Is Kraft Paper Needed For Attic Insulation

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.

Is kraft paper needed for attic insulation.

Unfaced means the insulation lacks a vapor retarder paper or plastic facing. An unfaced insulation product does not mean that this. Some escapes through air leaks. The first thing that you need to know is what type of insulation will work best for your home.

They also state that the vapor retarder is a one way ticket to allow moisture out of the structure but not back in. Outside is very cold and dry so the water vapor in your home is trying to leave. The batts are precut to fit into cavities on standard 8 foot high walls. This is usually kraft paper but sometimes other types of paper can be used.

Kraft faced insulation includes a paper vapor retarder which helps prevent mold and mildew. When using insulation that has either paper or plastic facing that moisture barrier faces outward toward the attic space. It has to do with the way it is processed. Kraft paper the asphalt impregnated brown paper facing available on insulation is rarely called for these days.

Why doesn t it matter. 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. Some goes right through the walls and ceilings. Kraft faced or paper faced insulation comes in batts and long rolls.

You can install the paper facing however you want as long as the building inspector lets you of course. 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. 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. Kraft faced insulation is manufactured with a paper facing on one side of the insulation.

Even if the attic space is unheated it typically is warmer than the. Unfaced insulation is fiberglass only and does not have any type of facing attached to it. All kraft faced insulation is easy to cut with a sharp utility knife or insulation knife. Any potential changes can be secured by asking your local insulation dealer.

The purpose and way to apply is basically the same. According to owens corning and certainteed makers of insulation kraft paper is a retarder not a barrier. The paper serves as a vapor barrier and the paper tabs are used to fasten the insulation in place. First the kraft paper is a vapor retarder meant to reduce the potential for moisture problems caused by diffusion.