Insulation between roof beams, etc
I have an old fifties two-story house in Minnesota. I would like to build a master bedroom in the area above the first floor. The previous owner had the same idea but lost interest. When standing on the sub-flooring on the second floor and looking up at the old slats to which the roof shingles are nailed, there is no insulation. Would it be energy efficient to use a commercially sprayed poly foam between the beams or is rolled insulation still the way to go? To get heat in this new space, what would a practical approach be? I guess I’m really in the dark on this project so anyone who can suggest a book or an article in FHB or where can one go to get advice – well, I’d sure appreciate it. Thank you.
Replies
The practical options for insulating depend a lot on how much headroom you have. What size joists do you have, and can you afford to lose any height below them?
Have you verified that the floor joists are up to code for a habitable area?
You said the word 'code' to a newbie and scared him away.
Under the most splendid house in the city is still to be found the cellar where they store their roots as of old, and long after the superstructure has disappeared posterity remark its dent in the earth. The house is still but a sort of porch at the entrance of a burrow. -Thoreau's Walden
Greetings waljay, as a first time poster Welcome to Breaktime.
Studies have shown that rolled fiberglass batts are among the least efficient types of insulation available although it is homeowner friendly in the application.
In the event you fail to receive the information you requested you may be able to find it in the archive listing of old threads on Breaktime.
If you scroll up in the upper left corner of your screen there is an advanced search function that will take you to a page of instructions directing you to previous threads dealing with whatever you type in the search bar.
If you type in 'roof venting', 'foam insulation', 'dense cellulose' or other keywords of the subject matter you'll get a supply of data from those old threads.
Cheers
I never in all my walks came across a man engaged in so simple and natural an occupation as building his house. We belong to the community. It is not the tailor alone who is the ninth part of a man; it is as much the preacher, and the merchant, and the farmer.
-Thoreau's Walden
Thank you for the information. I read all the Taunton publications, especially the Fine Woodworking. Now I need to start my home improvement (read insulation and other necessary projects) projects that have been put off for so long. Thanks again.
It's been said preparation time is not lost time so you're right on time. :o)
Please don't be a stranger here and stop around more often.
btw...On the practical note many have had good success using foamboard sheets and spraying the seams with a 'Great Stuff' style foam in a can.
I never in all my walks came across a man engaged in so simple and natural an occupation as building his house. We belong to the community. It is not the tailor alone who is the ninth part of a man; it is as much the preacher, and the merchant, and the farmer.
-Thoreau's Walden
Edited 6/20/2007 1:37 pm ET by rez