Insulating Sloped Roof Ceiling

There are lots of ways to insulate a low slope roof and most of them are wrong.

Insulating sloped roof ceiling.

Look for water stains on the roof sheathing or damp or moldy spots on attic joists and existing insulation as a clue to where leaks might be. Sloped or cathedral ceilings are often found in great rooms. Unvented roof assemblies should be insulated either with air impermeable insulation rigid foam or spray polyurethane foam or with a combination of foam and air permeable insulation. Because of limited space between the roof sheathing and ceiling joists a low slope shed roof can be difficult to insulate properly.

It creates a breeding ground for mold and mildew and ruins the air trapping pockets that block heat flow. Find out why a ridge vent and a soffit vent are important to proper ventilation when insulating a sloped or cathedral ceiling. Best insulation for sloped ceilings. In older buildings the usual method is to install fiberglass batts or cellulose on top of the leaky ceiling with a gap of a few inches or sometimes a few feet between the top of the insulation and the roof sheathing.

The ceiling is vaulted at an angle and there s no attic space above the ceiling. Water is insulation s enemy. According to green building advisor the best way to insulate the ceiling depends on whether you have a ventilated or unvented roof assembly. A cathedral ceiling is a sloping and pointed ceiling which is usually high and open.

Installing insulation on the sloped roof assembly roof insulation unless in air conditioned attics insulation is typically installed on the ceiling plane not on the sloped roof assembly. Cathedral ceilings are a feature in many homes that add to value to the house because the high ceiling tends to make rooms look larger. However this leaves a lot of uninsulated sloping ceilings with little room around 5 inches between the plasterboard and the roof tiles. Chances are the roof has little insulation and the savings are going to be big 300 a year would be a good estimate for the average house.

Updated on april 8 2016. In this energy smart homes article senior editor martin holladay explains how to insulate a vented low slope shed roof using a combination of intake vents and cupolas. Box out light fixtures. The horizontal ceiling accounts for around 40 of the total ceiling area and is insulated with glass fibre between the joists accessed via the loft hatch.

It provides an open airy look and feel to the room and they are often in demand among home buyers. It s more effective and easier to install insulation on the attic floor than in the roof assembly.