Finished Attic Ventilation Insulation

Water is insulation s enemy.

Finished attic ventilation insulation.

That means insulating the attic floor only not the walls and having vents in the roof. Without properly ventilating the roof your finished space can be just as unpleasant as an unfinished attic. 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. Attic ventilation works on the principle that heated air naturally rises primarily utilizing two types of vents.

A finished attic should be insulated much like the rest of the house with insulation in the walls and ceiling. Most codes require a specified minimum amount of headroom and it s tough to meet this requirement when insulating a finished attic especially since most. Improving insulation ventilation in finished attic tags. A vented attic where insulation is placed on an air sealed attic floor is one of the most underappreciated building assemblies that we have in the history of building science.

Box out light fixtures. Good roof ventilation can do this but shingle color sun exposure and insulation are exponentially more important to overall energy efficiency than ventilation. So i ll start by saying something that might sound controversial but really isn t. 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.

What about finished attics. How to insulate a finished attic. 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. In addition insulation baffles must be installed at the point where the attic floor meets the roofline to prevent the attic insulation from migrating into the cavities and restricting the airflow from the soffit vents.

With a finished attic insulation must help keep the attic areas comfortable. Sure installing roof vents for older homes can reduce your hot air during the summer but there are probably more low risk cost effective ways to increase your home s energy. It creates a breeding ground for mold and mildew and ruins the air trapping pockets that block heat flow. So much information has been devoted to the subject of roof venting that it s easy to become confused and to lose focus.

Or insulation baffles install in any rafter. If the finished attic is simply a storage area without the need for climate control you can leave the attic floor insulation in place but must forgo adding anything between the rafters.