Is Kraft Paper Needed For Attic Insulation

Some goes right through the walls and ceilings.

Is kraft paper needed for attic insulation. Kraft faced or paper faced insulation comes in batts and long rolls. When using insulation that has either paper or plastic facing that moisture barrier faces outward toward the attic space. The painted drywall of your home and perhaps the kraft paper lining of your wall and ceiling insulation are slowing the vapor s exit. Unfaced insulation is fiberglass only and does not have any type of facing attached to it.

Outside is very cold and dry so the water vapor in your home is trying to leave. Batts in the rafters simply jamming batts between the rafters of a cathedral ceiling or insulated attic will interfere with the roof s ability to breathe. First the kraft paper is a vapor retarder meant to reduce the potential for moisture problems caused by diffusion. Unfaced means the insulation lacks a vapor retarder paper or plastic facing.

When insulation was first developed it was only an inch or two thick and the attached kraft facing was stapled to studs to keep it from sagging. Any potential changes can be secured by asking your local insulation dealer. The paper serves as a vapor barrier and the paper tabs are used to fasten the insulation in place. It has to do with the way it is processed.

You can install the paper facing however you want as long as the building inspector lets you of course. Some builders rely on batts with attached kraft paper facing to do that job but tom recommends unfaced batts covered in plastic with all the seams taped shut. Why doesn t it matter. Roll insulation is best for floors ceilings and roofs with a long joist or rafter bays and for tall walls.

Kraft paper the asphalt impregnated brown paper facing available on insulation is rarely called for these days. It could just as well be a paper faced material or an unfaced material this kind of material lacks the paper that gives it steadiness. According to owens corning and certainteed makers of insulation kraft paper is a retarder not a barrier. Some escapes through air leaks.

They also state that the vapor retarder is a one way ticket to allow moisture out of the structure but not back in. Kraft faced insulation includes a paper vapor retarder which helps prevent mold and mildew. This is usually kraft paper but sometimes other types of paper can be used. Kraft faced insulation is manufactured with a paper facing on one side of the insulation.

The first thing that you need to know is what type of insulation will work best for your home. All kraft faced insulation is easy to cut with a sharp utility knife or insulation knife. The purpose and way to apply is basically the same. 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.