For over 30 years, Installed Building Products of Miami has provided exceptional attic insulation services to Miami, Florida, residents and businesses.
We work with homeowners and new home builders to ensure that every Miami home has the best attic insulation to keep it comfortable throughout the year. Our team offers free estimates and competitive pricing for each customer.
To schedule your attic insulation services in Miami, Florida, contact IBP of Miami today.
Do I Need to Replace My Attic Insulation?
Without proper attic insulation, you can lose money on energy bills and not be as comfortable as you want your home to be. Attic insulation helps keep cool air inside the home rather than allowing it to escape through the roof. With hot and humid temperatures, Miami homes need well-maintained attic insulation to help save money and stay cool.
Signs of Old or Inefficient Attic Insulation
Attic insulation can degrade or become damaged over time, so monitoring it over the years is important. Some signs you need to replace your attic insulation include:
- Settled insulation
- Higher utility bills
- Moisture damage from leaks or humidity
- Pest damage
- Mold
- Critter damage and nests
With outdated insulation, you risk poor energy efficiency, higher utility bills, and inconsistent indoor temperatures. Replacing old attic insulation can ease these risks.
Attic Insulation Installation Process
When you schedule an attic insulation installation with IBP of Miami, our technicians will assess the current state of your existing insulation. We’ll then determine whether we can retrofit new insulation over the old or if a tear-out is necessary.
We’ll help you select the right insulation for your attic, likely fiberglass batting, and then measure and prepare the insulation for installation. Depending on the size and accessibility of your attic, the typical installation time takes a few hours to a day. However, unforeseen problems may occur that can cause the process to take longer.
Once the installation is complete, you’ll see how the updated insulation benefits your comfort and wallet. As your home’s HVAC adjusts to your preferred temperature, you’ll notice that your home is much more comfortable. Over time, your utility bills should lower, and your indoor air quality will improve.
How Much Insulation Does My Attic Need?
The amount of insulation your home needs depends on your region’s R-value. The R-value is a rating that measures how well insulation resists heat flow. R-value is important because it helps limit energy leaks and keeps your home more comfortable year-round.
Here in Miami, we’re in Zone 1, which means we need R-30 to R-49 for uninsulated attics and R-25 to R-30 for attics that already have some insulation installed. Other factors that affect R-value include your attic size and energy efficiency goals. Your local insulation contractor can help you determine how much insulation your home will need.
Contact us today for more information or to schedule services.
Frequently Asked Questions About Attic Insulation Installation
How much insulation do I need in my attic?
The U.S. Department of Energy includes Miami in Climate Zone 1 and thus suggests adding between R-30 and R-49 worth of insulation to an uninsulated attic or R-25 to R-30 if you already have a few inches of insulation but worry it’s inadequate or old.
Different insulating materials offer different R-values, which affect the actual amount of materials needed. For example, 1 inch of closed-cell spray foam offers between R-3 and R-7.
How can we install attic insulation over existing insulation?
Many insulation products can be installed directly over your existing attic insulation if it’s in good condition.
Spray foam insulation, for example, can almost always go over anything that already exists. Any gaps will be filled during the process, and the whole space will be sealed tight when the process is complete and the foam has expanded.
Other materials, like cellulose spray, fiberglass batts or blown insulation, might also be installed over existing insulation as long as there’s sufficient space for the added material.
What type of insulation is best for an attic?
It depends on how you intend to use your attic and what sort of insulation it already has. If you want a finished attic you can use comfortably, you’ll want something like spray foam insulation or fiberglass batts, which can insulate along exterior surfaces to keep the attic at a comfortable temperature.
If you don’t need to keep your attic comfortable, you can use spray foam or blown fiberglass along the bottom of the attic and not worry about insulating the attic itself; instead, you’ll want a barrier between your attic and the occupied rooms of your house.
When should I replace my attic insulation?
Your attic insulation should be replaced if you notice any sign of significant air leaks from the attic. In colder climates, this gets more obvious in winter because of how snow melts from a leaking attic, but in Florida’s heat, you’ll need to look for subtler signs:
- See how hot your ceiling feels in rooms adjacent to your attic.
- Take note of hot drafts on the top floor of your home.
- Check if there are any obvious gaps or flaws in your insulation.
Water damage is less subtle and requires a full replacement — you can’t repair or cover up moldy insulation.