Insulation, Radiant and Vapor Barriers - overhang insulation on raised ranch

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pathibo
01-24-03, 10:20 AM
I resently resided my raised ranch with vinyl siding. although they used tyvek paper and insulation board on the sides of the house it appears that they did not use it under the front overhangs. In a raised ranch this is a portion of the right and left flooring on the upstairs level. we added r16 fiberglass insulation to the space under the floor but still feel the cold and draft from the base board and floor above yet not on the flat walls, or not so much. The floor is freezing. Don't quit get it. Is there something we're missing? Thank you for any help we could get.


resercon
01-24-03, 01:15 PM
The overhang is known as a soffit and it should not be insulated. If you blow air into a balloon it'll get bigger and if you let air out of it, it'll get smaller. Your home cannot get bigger or smaller. In other words, air cannot come into your home unless that same volume of air is let out of the home. Your post about moisture in your attic is a telltale sign that heated air is leaving the home and entering your attic and condensing on the underside of your roof. That heated air leaving creates a void in the home and sucks cold air into the house. That is why your are feeling cold air at the baseboards. So the moisture in your attic is related to the cold air coming in at your baseboards.

You solve the heated air going into your attic and the cold air at the baseboards goes away and so does the moisture in the attic. Common causes for this is known as the atic by-pass phenomena are poorly secured attic entrances, whole house fan louvers in hallways, recess lighting, chimney and plumbing chases, electrical wire penetrations, drop ceilings above tub enclosure and more.

pathibo
01-24-03, 02:04 PM
i understand the air exchange thing. but i don't get why i shouldn't have any insulation in my "sofit" I know that it doesn't go in the roof, sofits but this is in the floor. on the first level the top floor overhangs the basement a good 2 feet. and you have the sheathing a 1 1/2 foot space then the floor boards. i cannot believe that i shouldn't insulate at all. thank you for your help


resercon
01-24-03, 02:34 PM
You are referring to a cantilever wall on the first floor. Yes, you are correct, this floor should be insulated.