Insulate Unfinished Attic Rafters

If the plastic sheeting is in pieces overlap the pieces by 8 inches and staple it in place directly to the roof rafters and the wall.

Insulate unfinished attic rafters.

Would it be better to insulate between rafters or to attach reflectix to the rafters leaving the space between the reflectix and the plywood open. 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. You can use rigid foam panels or do as tom silva does with nearly all houses these days. Depending on your climate an r value between 38 and 60 is optimal.

Insulating a finished attic there are two basic ways to insulate a finished attic. If there is a floor you will need to remove it to properly insulate the roof rafters. If the air distribution is in the attic space then consider insulating the rafters to move the distribution into the conditioned space. Insulating between rafters install batting between the roof rafters for finished attic spaces.

1a attic access door. Attic baffles also known as rafter vents go along the sides of your attic and keep your soffit vents from being blocked by insulation. I live in california with summer days usually over 90 degrees. You can use either faced or unfaced batting for this installation.

You should only insulate your rafters if you have baffles installed to separate the actual rafters themselves from the insulation. Place the plastic sheeting on top of the rolled insulation. In order to avoid damage to the roof deck you should insulate ceilings to create an air barrier between the living space and an unfinished attic or airspace underneath the roof deck. If only the living space will be insulated wrap the insulation around the room s walls and ceiling and then continue along the floor of the non living space.

Do not use plastic sheeting in this case. Hire a pro to install spray foam insulation. When using insulation that has. Attic moisture problems are often the result of heated air from the living space rising up into the attic which is not heated.

Batt insulation can be added to the underside of the roof between rafters and a layer of batt or loose insulation can be added over the attic flooring. In this case the area behind the knee wall will be uncomfortably hot or cold. If your attic is usable space but not lived in then you won t need to insulate the roof rafters as long as the ceiling floor that separates the roof from your living area below is insulated. In unfinished attic spaces insulate between and over the floor joists to seal off living spaces below.