I just purchased a home in a cold climate area. In the attic, some portions of the roof have insulation, some of it is missing. I want to replace the missing insulation between the rafters. The existing insulation is foil-backed, not kraft-backed. All kraft-backed insulation states that it must be covered. I am assuming that is why they used foil-backed. I have not been able to find foil-backed insulation and I am not going to sheetrock the roof. What do I use?
James ~ Reno, Nevada
If you are having problems finding foil-backed insulation you could try contacting a local insulation contractor. They will generally have many different insulation options for an attic. Often times they will sell just materials if you want to do the work yourself. You can also use un-faced insulation in your attic; this is probably the most common non blown-in style insulation you will find in attics. Un-faced fiberglass batts are available from virtually every building material supplier. In a climate like the one in Reno, cold winters and hot summers, I would go no less than R-38 in your attic. Good Luck!
