Attic Insulation & Air Sealing in Augusta, GA

Attic insulation and air sealing are the core of keeping an Augusta-area house cool. On a summer afternoon, a vented attic under dark shingles gets far hotter than the outdoor air. With 82 days a year at 90F or more, according to Wikipedia, that heat radiates down through thin insulation and leaks through gaps around lights, vents, the attic access and the tops of walls. Ductwork running through that attic picks up heat too.

Seal first

Air moving through the ceiling carries heat and humidity in both directions. We seal the gaps at top plates, plumbing and wiring holes, light fixtures, bath fans and the attic access before adding insulation. Georgia's code summary lists a 5 ACH50 air-tightness limit for new homes, which shows how much weight the code puts on sealing.

Then insulate deep

On an open attic floor, blown cellulose or fiberglass is the cheapest way to depth. Georgia's code lists R-38 for new ceilings; DOE suggests R-49 to R-60 for an uninsulated Zone 3 attic, or adding R-38 to R-49 over 3 to 4 inches of existing insulation. Georgia Power's improvement program page lists incentives for bringing an attic at R-38 or less up to R-49.

Or bring the attic inside

If the air handler and ducts are in the attic and the ducts are hard to seal, open-cell foam on the roof deck and gables makes the attic part of the cooled space. That costs more than loose fill but protects the ductwork. We explain the tradeoff and can quote both.

Ventilation and the access

In a vented attic, baffles at the eaves keep soffit air moving over new insulation. The pull-down stair or hatch gets weatherstripped and an insulated cover, since it is often the biggest single hole in the ceiling.