| Author |
Message |
    
Liz
Citizen
Username: Mschiquita
Post Number: 74
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, January 1, 2004 - 9:11 pm: |     |
Any tips for a DIY job on the attic of a 1940's colonial? My hub wants to take care of this himself, and he's never done it before..fortunately he's a quick study and has been reading various manuals on the subject.. Your thoughts on any pitfalls he should look out for from a practical experience perspective would be appreciated! |
jgberkeley
Supporter
Username: Jgberkeley
Post Number: 3392
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, January 1, 2004 - 10:41 pm: | |
Simple, use the stuff from HomeDepot. Buy the R value you want, R-20 is good. Buy it in the width of your joists in the attic.
Lay it paper side down.
Where a face mask.
You are done.
Tip, don't step off the joists, else you will break the ceilings.
Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark; professionals built the Titanic. |
tourne
Citizen
Username: Tourne
Post Number: 284
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, January 1, 2004 - 11:10 pm: | |
If you want to really make a difference in the comfort of your house and make the best of your investment, consider hiring someone to properly vapor seal and blow in loose pack cellulose insulation. Cellulose is the best insulation, far superior to fiberglass and less of a hazard to the installer. This should include doing a blower-door test to measure the effectiveness of the process and insure combustion appliance safety in your newly "tightened" house. Try www.bpi.org for a list of contractors. |
peteglider
Citizen
Username: Peteglider
Post Number: 413
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Friday, January 2, 2004 - 8:11 am: | |
when I had additional attic insulation blown in, 2 companies told me they would recommend using fiberglass "blow in" vs cellouse since the existing insulation was fiberglass. I don't *really* know if there is a compatibility issue between the two. (i did choose fiberglass, since it seemed reasonably possible).
in any case, the added insulation has made a difference
Pete
|
bobk
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 4191
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, January 2, 2004 - 8:29 am: | |
Are you talking about floor insulation or insulating the space between the rafters. Most older homes here have a finished (often with rough cut boards) floor with the space between the joists insulated with rock wool.
Assuming the attic is just used for storage is it a good idea to insulate the space between the rafters? My gut instinct is that you will get very little savings and may cause ice dam problems. |
Richard O'Connor
Citizen
Username: Roconn
Post Number: 61
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Friday, January 2, 2004 - 8:36 am: | |
My two cents:
When they rebuilt my roof they installed insulation between the roof rafters with appropriate venting from the facia edge to the ridge.
Insulation in this location can cause ice dam problems if the roof and insulation is not correctly vented.
They additionally (where attic flooring had to be replaced) insulated between the attic floor and the 2nd floor bedroom ceilings.
I have noticed a dramatic improvement in how warm the primary bedrooms stay as the heat does not just migrate through.
(How I wish I could afford to have the exterior walls done.)
Richard (ROC)
--Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark; professionals built the Titanic.--
--AIM: ROConn |
tourne
Citizen
Username: Tourne
Post Number: 286
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Friday, January 2, 2004 - 4:34 pm: | |
Insulating the ceiling above the rooms(ie. floor of attic) is probably more important. This is where air(heat) leaks up to the attic space. As far as the insulation type, there is no incompatibility to putting cellulose on top of fiberglass. Contractors are just more used to buying fiberglass and want to sell you what they already use. There is a big lobby for promoting fiberglass(Corning), even though fiberglass is non-renewable, extremely irritating, an inhalation hazard, and often inferior as an insulation material(very susceptible to compaction, moisture, etc.). |
eratosthenes
Citizen
Username: Eratosthenes
Post Number: 11
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Monday, January 5, 2004 - 6:14 pm: | |
Has anyone used icynene foam, either for attic or inside the walls? It seems like a magic bullet: air leak sealant, vapor barrier and insulator, all in one... |
Dr. Strangelove
Citizen
Username: Dr_strangelove
Post Number: 26
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Monday, January 5, 2004 - 11:00 pm: | |
Is that this stuff?
http://www.fomofoam.com
|
eratosthenes
Citizen
Username: Eratosthenes
Post Number: 12
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 6, 2004 - 11:19 am: | |
www.icynene.com
This was recommended by a contractor because we have storage space in the attic and can't put in insulation (under the floorboards) to the full depth desired. But I now realize that icynene has essentially the same R-rating as cellulose. So perhaps some form of modern urethane foam (R-rating 6) is better. I'd appreciate any recommendations, if anyone has them. |
Closed: New threads not accepted on this page