, while new, cold air pushes in from the basement.

The Stack Effect is seriously undesirable for homeowners since it means a
continual cycle of lost energy and air. Even homes that were built more recently, or retrofitted, can have major insulation flaws that cost energy and cause discomfort. Effective insulation and ventilation in the attic stops this cycle, so warmer air stays in your home, cool air stays in your basement, and treated air doesn’t escape through the attic.

Fixing Poor Attic Insulation

Hassler’s team of professionals goes above and beyond to make sure your attic isn’t costing you energy. We like to start with an energy audit to determine the key areas of energy inefficiency in your home, and then come up with a strategy for solving the weak spots in your attic. Our key services include:

Cellulose Insulation

Though a number of materials can be used to insulate attics, Hassler recommends blow-in cellulose fiber insulation for most traditional attics. Cellulose is made from recycled material, has fewer chemicals than other insulation materials, and is moderately priced and relatively easy to install.

Air Sealing

In most cases, it is very important to have your attic air sealed. This seals up cracks and gaps in your attic, effectively stopping conditioned air from leaking out of the home and the into the attic.

If you open the entrance to your attic and can see the top of your ceiling joists, chances are you need more attic insulation. 

Protect Your Insulation with a Attic Platform

Attics are great for storage, but may homeowners unknowingly damage the effectiveness of their attic insulation when storing unused items in the attic. Just as a down comforter loses its warmth when the filling is compressed or clumped, your insulation loses effectiveness when it isn’t fully lofted. The most common insulation products must be at least 10 inches thick in order to meet current building code, so if you’re stacking boxes on your 2×6 attic floor joists, your insulation is only working at half its intended capability!

If you want your home to be warm and efficient, but still need usable attic storage space, consider a raised attic storage platform. Additional framing is installed on top of the existing attic floor joists to accommodate the full height of the insulation, and then the frame is capped with a plywood platform, complete with a curb around the perimeter so you don’t accidentally push a box off the platform edge. If you’re thinking of insulating your attic, be sure to inquire about installing a raised attic platform.

Contact us to schedule an energy audit to get your Alameda, Contra Costa, or Marin county attic insulation inspected!