Mike writes from Buffalo, New York: "I have an attic with flooring but I do not know what, if any, insulation is beneath the floor. Most of the attic is unused but there is a small corner I use for storage. Can I simply place insulation across the floor while leaving a small area uncovered to give access to the storage area? Furthermore, I have seen insulation that is completely enclosed in a plastic-type material. Would that be effective?"

Answer: That will work but you need to know if the band joists are insulated. The band joists are the vertical ending of the floor joist. That completely enclosed insulation you saw is no longer manufactured. It was enclosed for handling purposes rather than the performance of the insulation.