Finishing Attic Space Insulation

Use r 30 insulation for the ceiling and r 13 for the walls.

Finishing attic space insulation.

The attic floor which is the ceiling of the living space below often already is insulated. Converting your attic into usable finished space can increase the value of your home by maximizing the available square footage. If your home is smaller than other homes in your area or simply lacks the necessary amount of storage or living space for your family finishing your attic is a relatively inexpensive way to increase your usable space. Without properly insulating your finished attic room will also be cold in the winter.

Finishing the attic into liveable space nets an average of 9 3 out of 10 joy score or sense of happiness the owners have upon completion on nar s renovation report. If you re considering turning your attic into conditioned storage or living space it s worth changing tactics to insulate between the rafters and wall joists instead of the floor. Loose fill or batt the common term for blanket insulation. There s a chance you ll need to enlarge the system if your attic wasn t heated or cooled previously so call in a pro to make sure it s up to snuff.

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. When done without proper planning or adherence to local building codes it can actually reduce the value of your home or stall a sale. 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. Finishing your attic can add space and utility and increase the value of your home as long as it s done properly.

It needs a certain amount of loft to work properly. Don t mash or compress the insulation into the space. For maximum comfort create a separate zone within your hvac system for the finished space. Your attic has a climate of its own.

So if you re planning to get a few years of use out of it the investment might make more sense. If it is and you plan to provide heating and cooling to the finished attic space you need to remove. Warmer in both summer and winter if it s well insulated. Thinking of finishing the attic someday.

Staple insulation between the wall studs and ceiling joists image a. A finished attic should be insulated much like the rest of the house with insulation in the walls and ceiling. Insulation goes between roof and interior space if your attic is already finished it probably is at least partially insulated. 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.

Here are some must do tips to follow when finishing your attic.