Should Attic Insulation be Faced or Unfaced?
Air migrates from warmer spaces toward colder spaces, and insulation is designed to slow or stop that migration. Because attics are reflective of outside temperatures, attic insulation is very important to maintaining a comfortable temperature in your home year-round. In today’s blog, the experts at Valley Insulation take a look at attic insulation — more specifically, batting attic insulation and facing materials. Whether you choose faced or unfaced insulation depends on the application and whether some insulation is already present. Read on to learn more.
What is Facing?
Facing is a thin layer of paper or plastic attached to one side of batting insulation, which is insulation sold in a roll. Whether you choose faced or unfaced for attic insulation depends on the application and whether some insulation already exists.
A Moisture Barrier
As a result of evaporation, air carries some moisture with it. If this moisture gets trapped in the folds of insulation, it can lead to mold and mildew. Furthermore, excessive moisture can damage the framing lumber of a home’s structure over a long period of time. Facing creates a moisture barrier through which moisture does not travel. Whether it’s made of paper or plastic, it always faces whichever space is typically warmest in winter.
Attic Floor Insulation
Unfinished or uninsulated attics need a layer of protection to keep hot or cold air from migrating to the rest of your home. If you install batting between your attic floor joists, the material should be faced. Since the attic floor is the ceiling of the living space below, the facing installs against the top of the ceiling drywall or plaster. The facing then provides a layer of moisture protection between the living space below and the insulation materials above.
Between Rafter Insulation
When installing between the roof rafters of finished attic spaces, you can use either faced or unfaced batting. When using insulation that has paper or plastic batting, that moisture barrier should face outward toward the attic space. Even if the attic space is unheated, it’s typically warmer than the outside air in winter. If you have chosen unfaced batting insulation for your rafters, you should staple sheets of plastic over the batting to accomplish a moisture barrier.
Related Post: How Our Staff Handles Insulation Removal
Adding to Existing Insulation
Some attic floors that already have a layer of insulation can benefit from an additional application over existing layers. The extra batting increases the R-values, so it further slows warm air migration. The additional layer must be unfaced. Otherwise, moisture can get trapped between the layers of insulation and cause mold or mildew.
Contact Valley Insulation for your Attic Insulation Needs
Choosing Valley Insulation for your attic insulation needs is a decision you won’t regret. We’ve been meeting the needs of our customers since 1977. And attic insulation is just one of the many ways we can help your home or business. Contact us today to find out more.
