centaurette
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- Feb 18, 2012
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Hi all,
I'm new and have read thru most of the forums but no one seems to have the exact scenario as us so I'm throwing this out there for some advice. It's a long read but I'm trying to paint a more detailed picture.
We bought a home built in 1944 in northeastern PA. It's a stucco Cape Cod with a finished attic consisting of 2 bedrooms and a closet...AND a slate roof. It is freezing cold in my daughter's room on the west side where the other bedroom isn't as bad. Upon further self-inspection, the insulation leaves a lot to be desired. There are 2 side attics and the roof attic. One side attic has NO venting at all except the 2 access doors...one in each bedroom. The other side attic has vents covered with mesh at the ends of the roof rafters (no soffits) that, for the most part are approx the same size as a electrical outlet rough-in hole and an access door from 1 bedroom...the warmer one. There is also a mesh-covered square hole on the west wall about 3' up from the first floor ceiling joists near the knee wall. The roof attic has 2 gables vents that consist of mesh and a closeable flap that is controlled from within the bedrooms thru the window framing. There is also a push-up access panel in the ceiling of the colder bedroom. I'm not 100% positive, but I don't believe there is a ridge vent. (If needed, I can provide pics).
We just bought this home in June '11 so this is our first winter here. While I realize the attic, as a whole, needs more insulation (old black-papered insulation with the paper facing away from knee wall and stapled to studs...some areas missing insulation altogether), I'm trying to come up with a plan of action towards redoing the attic the right way. We are extremely limited in funds so we would probably have to piece-meal it so what should we tackled first? Btw, there is no exhaust fan in the bathroom(using a table fan on the counter til we install the new one we bought...not
sure where to exhaust it to without messing up the slate shingles) so there's a bit of moisture in the house which ties into the attic insulation question.
I'm not sure how it should be vented or if it's already vented correctly. I'm not sure whether the roof space where the knee wall and gable attic meet should be insulated. I. Just. Don't. Know...where to start or how to progress. One project seems to link to another and my mind just spins in circles.
Advice would be GREATLY appreciated and I will provide as much clarification as I can if needed.
I'm new and have read thru most of the forums but no one seems to have the exact scenario as us so I'm throwing this out there for some advice. It's a long read but I'm trying to paint a more detailed picture.
We bought a home built in 1944 in northeastern PA. It's a stucco Cape Cod with a finished attic consisting of 2 bedrooms and a closet...AND a slate roof. It is freezing cold in my daughter's room on the west side where the other bedroom isn't as bad. Upon further self-inspection, the insulation leaves a lot to be desired. There are 2 side attics and the roof attic. One side attic has NO venting at all except the 2 access doors...one in each bedroom. The other side attic has vents covered with mesh at the ends of the roof rafters (no soffits) that, for the most part are approx the same size as a electrical outlet rough-in hole and an access door from 1 bedroom...the warmer one. There is also a mesh-covered square hole on the west wall about 3' up from the first floor ceiling joists near the knee wall. The roof attic has 2 gables vents that consist of mesh and a closeable flap that is controlled from within the bedrooms thru the window framing. There is also a push-up access panel in the ceiling of the colder bedroom. I'm not 100% positive, but I don't believe there is a ridge vent. (If needed, I can provide pics).
We just bought this home in June '11 so this is our first winter here. While I realize the attic, as a whole, needs more insulation (old black-papered insulation with the paper facing away from knee wall and stapled to studs...some areas missing insulation altogether), I'm trying to come up with a plan of action towards redoing the attic the right way. We are extremely limited in funds so we would probably have to piece-meal it so what should we tackled first? Btw, there is no exhaust fan in the bathroom(using a table fan on the counter til we install the new one we bought...not
sure where to exhaust it to without messing up the slate shingles) so there's a bit of moisture in the house which ties into the attic insulation question.
I'm not sure how it should be vented or if it's already vented correctly. I'm not sure whether the roof space where the knee wall and gable attic meet should be insulated. I. Just. Don't. Know...where to start or how to progress. One project seems to link to another and my mind just spins in circles.
Advice would be GREATLY appreciated and I will provide as much clarification as I can if needed.