Finishing Attic Space Insulation

Staple insulation between the wall studs and ceiling joists image a.

Finishing attic space insulation.

If you re finishing your attic insulating it to the proper r value can cause a dramatic loss of headroom if you limit yourself to fiberglass batts. If building a knee wall for storage like karl did with this project make sure to insulate that area as well. Insulation goes between roof and interior space if your attic is already finished it probably is at least partially insulated. Since parts of a finished attic are usually very close to the roof insulation often blocks proper ventilation that is needed under a roof structure.

Converting your attic into usable finished space can increase the value of your home by maximizing the available square footage. Don t mash or compress the insulation into the space. Use r 30 insulation for the ceiling and r 13 for the walls. So if you re planning to get a few years of use out of it the investment might make more sense.

A finished attic should be insulated much like the rest of the house with insulation in the walls and ceiling. The attic floor which is the ceiling of the living space below often already is insulated. For maximum comfort create a separate zone within your hvac system for the finished space. Without properly ventilating the roof your finished space can be just as unpleasant as an unfinished attic.

For diy attic insulation you ve got two choices. Loose fill or batt the common term for blanket insulation. Without properly insulating your finished attic room will also be cold in the winter. Finishing your attic can add space and utility and increase the value of your home as long as it s done properly.

When done without proper planning or adherence to local building codes it can actually reduce the value of your home or stall a sale. Thinking of finishing the attic someday. Warmer in both summer and winter if it s well insulated. If it is and you plan to provide heating and cooling to the finished attic space you need to remove.

There s a chance you ll need to enlarge the system if your attic wasn t heated or cooled previously so call in a pro to make sure it s up to snuff. Your attic has a climate of its own. If your home is smaller than other homes in your area or simply lacks the necessary amount of storage or living space for your family finishing your attic is a relatively inexpensive way to increase your usable space. It needs a certain amount of loft to work properly.

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.