Attic Insulation Advice With Knee Walls

The exact height of the knee wall is your choice.

Attic insulation advice with knee walls.

It is very easy to see where the studs are on this knee wall. Knee walls also provide pockets for additional insulation in the attic. If you plan to insulate a kneewall and the attic floor behind the kneewall. Knee walls are not found in all attics and they are not absolutely necessary.

As well the access door should be insulated and sealed appropriately. But they are awfully good to have. Proper air blocks air barriers for example covering the insulation on the attic side and between the attic floor joists below the knee wall should be present. Then cover that same area with an r 8 fsk affixing it using cap nails.

Another alternative for knee walls conditions is to remove and reinstall the batt insulation to qii standards. For diy attic insulation you ve got two choices. In this case the knee wall area becomes a cold space like traditional attic areas. Rake walls it s easier to handle than plywood or thermo ply and still gives you an r 19 r121 assembly depending on the original batt insulation installed.

Air seal and insulate the kneewall. Not so on these knee walls. In tight attics or odd shaped wall conditions i e. As i researched the possibility of insulating the attic space in my knee wall i learned that it was a major contributor to wasted energy.

At the bottom points of the triangles the rafters meet the top plates of the exterior walls. Two ways to insulate attic kneewalls good. In this case the area behind the knee wall will be uncomfortably hot or cold. Once you ve decided which type is best for you examine the material options and prices to home in on the right product.

Rather than leaving this space empty homeowners can fill it with insulation for additional thermal protection. There are two basic ways to insulate a finished attic. As shown in the graphic above the knee wall lets in air from your eaves into the attic space. If your attic space is framed with rafters and is unfinished it has a triangular shape.

Loose fill or batt the common term for blanket insulation. Filling the space behind the knee walls with insulation helps to lock in your home s thermal energy. Insulate the sloped ceiling. As a comparison we can just barley see the horizontal ceiling joists.

The blue lines representing insulation and hardboard on the graphic did not exist in my attic. Both can be added to uninsulated attics or layered over existing material. It s usually easier and more effective to insulate the sloped ceiling rather than.