Proper Insulating From Soffit To Attic

The answer is rafter venting.

Proper insulating from soffit to attic.

In some instances they even block soffit vents. Rafter vents or insulation baffles install in any rafter space to create narrow gaps that direct fresh air from the soffit vents to the peak of the roof. A guide to proper attic insulation. The soffit vents are now installed but you still need to make sure there s no insulation blocking the new vents.

If your attic is well insulated the insulation might be plugging the spaces between rafters just above exterior walls. So with cold weather. For the same reason insulation shouldn t touch the roof s underside. Covering up the soffit vents with loose fill or batts which can happen if you stuff insulation along the eaves is a huge no no.

Although installing insulation in an unheated attic is usually a fairly straightforward job a variety of pitfalls await the unwary. That means air can t flow from the soffit vents to the roof vents. The solution is to add baffles which allow air to flow past the insulation photo 9. The airflow from the soffits to the ridge vent keeps the roof cool and prevents ice dams and the material will block that flow.

To meet all three goals insulating your finished attic ventilating the roof and maximizing headroom use a combination of dense batt insulation rigid foam sheeting and air chutes. Some homeowners and even some insulation installers love to stuff insulation into the soffit to reduce drafts in order to try to warm the attic and thus slow heat loss from the building. Once they are in place you can then place the batts or blankets or blow insulation right out to the very edge of the attic floor. In addition insulation baffles must be installed at the point where the attic floor meets the roofline to prevent the attic insulation from migrating into the cavities and restricting the airflow from the soffit vents.

If you re finishing your attic insulating it to the proper r value can cause a dramatic loss of headroom if you limit yourself to fiberglass batts. Baffles are available at home centers. Blown insulation may require an additional block to prevent insulation from being blown into the soffit. If there s blown in insulation like ours rake back the fluffy stuff with a 3 or 4 ft long 1 x 6 or use a garden rake or hoe.