Finished Attic Ventilation Insulation

So much information has been devoted to the subject of roof venting that it s easy to become confused and to lose focus.

Finished attic ventilation insulation.

Improving insulation ventilation in finished attic tags. Box out light fixtures. How to insulate a finished attic. With a finished attic insulation must help keep the attic areas comfortable.

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. The soffit vents allow convective air movement from the soffits of the residence to the ridge vent. What about finished attics. Attic ventilation works on the principle that heated air naturally rises primarily utilizing two types of vents.

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. Water is insulation s enemy. Without properly insulating your finished attic room will also be cold in the winter. 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.

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. A finished attic should be insulated much like the rest of the house with insulation in the walls and ceiling. 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. Or insulation baffles install in any rafter.

So i ll start by saying something that might sound controversial but really isn t. It creates a breeding ground for mold and mildew and ruins the air trapping pockets that block heat flow. 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. That means insulating the attic floor only not the walls and having vents in the roof.

Hvac i recently moved into a 1922 2 1 2 story colonial in baltimore md hot humid summers and fairly cold winters. 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.