Insulate Attic Roof Rafters

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.

Insulate attic roof rafters. Usually you will certainly fill the insulation blower with the insulation and blow it between the attic floor joists. Whether or not there is an inner roof lining and the total thickness of the roof structure. You can use rigid foam panels or do as tom silva does with nearly all houses these days. Attic moisture problems are often the result of heated air from the living space rising up into the attic which is not heated.

Hire a pro to install spray foam insulation. Most unvented attics incorporate spray polyurethane foam spf on the underside of the roof deck and attic walls. Place the plastic sheeting on top of the rolled insulation. Consumers are often told by spray foam contractors to do the rafters.

If there is a floor you will need to remove it to properly insulate the roof rafters. Visquine a painter s drop cloth over the insulation and across the face of the rafters. For rolled insulation location it in between roof covering rafters. The technically correct approach depends on a number of factors.

This construction approach was first used in the 1970s and it has been implemented much more widely since it was first included in the international code council s icc model building code in 2007 irc section 806 4. If your attic is often used or perhaps you plan to convert it in the future you will need to insulate the inner surfaces of the roof. Do not use plastic sheeting in this case. Once the insulation is in place between all the rafters staple up a vapor barrier of 6 ml.

Although the paper or foil backing of the insulation is a vapor barrier the added visquine covers completely with no breaks making sure no moisture forms in the cavity. If your attic is going to be converted into livable space then you will need to insulate the roof rafters. In order to avoid damage to the roof deck you should insulate ceilings to create an air barrier between the living space and an unfinished attic or airspace underneath the roof deck. If you re using the attic for living space then you need to insulate the rafters.

That s because it s easier for the contractor to spray than clean up existing insulation deal with any can lights or venting etc. Install ventilation baffles into the space between the rafters before you install the insulation usually by stapling into place. Make sure it is flush against the wood as also a 1 inch gap can create a 20 percent heating loss.