Attic Insulation Advice With Knee Walls

Rather than leaving this space empty homeowners can fill it with insulation for additional thermal protection.

Attic insulation advice with knee walls.

Knee walls also provide pockets for additional insulation in the attic. 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. The exact height of the knee wall is your choice. If you go back and view the illustration above you ll notice there s an enclosed area behind the knee wall.

If you plan to insulate a kneewall and the attic floor behind the kneewall. In this case the area behind the knee wall will be uncomfortably hot or cold. The blue lines representing insulation and hardboard on the graphic did not exist in my attic. But they are awfully good to have.

Two ways to insulate attic kneewalls good. If your attic space is framed with rafters and is unfinished it has a triangular shape. In tight attics or odd shaped wall conditions i e. Air seal and insulate the kneewall.

Once you ve decided which type is best for you examine the material options and prices to home in on the right product. It s usually easier and more effective to insulate the sloped ceiling rather than. As i researched the possibility of insulating the attic space in my knee wall i learned that it was a major contributor to wasted energy. Another alternative for knee walls conditions is to remove and reinstall the batt insulation to qii standards.

There are two basic ways to insulate a finished attic. When the insulation is blown in on the attic floor all of the joists are covered and well insulated. Proper air blocks air barriers for example covering the insulation on the attic side and between the attic floor joists below the knee wall should be present. Not so on these knee walls.

It is very easy to see where the studs are on this knee wall. For diy attic insulation you ve got two choices. Both can be added to uninsulated attics or layered over existing material. Filling the space behind the knee walls with insulation helps to lock in your home s thermal energy.

Rake walls it s easier to handle than plywood or thermo ply and still gives you an r 19 r121 assembly depending on the original batt insulation installed. At the bottom points of the triangles the rafters meet the top plates of the exterior walls. Knee walls are not found in all attics and they are not absolutely necessary. Loose fill or batt the common term for blanket insulation.

Then cover that same area with an r 8 fsk affixing it using cap nails. As well the access door should be insulated and sealed appropriately. Insulate the sloped ceiling.