Attic Insulation In 2x4 Ceiling Joist Space

Pull out all insulation and any debris from all of the joist spaces so you can see the full length of each joist including where it meets the exterior walls.

Attic insulation in 2x4 ceiling joist space.

Ceiling joists are the horizontal boards that span the width of the house resting on the outer wall plates and possibly on. Also remove any blocking or bridging between the joists as applicable. Put insulation meant for 2x4 framed walls between the joists which will be the same height as the joists then lay a perpendicular layer of attic insulation maybe r 30 on top of them. There are some unfinished crawl space areas in the corners on the upper floor.

How to increase the interior ceiling joist for r38 insulation. How to reinforce an attic floor with sister joists. When using fiberglass insulation the pink stuff the attic roof rafter will need to be at least 16 deep. Over the past several years there has been an increased focus on making insulation codes more stringent.

I have a 1925 bungalow in michigan climate zone 5. Work from the perimeter of the attic toward the door or hatch so that you don t trample all over the insulation you just put in. Standard joist spacing for the installation of attic flooring materials is 16 inches on center oc meaning the distance from the center of one joist to the center of the next joist is 16 inches. Now that you understand insulation r values you can make sure your home is properly insulated.

Enjoy better floor to floor climate control in your home by installing ceiling insulation. Option 2 has the benefit of preventing any thermal bridging via the ceiling joists. If you want to put down flooring in your attic and want more insulation underneath that floor then you need to increase your joist size. Sistering 2x6 joists next to your current 2x4 joists will simply give you a new floor height of 5 1 2 inches as opposed to the current 3 1 2 inches.

Current insulation code requires r 49 insulation in the ceiling. Always cover the tops of the ceiling joists to make sure the insulation is deep enough to reach your target r value and to prevent thermal bridging the heat loss that occurs through the wood framing.