Insulation, Radiant and Vapor Barriers - Add vents/insulation to finished attic
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Kirmie
09-15-09, 06:51 AM
I have an attic that was already finished and insulated when I moved in, but the problem is that I don' think there is enough ventilation. There are wall and roof louvers above the ceiling though there is no real ventilation in the knee wall area (aside from two spots that are about a square foot in size right bellow the overhang on the front of the house where the siding is gone and the wood is exposed, which will be fixed). The insulation in the attic is only R-11 and attached to the roof so what I would like to do is to cut away the R-11 in the knee wall area and replace that insulation with a higher R value. During this process I would also like to add soffit vents and put baffles running up to the area above the finished attic's ceiling. Is it possible to install the baffles where the R-11 is already installed between the slanted part of the ceiling and the upper ceiling area?
I would prefer not cutting apart my ceiling and I have more than enough room to maneuver in the knee wall area with plenty of access. I have no AC so I'm worried more about ice problems than moisture problems in the attic. Especially since whenever it is hot I have the windows in the finished part of the attic open and the access to the knee wall area is no where near air tight so in the summer it is likely ventilated well enough solely from that. I also have a fairly steep gabled roof that is not walkable so I don't know if snow and ice would really get the chance to build up there anyways.
Once again my question is really just whether or not I can install a baffle through the area between the knee wall and the area above the ceiling of my finished attic without having to remove part of my ceiling or the insulation that is already there. Worst case scenario for now would probably be installing wall louvers in the siding gaps that are in the knee wall area along with soffit vents. Then I would replace the knee wall insulation with a higher R value and place it against the knee wall instead of the roof backing and try to make that area as air tight as possible while still leaving an entrance for later, better solutions. Kind of on a low budget but I have access to some free labor so if it is do it yourself possible then I am interested.
I would prefer not cutting apart my ceiling and I have more than enough room to maneuver in the knee wall area with plenty of access. I have no AC so I'm worried more about ice problems than moisture problems in the attic. Especially since whenever it is hot I have the windows in the finished part of the attic open and the access to the knee wall area is no where near air tight so in the summer it is likely ventilated well enough solely from that. I also have a fairly steep gabled roof that is not walkable so I don't know if snow and ice would really get the chance to build up there anyways.
Once again my question is really just whether or not I can install a baffle through the area between the knee wall and the area above the ceiling of my finished attic without having to remove part of my ceiling or the insulation that is already there. Worst case scenario for now would probably be installing wall louvers in the siding gaps that are in the knee wall area along with soffit vents. Then I would replace the knee wall insulation with a higher R value and place it against the knee wall instead of the roof backing and try to make that area as air tight as possible while still leaving an entrance for later, better solutions. Kind of on a low budget but I have access to some free labor so if it is do it yourself possible then I am interested.