Reinslating Finished Attic

How to insulate a finished attic.

Reinslating finished attic.

The attic floor which is the ceiling of the living space below often already is insulated. So it s time to pay close attention to what s happening up there. Most codes require a specified minimum amount of headroom and it s tough to meet this requirement when insulating a finished attic especially since most codes require insulation equal to r 38 or more. Finished attics need stairs that meet all of the standard staircase requirements.

With a finished attic insulation must help keep the attic areas comfortable. Pull down stair or ladder. Without properly ventilating the roof your finished space can be just as unpleasant as an unfinished attic. If it is and you plan to provide heating and cooling to the finished attic space you need to remove.

Without properly insulating your finished attic room will also be cold in the winter. That means insulating the attic floor only not the walls and having vents in the roof. Attic hatch or door. Remove the drywall or paneling covering the ceilings and walls.

In general stairs must be at least 3 feet wide and provide at least 6 feet 8 inches of headroom. Add weatherstripping around the perimeter and a sweep to the door of a walk up attic. A finished attic is insulated in one of three ways. Use a zippered insulated tent to keep the enclosure draft free attic tent at 7 attic cover insulator 120.

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. Drill holes between studs and rafters and blow in insulation without taking down walls. Proper attic insulation is the best way to prevent heat loss in the winter and retain cool air in the summer. Install fiberglass blankets between the rafters and wall studs and install new drywall or paneling.

Affix rigid foam insulation to the attic side of the hatch or door. For a finished attic to be to code it must satisfy the same living requirements of other rooms sometimes called the rule of sevens any living space in a home needs to have at least 7 feet 2 1 m of clearance from the floor to the ceiling and there needs to be at least 70 square feet of space available at least 7 feet 2 1 m in each direction.