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.

Finishing attic space insulation.

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. Your attic has a climate of its own. If it is and you plan to provide heating and cooling to the finished attic space you need to remove. Loose fill or batt the common term for blanket insulation.

So if you re planning to get a few years of use out of it the investment might make more sense. Finishing your attic can add space and utility and increase the value of your home as long as it s done properly. For diy attic insulation you ve got two choices. Use r 30 insulation for the ceiling and r 13 for the walls.

Warmer in both summer and winter if it s well insulated. Don t mash or compress the insulation into the space. The attic floor which is the ceiling of the living space below often already is insulated. Here are some must do tips to follow when finishing your attic.

For maximum comfort create a separate zone within your hvac system for the finished space. When done without proper planning or adherence to local building codes it can actually reduce the value of your home or stall a sale. Insulation goes between roof and interior space if your attic is already finished it probably is at least partially insulated. Finishing the attic into liveable space nets an average of 9 3 out of 10 joy score or sense of happiness the owners have upon completion on nar s renovation report.

It needs a certain amount of loft to work properly. Without properly insulating your finished attic room will also be cold in the winter. Converting your attic into usable finished space can increase the value of your home by maximizing the available square footage. Without properly ventilating the roof your finished space can be just as unpleasant as an unfinished attic.

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. A finished attic should be insulated much like the rest of the house with insulation in the walls and ceiling. If building a knee wall for storage like karl did with this project make sure to insulate that area as well. If you re considering turning your attic into conditioned storage or living space it s worth changing tactics to insulate between the rafters and wall joists instead of the floor.

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