Spray Foam Insulation Attic Floor
If you re considering turning your attic into conditioned storage or living space it s worth changing tactics to insulate between the rafters and wall joists instead of the floor.
Spray foam insulation attic floor. The building envelope should completely surround the conditioned space and the insulation needs to be in contact with the air barrier. Install the spray foam to meet or exceed code required r values or add additional loose fill or batt fibrous insulation over the 1 inch of spray foam insulation to levels that meet or exceed the current adopted building energy codes. The best part of using foam it green spray foam on an attic floor is you only need 1 inch cured thickness to seal the living spaces you use from the attic.
But a common reason to put spray foam on the roofline is to avoid having to air seal the attic floor. Spray polyurethane foam will provide thermal insulation that will minimize air infiltration which can help to save on heating and cooling costs within the indoor environment. It s important you spray foam attic rafters only if you need to.
Hire a pro to install spray foam insulation. Spray foam comes in two flavors open cell and closed cell and provides both parts of the building envelope the insulation and the air barrier. Thus the air in the attic is connected with the air in the house.
That gives you the chance to maximize your energy bill savings while spending the least on the project. Once the foam is applied directly into the cracks it expands and dries quickly while blocking air and water making it extremely effective for things such as cavity wall insulation. One of the unique features of spray foam is its ability to get into small cracks and crevices perfect for attic insulation.
Consumers are often told by spray foam contractors to do the rafters. If you re using the attic for living space then you need to insulate the rafters. If you leave the insulation in the attic floor after insulating the roofline the attic will be cooler in winter than if you remove the insulation.
Then you can use other forms of insulation like fiberglass or cellulose to add r value now that you have a tight air seal. If you re not do the attic floor.