Currently waffling about a potential name change for my younger kitty. No one else in the house cares, or, indeed, ever calls her by name. So I thought, what the heck, I'll do a poll.
My cats are called "Get Off the Couch!", "Don't Puke There!" , "Stop Ripping that Carpet!", and , lastly, "Poor Little Old Kitty" (for the 15 year old.)
Just got the first estimate for our new roof. It's under $25,000! I had been prepared for anything from $35,000 to $65,000. Granted, this doesn't include the modest stucco repair that should be done first. And Penny apparently got talked out of under-roof insulation that I had figured into my calculations. Indeed, since she is going along with the idea of venting the attic based on her claim there is no winter heat loss through that space, insulating the root doesn't make sense. My estimates may also have been ratcheted up a bit by her initial desire for copper roofing, although I have known for a couple of years she decided to settle for 50-year-warranty asphalt shingles.
Still, even adding in the cost of the stucco work, it's coming in significantly below my lowest guesstimate.
To start with, I never quite understood the concept of putting insulation on the outside of the root, between the roof and the roofing. And if you're going to put insulation on the inside, between the rafters, that can be done anytime. No connection to having the roofiing replaced. But if Penny is right that we're not actually losing any heat through the attic, then there wouldn't seem to be any point. Especially after you make a point of venting the attic to the outside.
But that keeps heat out of the attic and makes it colder. Of course, Penny is insisting that no heat gets into the attic anyway, even without insulation. If true, that would make insulation irrelevant.
Bill—are you talking about a finished attic, or just the space between the top floor ceiling and the roof (AKA unfinished attic)? We don’t have a finished attic; the insulation is blown in on top of the second floor ceiling, and keeps heat in the house during the winter, and out of the house during the summer. A finished attic would be another matter, I suppose. You have to let air flow from the soffit vents along the underside of the roof to the gable vents somehow or other.
Alan ~~ It's a full-height unfinished attic. Probably 10' from floor to the peak of the roof. Lots of stuff stored there, which means we need to go into the attic from time to time. Given my druthers, I'd really rather not have to put on a winter coat to do that. Which is why I think it would be nice if the attic got a little bit of heat from the rest of the house in winter without losing it through the proposed vent at the peak of the roof.
But it's really not clear to me why the attic would be any hotter than the rest of the house in summer. Does the roofing really absorb that much sunlight? If so, then maybe putting insulation between the rafters would make sense.
Maybe you don't have enough summer back there for the heat transfer to be obvious, but it sure is out here. The heat in the attic of our house is quite insufferable during a summer day; some people install fans to increase the air exchange in the attic, although well-designed vents do a good job if there is enough pitch to the roof. During the winter heat loss through the roof can be detected by an infrared camera; maybe the gas or electric company would check it for you. The police use the same method to detect indoor marijuana grows...
Well said. Without vents, a roof bakes in Summer and in Winter the snow melts and forms long icicles and ice damage to the roof, thus leaks. The best insulation in Winter is about six inches of snow atop the roof!
VERY early Beatles--God, this is great stuff! [Click]
ReplyDeleteBut not as great as Howard!
--Alan
Currently waffling about a potential name change for my younger kitty. No one else in the house cares, or, indeed, ever calls her by name. So I thought, what the heck, I'll do a poll.
ReplyDeleteMy cats are called "Get Off the Couch!", "Don't Puke There!" , "Stop Ripping that Carpet!", and , lastly, "Poor Little Old Kitty" (for the 15 year old.)
DeleteI don't think the cat cares. And you say nobody else in the house cares (I presume that includes Perkins). So do whatever you want.
DeleteMadeline, definitely!
DeleteSorry, Renee, I couldn't leave a comment on your blog - can't do captia.
Since I'm not fond of the singer Madonna, I prefer Madeline.
DeleteOf course, you could consider calling her Magnificat and call her Maggie as a nickname.
=^. .^=
Just got the first estimate for our new roof. It's under $25,000! I had been prepared for anything from $35,000 to $65,000. Granted, this doesn't include the modest stucco repair that should be done first. And Penny apparently got talked out of under-roof insulation that I had figured into my calculations. Indeed, since she is going along with the idea of venting the attic based on her claim there is no winter heat loss through that space, insulating the root doesn't make sense. My estimates may also have been ratcheted up a bit by her initial desire for copper roofing, although I have known for a couple of years she decided to settle for 50-year-warranty asphalt shingles.
ReplyDeleteStill, even adding in the cost of the stucco work, it's coming in significantly below my lowest guesstimate.
I don't understand. Why wouldn't you insulate the attic and roof while you have the opportunity?
DeleteTo start with, I never quite understood the concept of putting insulation on the outside of the root, between the roof and the roofing. And if you're going to put insulation on the inside, between the rafters, that can be done anytime. No connection to having the roofiing replaced. But if Penny is right that we're not actually losing any heat through the attic, then there wouldn't seem to be any point. Especially after you make a point of venting the attic to the outside.
DeleteYou insulate the attic above the top floor ceiling, and vent the roof. It's all good.
ReplyDeleteBut that keeps heat out of the attic and makes it colder. Of course, Penny is insisting that no heat gets into the attic anyway, even without insulation. If true, that would make insulation irrelevant.
DeleteTesting Omniweb 6 browser beta.
ReplyDelete—Alan
Well, it seems the new beta of Omniwb works here!
ReplyDeleteBill—are you talking about a finished attic, or just the space between the top floor ceiling and the roof (AKA unfinished attic)? We don’t have a finished attic; the insulation is blown in on top of the second floor ceiling, and keeps heat in the house during the winter, and out of the house during the summer. A finished attic would be another matter, I suppose. You have to let air flow from the soffit vents along the underside of the roof to the gable vents somehow or other.
—Alan
Alan ~~ It's a full-height unfinished attic. Probably 10' from floor to the peak of the roof. Lots of stuff stored there, which means we need to go into the attic from time to time. Given my druthers, I'd really rather not have to put on a winter coat to do that. Which is why I think it would be nice if the attic got a little bit of heat from the rest of the house in winter without losing it through the proposed vent at the peak of the roof.
DeleteBut it's really not clear to me why the attic would be any hotter than the rest of the house in summer. Does the roofing really absorb that much sunlight? If so, then maybe putting insulation between the rafters would make sense.
Maybe you don't have enough summer back there for the heat transfer to be obvious, but it sure is out here. The heat in the attic of our house is quite insufferable during a summer day; some people install fans to increase the air exchange in the attic, although well-designed vents do a good job if there is enough pitch to the roof. During the winter heat loss through the roof can be detected by an infrared camera; maybe the gas or electric company would check it for you. The police use the same method to detect indoor marijuana grows...
Delete--Alan
Well said. Without vents, a roof bakes in Summer and in Winter the snow melts and forms long icicles and ice damage to the roof, thus leaks.
DeleteThe best insulation in Winter is about six inches of snow atop the roof!