Can You Lay Insulation Over Electric Cables in the Attic?

When insulating your attic, you usually have limited space to work with. This often requires you to bunch things close together, which could lead to some potential problems. You will likely have lots of wires running through the attic, for example. People often worry about the risks of laying insulation over electric cables in the attic.

Things to know about insulation and electric cables

The good news is that it’s usually completely safe to lay insulation over electric cables in the attic. This requires a few factors, however.

You must make sure that all wires are properly insulated and there are no exposed ones. This should be the case in general, with or without laying down insulation over them. If you have exposed wires in your attic, that’s a severe health and fire hazard and speaks of improper work done by your electrician.

It’s also important to pay attention to what those wires are powering exactly. If they are used for heavy duty equipment, they might get very hot. Laying insulation over them could lead to problems if the heat is unable to escape.

How to stay safe

When in doubt, always play it safe and work with a competent professional to assess your situation. In most cases, it won’t be a problem to lay insulation over wires in your attic. But if you fall in any of the categories we outlined above, it’s important to get a good electrician to evaluate your case.

You might also need to work with a house inspector if you want to really make sure that you’re doing everything right. The cost of hiring these experts can add up fast.

Therefore, make sure you already have all important information lined up before contacting anyone. And if possible, work with experts that already work together. This will simplify the job on both sides.