Home Improvement Tips & Ideas
Learn how to improve and maintain your attic, including how to transform your attic for strategic storage or a spacious living area
Things to know when installing a new floor in your attic. Flooring your attic can make it a perfect place for storage. Doing so the wrong way means that you could weaken your structure, squash your insulation or worse, find yourself with one foot planted firmly through the sheetrock ceiling below!
At what temperature should I set my attic power vent fans to keep my attic cool? I live in a hot and humid climate, where temperatures are often in the 90s. The roof gets full exposure to the sun throughout the day.
I have a large attic with a ridge vent, but no soffit vents or other vents for air intake. As such, the attic gets very moist and cold/hot. I would like to finish the attic for additional living space. As such, would blow-in insulation be suitable to insulate and seal the attic prior to finishing? …
Hi guys! Love the podcast! My husband and I are under contract on a house. During inspection, mold was found in the attic on sheathing and in the insulation. We are getting the mold on the sheathing remediated, insulation replaced and improving the ventilation by rerouting bathroom exhaust duct, adding a new ridge vent and …
My attic is partially finished, with another section that is not finished at all. I’m planning to finish both attic sections. What steps do I need to put in place to ensure proper ventilation, insulation, etc. in this situation? I will be doing this myself other than windows, electric, and plumbing.
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Seal Out Drafts and Insulate Your Home with Icynene Spray Foam InsulationRead More
I’ve heard you say many times that using an attic fan is just sucking your cooled air right out of the house and that it’s better just to rely on the soffit and ridge vents. My question is this: is that still true if you ONLY have soffit vents? We don’t have ridge vents and …
Hi Money Pit! I have a pine board floor in my attic. The attic has a walk-up staircase and 2×10 joists, so it’s meant to store lots of stuff. The old attic insulation is minimal, probably wool, but in fair condition. I would like to add more insulation, either batts or blown-in. I’m considering removing …
What’s the Best Way to Add Attic Insulation to a Floored Attic?Read More
Converting your attic to living space is a very ambitious project, but not impossible. The key requirements are that you have enough height to stand and move comfortably, and that you call in design professionals who can detail exactly what needs to be done and how to accomplish it safely and effectively. Following are some basic considerations.
I want to add insulation beneath my attic floor, but I’d have to pull the attic floor up to do it. How will this effect my second floor ceiling? I am worried that the ceiling beneath it is protected by the attic floor.
My attic stairs are old and rickety, but I don’t know what type to replace them with. Do you recommend any particular brands or materials, such as wood versus steel? Also, I’ve noticed complaints in online product reviews about the width of their attic stairs being smaller than advertised. I have roof trusses set at …
I have a 1300 sq/ft house with 8 foot ceilings that recently had a metal roof put on. They didn’t exactly cut away wood where the ridge vent is even though they installed a ridge vent. There is a 1.5×1.5 vent at 1 gable end and we have soffet vents. My question is, how much …
I have moisture in my attic. I have rusted nails through my sheathing and it looks like mold is starting to form. I have soffit and continuous ridge ventilation, and the bathroom and kitchen vents are vented to the outside. What can I do?
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Insulate and Air Seal at the Same Time with IcyneneRead More
When you can’t fit into your attic hatch, you know it’s either time to start that diet or to rethink the size of the attic opening. DIAGNOSIS Actually, this ridiculously small attic opening is too tight for just about any adult, no matter what their height or weight. It’s possible that the required opening was …
Rick A. Harrington, Patch Independent Home Inspections, LLC, Pickerington, Ohio (via The Money Pit). Used with permission of the ASHI Reporter This fold-down attic ladder is going nowhere except into a pretty important support column. If this column is damaged, the house’ could start start folding down! Diagnosis You know the old adage, “Measure twice, …
DIY Disaster Doctor: This Ladder Needs More Leeway!Read More
Good attic ventilation can make your home much warmer in the winter. Drafty, well ventilated attics flush moisture out of insulation and makes the insulation work more efficiently.
To reduce heat loss from an attic ladder access opening try PINKCap® Attic Stair Insulator from Owens Corning. It is fully assembled and easy to install without any tools.
I do home inspections in Alaska and have had several people (mostly contractors) tell me that it is an absolute no-no to open the attic access hole during the cold of winter. What is your take on this? My clients have been more relieved and in many cases financially relieved of future expenses because I …
Attic Inspection a Good Idea?: Including an attic check in a thorough home inspectionRead More
I do home inspections in Alaska and have had several people (mostly contractors) tell me that it is an absolute no-no to open the attic access hole in the cold of winter. What is your take on this? My clients have been more relieved and in many cases financially relieved of future expenses because I …
We have a Cape Cod styled home with attic vents on each end of the attic, along with a ridge vent. The attic is insulated. These vents are very helpful in the hot summer. However, in the winter the upstairs is very cold. I want to cover the vents in the winter when the air …
