[switchblade13]

Hello Everybody!!! I am in a peculiar situation. I have a 1200 sq foot finished room over my detached garage. The problem (big problem) is there is zero insulation on the knee wall, flat ceiling at the top, sloped ceilings, dormer walls, etc. Zero insulation. I have attached a video of what my situation is.

I had one contractor come and look. He told me all of the ceiling drywall would have to come down (sloped and top ceiling) and he would put batt insulation throughout.

I'm hoping there is a better option as it will certainly be a pricey project to remove and replace all of the current ceiling drywall.

Thank you for taking the time to help.

 

[switchblade13]

not allowing the link to the video to be posted. Oh well.

 

[switchblade13]

 

[de-nagorg]

I watched the video, after posting , and my answer is irrelevant.

So I removed it, except for the following.

Ideally it should have been insulated with spray foam, before finishing the interior.


ED

 

[switchblade13]

Thank you for your reply.

The exterior is brick to the soffet...then of course asphalt shingles. The entire room is above the garage.

 

[Nealtw]

Thank you for your reply.

The exterior is brick to the soffet...then of course asphalt shingles. The entire room is above the garage.

The video was very well done and left no questions about what you have.



The contractor that said to remove drywall, may have been right.

The cavity on the sloped part of the ceiling should have been made deep enough for more insulation and 1 1/2" space for air flow.

We make that area more like 10 or 12 inches deep.

The blocking you see at the top of the cavities was put there for drywall backing but it should have been installed on the flat to allow air flow.

 

[Windows on Wash]

Zero on the slopes and flats?? Ugh. Who finished the drywall. The kneewalls are easy, but you don't really want to dense pack the slopes unless you can vent them and that is tough with everything already in there.


What Neal said is spot on too.

 

[switchblade13]

Zero on the slopes and flats?? Ugh. Who finished the drywall. The kneewalls are easy, but you don't really want to dense pack the slopes unless you can vent them and that is tough with everything already in there.


What Neal said is spot on too.

I am unsure on who did the drywall....but why on earth would they not have insulated??

Thank you for your reply.

 

[switchblade13]

The video was very well done and left no questions about what you have.



The contractor that said to remove drywall, may have been right.

The cavity on the sloped part of the ceiling should have been made deep enough for more insulation and 1 1/2" space for air flow.

We make that area more like 10 or 12 inches deep.

The blocking you see at the top of the cavities was put there for drywall backing but it should have been installed on the flat to allow air flow.

Thanks. What you said about that drywall backing makes total sense.

 

[Nealtw]

Thanks. What you said about that drywall backing makes total sense.

That would have failed if it was done during construction, so much of what you have is likely not permitted work.

While I think about it, the soffet vents look great but you like need to increase that x 3


On the side with the duct work, you may want to extend the sloped insulation all the way out so that cavity would be in the envelope instead of having HVAC in an unconditioned space.

 

[switchblade13]

The video was very well done and left no questions about what you have.



The contractor that said to remove drywall, may have been right.

The cavity on the sloped part of the ceiling should have been made deep enough for more insulation and 1 1/2" space for air flow.

We make that area more like 10 or 12 inches deep.

The blocking you see at the top of the cavities was put there for drywall backing but it should have been installed on the flat to allow air flow.

If this was your place...how would you insulate those slopes?

Also, given that top of those slopes is 'blocked in' or 'framed in'....I would assume the only air flow would be leakage between the decking and that framing?

Thanks for any further input you can provide.

 

[switchblade13]

That would have failed if it was done during construction, so much of what you have is likely not permitted work.

While I think about it, the soffet vents look great but you like need to increase that x 3


On the side with the duct work, you may want to extend the sloped insulation all the way out so that cavity would be in the envelope instead of having HVAC in an unconditioned space.

Regarding the HVAC in unconditioned space...that is very common here I live in the Southeast US.....no basements so all HVAC are in attics.

 

[Bud9051]

Hi Switch, where are you? Climate region makes a difference when insulating.
How old is the house?
Not installing insulation tells me no permits were pulled and no inspections were done. All climate zones require some insulation.

I suspect the prior owner was dealing with an unfinished upstairs purchased and built that way leaving the finish work to the new owner who did it wrong.

Afraid i can't help you as it would require a gut job and total rebuild with proper insulation and new drywall. Those dormers in front may need some extra work to prevent air flow to the attic.

I'll let those who have responded continue.

Best
Bud

 

[switchblade13]

Hi Switch, where are you? Climate region makes a difference when insulating.
How old is the house?
Not installing insulation tells me no permits were pulled and no inspections were done. All climate zones require some insulation.

I suspect the prior owner was dealing with an unfinished upstairs purchased and built that way leaving the finish work to the new owner who did it wrong.

Afraid i can't help you as it would require a gut job and total rebuild with proper insulation and new drywall. Those dormers in front may need some extra work to prevent air flow to the attic.

I'll let those who have responded continue.

Best
Bud

Mississippi - garage about 15 years old

 

[Nealtw]

If this was your place...how would you insulate those slopes?

Also, given that top of those slopes is 'blocked in' or 'framed in'....I would assume the only air flow would be leakage between the decking and that framing?

Thanks for any further input you can provide.

Blue is air flow, pink is insulation. See I did different on each side. you could go either way on both sides . I added 2x4s to the sloped ceilings

The dormers might need some exploration but i suspect bad news there too.
They are tricky to vent anyway.

 

[Nealtw]

Hi Switch, where are you? Climate region makes a difference when insulating.
How old is the house?
Not installing insulation tells me no permits were pulled and no inspections were done. All climate zones require some insulation.

I suspect the prior owner was dealing with an unfinished upstairs purchased and built that way leaving the finish work to the new owner who did it wrong.

Afraid i can't help you as it would require a gut job and total rebuild with proper insulation and new drywall. Those dormers in front may need some extra work to prevent air flow to the attic.

I'll let those who have responded continue.

Best
Bud

What R should he have in that ceiling and would you look at keeping the duct inside the insulated space?

 

[Nealtw]

Regarding the HVAC in unconditioned space...that is very common here I live in the Southeast US.....no basements so all HVAC are in attics.

Understood, to me it just makes sense for the same money and similar work it could be inside the insulated space and work less hard.

 

[Bud9051]

Unless you are right on the coast you are in climate zone 3. It would take more digging but even with that local authorities set the insulation requirements. Looks like somewhere between R-30 and R-60. Slopes may have a reduced allowance.

But either it needs ventilation or the roof needs to be insulated with spray foam.

Bud