Insulate Attic Bonus Room

So after we seal up the insulated air barrier for the bonus room knee wall we install a thick blanket of cellulose insulation around the duct.

Insulate attic bonus room.

By utilizing spray foam directly to the underside of the floor sheathing cold floors can be minimized. Depending on the room s exact location commonly in an attic or basement and sometimes over the garage there s likely some insulation. When finishing a room above is garage it s important to get the insulation details right. Spray foam provides an air tight thermal boundary between your bonus room and the unconditioned air space in your attic.

The airflow in the ducts suffers from friction losses and the air loses heat to the cold attic space as it makes its way to the room. Turning an uninsulated space over the garage into a comfortable office. The solar guard goes over the insulation on the attic side. This allows at least half of the reflective insulation to do it s job since it requires a 1 or larger air gap on each side to be a radiant barrier and provide some r value.

Now if your bonus room has an attic your options are a little different. Yes i know radiant barrier r value is controversial. A bonus room isn t such a bonus when it lacks insulation. The problem with many kneewalls is that they have fiberglass batt insulation with nothing covering them on the attic side as shown in the photo below.

By scott gibson december 2 2013. Cellulose can be either a loose fill or blown in insulation in this application. In the photo at left the kneewall is the short wall with the door in it. You could opt for spray foam fiberglass or cellulose.

Often attic bonus rooms such as my own are above unheated garage or storage space. This helps keep the supply air coming into the room nice and warm. Insulating the roof of a bonus room a homeowner faces a familiar problem. In any case be sure to provide adequate ventilation in any enclosed attic spaces.

Bonus rooms are often the least comfortable room in a house and the main reason is that they are the most flawed part of the building envelope especially the attic kneewalls. Inappropriate mixture or application can result in suboptimal insulating results and hazardous fumes. Spray foam insulation creates an air seal that will keep you from losing treated air through the ceiling.