Best insulation in this case
I am in the process of remodeling my 1929 bungalow located an hour north of NYC. The master bedroom is on second floor with the roof right above (no attic). I tore off the old sheetrock and now want to keep the space open with a cathedral-like ceiling (leaving all the trusses etc in place — only removing sheetrock, no structure). There was no insulation at all. I look up and all I see are the rafters and tongue-groove sheathing that has asphalt shingles on the outside (new roof a few years ago, no leaks). There is no ridge vent and no soffit vents. The room is incredibly hot in summer, but OK in winter with the old cast iron radiators. Question: what is the best insulation for me to install, basically to keep out the heat? I’m going to be covering the open rafter bays with drywall (or possibly tongue-groove paneling) — should I have the empty bays spray foamed first? Fiberglass? Seems pointless to put in batts when there’s no air circulation. Rigid foam? Any ideas appreciated. Thanks.
Replies
Normally closed cell spray foam would be used here. It's pricey, but it's perfect for this application.
Thanks for your comments. I want to go with foam but I'm really eager to try the DIY spray foam products, most notably the TigerFoam fast rise system. Does anyone have any experience with the product? I got a quote from a foam guy for $1400, and the kit is $650, and would like to save some money.
canned foam costs in excess of $1 per Board foot (one sq ft, 1" thick). That's for the material alone, assuming you get a 100% yield (good luck with that). Most spray foam contractors install closed cell foam for about that cost, and any yield concerns are on their end. So, you get more for your money with a SPF contractor than with kit foams. They are great solutions for many things, but my guess is on this project, the contractor likely was pricing out in excess of 1000 bf, and you're comparing that with a kit that yields 600bf - if you're lucky and very experienced. price 3 kits, then compare. It maybe best to try your hand at kit foam for rim joists or something of that nature.
Yeah, generally for that sort of situation sprayed foam is the ticket. Nothing else is nearly as easy to install, and the foam has excellent characteristics.
I recently used TigerFoam's
I recently used TigerFoam's slow rise formula. It worked ok for me, which was to fill a few voids. But after my experience, I'd recommend using a professional for a large scale job like this.