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Insulating sloped ceiling in older home

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  • Insulating sloped ceiling in older home

    Hello, Im new to the forum. There seems to be no place here to put insulation questions here so HVAC is the closest I could find.
    My home is a 1920s craftsman style 2 story house. Very good condition and very updated.
    My second story has only slight intrusions on the ceilings from the roof which are parallel to the roof. There are no knee walls as the spaces here are the bedroom closests with sloped ceilings. The stairwell has a vaulted sloped ceiling which is parallel to the roof. In the winter the closets are very cold and in the summer they are very hot, which makes it a must to keep the doors shut at all times. Also the upstairs is hot and stuffy in the summer and cold in the winter. Forced air HVAC, throughout. Soffet overhang is rather large, approx 2 foot, with no soffet vents.
    My question is. How do I see what kind of Insulation is in these sloped ceilings, obviously there is not much room there for much. (my neighbor says he actually found corn cobs in his for insulation.) Then what kind of insulation can I put there for the best insulating quality I can get. How can I remove old insulation if there is any? (corn cobs, old fiberglass, old cellulose, ect.) Should I use expandable foam for insulating it and fill the cavity? I have seen this done on DIY in new constructions they now do not vent, they fill the cavity oppsite the roof with spray foam, and sheetrock the vault, with no open air space, the entire space in the attic would then be finished.
    With heating prices skyrocketing here in North Iowa, and also the need to make the 2nd story more comfortable, what is my best bet for getting the highest insulating value in these spaces?
    Thanks
    Cory

  • #2
    Just a little update. I just went up in the attic to try to see what I have up there. attic has 6-8 inches of blown cellulose on the floor, which I figured, the attic ceiling has strange straw like blankets tacked up between the rafters with lath furring strips, its about 1 inch thick, and some of it has fallen down.
    Unfortunatly the opening is too small for my shoulders to fit through, so I couldnt really get a great look.
    I am guessing that the only insulation that is in the sloped part of the ceiling is this straw blanket, which is not much. the rafters are 2x4 so not alot of room for insulation as well.
    So if this is the case does anyone know how to remove this straw blanket without ripping into the roof or walls in the house, and does anyone have any suggestions now with this additional information.
    Thanks,
    Cory

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    • #3
      6-8 inches of blown in insulation isn't much. to be effective at least 15 inches should be up there. My ceiling in some rooms are the rafters but I won't put anything up there.Much, much too weak to fasten anything on. A chemical insulation was an option but with enough of it does constitute wieght.

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