Insulate Attic Roof Vs Floor

It s more effective and easier to install insulation on the attic floor than in the roof assembly.

Insulate attic roof vs floor.

Materials commonly used for the insulation of the roof deck include. It may cost a little more to insulate the roof plane but once insulated you re essentially paying nothing extra to heat that space. At the same time the areas below the roof benefit from increased comfort both during the winter and the summer. It s usually much easier to get a good thermal envelope at the roof plane than at the attic floor.

Another reason you wouldn t want to insulate the ceiling rafters is that you can wind up with ice dam issues. It is not nearly as common as just the attic floor. How to insulate an unfinished attic in an unfinished attic the goal of insulation is to keep the rooms below cool in summer and warm in winter. Start with the attic floor.

But the best solution is actually to insulate both the attic floor and the underside of the roof. That would make no sense. Insulating the ceiling will create a new heating zone and essentially you will be paying more to heat your attic. Then you could simply insulate the pitched roof.

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. Why does your experience tell you that it s better to insulate the attic floor. If you insulate the attic roof you don t want any vents that allow outside air between the insulation and the rest of your attic.

When you insulate the attic floor you do want to have a lot of venting to keep the attic space closer to the temperature of the outside. Stop using your attic for storage. If you do need to install insulation in the roof assembly take into account some rules. With a finished attic insulation must help keep the attic areas comfortable.

You may also insulate your roof to help regulate the temperature in an attic that is a part of your living space. Because the simplest and cheapest way to insulate an attic is to add material to the floor. Plan to pull up the flooring and layer new. Since the ceiling in the attic is too low to make it into a living space you should only insulate the floor.