Attic Insulation & Air Sealing in Mansfield, OH

Attic insulation and air sealing go together because insulation alone does not stop moving air. In a Mansfield attic, warm air rises out of the living space through gaps at the top plates, around plumbing stacks and wires, beside the chimney and through recessed lights and the hatch. That air melts snow on the roof, feeds ice dams at the eaves and leaves frost on roof nails. Sealing those holes, then adding insulation to the right depth, is usually the most cost-effective work you can do on an older house here.

What the code and ENERGY STAR call for

Ohio's residential code lists R-49 for ceilings in Climate Zone 5, which covers Richland County. ENERGY STAR's recommendation for existing homes in Zone 5 is R-60 for an attic with no insulation, or about R-49 added on top of 3 to 4 inches already there. Many attics we open hold a few inches of 1950s rock wool or settled cellulose, well short of either number.

How we seal

We pull back the old insulation at the edges and over the walls, then seal top plates, wire and pipe holes and drywall gaps with foam or caulk. Chimney and flue chases get metal flashing and fire-rated sealant. Recessed lights that are not rated for contact get covered or replaced. The hatch or pull-down stairs get weatherstripping and an insulated cover. Bath fans are ducted outside instead of into the attic.

Then insulation

On an open attic floor, blown-in cellulose or fiberglass is the usual choice: it fills around joists and wires and reaches high R-values at a modest cost. Spray foam belongs on the roof deck when the attic holds ducts or a furnace, or when the roof is a cathedral ceiling with no room to vent. Baffles keep soffit vents open so the roof can breathe.