Hey, so last year I decided to tackle the daunting task of insulating my attic with fiberglass rolls. I thought I did everything by the book: first layer with kraft-faced insulation facing down, second layer unfaced and laid perpendicular to the first. I even went the extra mile and stapled soffit vents into every bay for ventilation. But you know what I didn’t do? Air seal.
I vividly remember seeing the recommendations to air seal, but I glanced around my attic and arrogantly thought, “Eh, looks good enough already.” Well, spoiler alert: it was not good enough. Fast forward to the other day when I decided to check the humidity levels in my attic. To my horror, the absolute humidity was through the roof. Moist air was seeping in around the chimney, through wall cavities that opened into the attic, and even sneaking in through ceiling light fixtures. And don’t get me started on the attic access hatch, just a flimsy rectangular piece of plaster board letting all that moisture in.
Now, I’m in the process of fixing my blunder. But instead of easily sealing off these leaky spots with a can of Great Stuff, I have to painstakingly roll back layers of insulation to reach every area that needs sealing. It’s a nightmare, guys. Every section I manage to seal off feels like a small victory, but the battle is far from won.
So, here’s the lesson I’m learning the hard way: don’t skip the air sealing step when insulating your attic. Trust me, it’s worth the extra effort upfront to prevent moisture issues down the line. Learn from my mistake, friends, and save yourself the headache of having to backtrack and fix it later.