Insulating the attic floor.
How to insulate attic floor.
An unfinished attic is an attic that is not considered part of the living space.
Insulating an unfinished attic is a simple diy project.
1 put on work gloves safety glasses and a dust mask before entering the attic.
Insulating an unfinished attic can be a simple diy project.
How to insulate a finished attic.
1a attic access door.
A finished attic should be insulated much like the rest of the house with insulation in the walls and ceiling.
If you do not use the attic much it is pointless heating this area.
Attic insulation is installed in the floor of the attic so you ll need to do a few things to make the process straightforward.
In unfinished attic spaces insulate between and over the floor joists to seal off living spaces below.
Stop using your attic for storage.
Plan to pull up the flooring and layer new.
To build a catwalk you would usually elevate a section of the framing perhaps with 2x6s installed at 90 degrees to the joists and you would install osb or plywood on top of the elevated framing.
Considering usable floor space.
In practical terms you can choose between mineral wool or insulation boards.
If you need regular access to your attic it makes sense to build a catwalk before you insulate the floor of your attic.
But if the floor is covered in plywood you can t stuff enough insulation beneath it to do the job sufficiently not even in warm climates.
That means insulating the attic floor only not the walls and having vents in the roof.
Build up the height of the joists prior to installing flooring when the insulation reaches the tops of the joists.
Start with the attic floor.
So insulating the floor of the attic is not only the best solution but it is also the simplest and cheapest.
The headroom in the attic will determine how much usable floor space you have.
If the air distribution is in the attic space then consider insulating the rafters to move the distribution into the conditioned space.
Start by installing temporary lighting such as clip lights and laying a few sturdy boards along the joists to create a walkway.
While local codes vary many communities will not permit the ceiling in a finished.