Is Kraft Paper Needed For Attic Insulation

Kraft faced insulation includes a paper vapor retarder which helps prevent mold and mildew.

Is kraft paper needed for attic insulation.

It has to do with the way it is processed. If you install fiberglass batt insulation with a kraft paper vapor retarder in a home which way do you face the vapor retarder. If your current insulation is only 5 inches deep you ll need to add seven inches of insulation to achieve the 12 inch r 38 rating. Not every type of insulation needs a vapor barrier.

Calculate additional insulation needed. Fasten kraft face tabs of insulation to the. Any potential changes can be secured by asking your local insulation dealer. Measure the depth of your current insulation.

Illustration by ian worpole. Unfinished or uninsulated attics need a layer of protection against air migration. The purpose and way to apply is basically the same. They also state that the vapor retarder is a one way ticket to allow moisture out of the structure but not back in.

But if it does the barrier should face inside in northern heating climates and outside in humid southern climates. To the inside of the home or the outside of the home. Kraft paper does act as a vapor retarder to slow the movement of interior moisture through the wall cavity and insulation. The facing on kraft faced insulation is made of kraft paper with an asphalt coating that makes the paper impermeable to water vapor.

Measure the area needing insulation. As a result of evaporation people breathing and plant respiration air carries some. This is usually kraft paper but sometimes other types of paper can be used. Ensure ends of insulation are butted together and flush to underside of framing.

For many building science questions the answer is it depends for this one the answer is clear. Kraft faced insulation should be installed in exterior walls exterior basement walls and attic ceilings by pressing the product into the wall cavity with the paper side facing outward towards the installer. What is the right insulation for an attic. Friction fit insulation between and parallel to the attic framing members.

Ensure insulation extends to the outside edge of the exterior top plates and to the peak of the cathedral ceiling. When using kraft faced batts. The paper creates a vapor barrier that helps keep the water vapor in the warm moist heated indoor air from migrating outward into the wall or other structure. According to owens corning and certainteed makers of insulation kraft paper is a retarder not a barrier.

Paper faced insulation means that one side of the insulation material comes lined with paper. Creating a moisture barrier.