Water is insulation s enemy.
Insulating a finished attic roof.
A finished attic should be insulated much like the rest of the house with insulation in the walls and ceiling.
Since parts of a finished attic are usually very close to the roof insulation often blocks proper ventilation that is needed under a roof structure.
With a finished attic insulation must help keep the attic areas comfortable.
It creates a breeding ground for mold and mildew and ruins the air trapping pockets that block heat flow.
Additionally insulation serves as a way to enhance sound proofing on the uppermost envelop of your house.
With square foot living space at a premium many homeowners turn to their attics for a little extra room when the attic becomes part of the home to be heated and.
And having insulation in your attic keeps the area at a consistent temperature.
How to insulate a finished attic.
That means insulating the attic floor only not the walls and having vents in the roof.
Look for water stains on the roof sheathing or damp or moldy spots on attic joists and existing insulation as a clue to where leaks might be.
Without properly ventilating the roof your finished space can be just as unpleasant as an unfinished attic.
Then you could simply insulate the pitched roof.
If it is and you plan to provide heating and cooling to the finished attic space you need to remove.
1a attic access door.
But the best solution is actually to insulate both the attic floor and the underside of the roof.
In this way you prevent the heat from the rooms below escaping to the attic rooms above.
Box out light fixtures.
If you re finishing your attic insulating it to the proper r value can cause a dramatic loss of headroom if you limit yourself to fiberglass batts.
At the same time the areas below the roof benefit from increased comfort both during the winter and the.
To meet all three goals insulating your finished attic ventilating the roof and maximizing headroom use a combination of dense batt insulation rigid foam sheeting and air chutes.
Insulating in and around your roof attic space also prevents long term damage from moisture build up or ice damming which results from the warm air trying to escape through the apex of the roof but instead heating up the snow.
In finished attic rooms with or without dormer insulate 2a between the studs of knee walls 2b between the studs and rafters of exterior walls and roof 2c and ceilings with cold spaces above.
Without properly insulating your finished attic room will also be cold in the winter.
Having insulation in your attic can help you save up to 20 in heating and cooling costs.
