# Insulation...Paper up or down?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insulation-paper-up-or-down/364034
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [July 11, 2006, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insulation-paper-up-or-down/364034 "2006-07-11T15:29:00Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@powerjacob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/powerjacob)
#### Post date: [July 12, 2006, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insulation-paper-up-or-down/364034/21 "2006-07-12T16:56:37Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#):
>
> Is this fiberglass between ceiling joists? Will it support blown insulation?
Yes, and yes
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### Author:  [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)
#### Post date: [July 12, 2006, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insulation-paper-up-or-down/364034/22 "2006-07-12T17:10:10Z")
> [@powerjacob](#):
>
> Yes, and yes
Let someone more knowledgeable than I hold those two factors into account. 🙂
Seems to me you’d crush the fiberglass thus rendering it useless as an insulative material. I’d consider stacking fiberglass batts on top whatever I did with the vapor barrier.
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### Author:  [@A.R.Cane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A.R.Cane)
#### Post date: [July 12, 2006, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insulation-paper-up-or-down/364034/23 "2006-07-12T18:04:04Z")
Blown in insulation tends to settle over time, so I think batting is superior. I’d suggest that you can probably just punch holes in the existing paper and drastically reduce any possibility of a condensation problem, especially since you haven’t seen any problems w/ the existing insulation.
Since your main concern seems to be summer cooling you might consider better venting of the attic and/or a temp. controlled attic fan instead of adding insulation. If the house has eave vents you might also check to see if these have been blocked by the current insulation.
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