Susan writes from Foley, Alabama: “I am putting pieces of batt insulation in my attic. Does the paper side go up or down?
That’s a good and frequently asked question. The answer is: “It depends.” In heating climates, the vapor retarder is generally placed so it faces the “warm-in-winter” side of a wall or ceiling. In an unheated or unconditioned attic, that means the side with the vapor retarder is placed down toward the living space below. Building codes in high humidity climates, however, may require the insulation to be placed so the facing is away from the conditioned space. In some cases they do not recommend a faced insulation. This varies from region to region. Since you live near the Gulf coast, we recommend checking with your local building department for the requirement in your area. Another consideration is whether your attic already has insulation. If you are adding insulation in the attic the original layer may already have a vapor retarder facing the living area of your home. If you add a second vapor retarder with another layer of faced insulation, any moisture that does get through the fir
Related Questions
- Ed writes from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: "My attic is 2x4 trusses with R30 insulation. Any suggestions on how to install 7/16 osb sheets which will serve as flooring for some needed storage?
- Sheila writes from Shawnee, Kansas: "My attic already has some shredded paper insulation. I bought faced insulation; do I install paper face down or up?
- Susan writes from Foley, Alabama: "I am putting pieces of batt insulation in my attic. Does the paper side go up or down?
