Oren wrote:
On Wed, 26 Feb 2014 23:47:40 +0000 (UTC), DerbyDad03
wrote:
Oren wrote:
On Wed, 26 Feb 2014 16:23:56 -0500, wrote:
The only reason I would insulate the roof of the attic is if I wanted
to use it as "living space" - summer or winter. Otherwize I'd just
frame out the attiic floor and add another 8 inches of insulation and
lay down a plywood or chipboard floor if the area was to be used for
storage. (make sure any rewiring that needs to be done from the attic
is done FIRST!!!!!. - and seal the upper floor to prevent hot/moist
air from escaping into the attic.
Watched a Mike Holmes episode (Holmes Inspection) last night (old?).
The attic had a window. It leaked down into the kitchen, the first day
the new owners moved in as it rained. The owners looked for access
into the "attic". Found no scuttle access, etc. Figured they had
"black mold" in the attic as the roofer had replaced the roof.
Owners felt deceived from none-disclosure by the prior owner. Neighbor
had mentioned tarps on the roof or such. Tarp was removed just prior
to sell.
Holmes removed the window, found their way in the attic and discovered
a finished attic with no stairs leading down to the second floor. They
found a post card from 1966. Turns out the prior owner never knew
there was an attic on the third level. Mr. Holmes went to work -
stripped the old and made it new, added a access ladder and door, did
the lights all over, couple small baseboard electric heaters, new
window.
A beautiful open storage space....
If it was the same episode I watched a few months ago, they found the
remnants of a staircase, like maybe just the railing. They figured out that
the staircase was (originally) very narrow, something like 16" wide and had
a 180° turn in it.
Didn't they do kind of a holographic, computer simulated portrayal of what
the staircase must have looked like back when it was in service?
Yes. That was the show. Animations were made to depict the original
idea of the stairs. The house was ~ 100 years old.
The husband was originally from Jamaica I think. He told Mike
afterwards or said he hoped his wife would not get on his case from
now on. He fell in love with the house, but she was skeptical early
on.
He later blessed the attic with his traditional Jamaican heritage. I
never figured why they poured liquids in each corner - on a new wooden
floor 
Mike Holmes said that if he lived there as a child the attic would
have be his bedroom....
I gotta say that if I owned that house...no, wait...before I even _bought_
the house, I would have seen the 3rd floor window, gone up to the 2nd
floor, not found a 3rd floor and been curious. I would then have grabbed a
ladder and climbed up to find out what the window was for.
I find it hard to believe that the current owners, and the owner before
them, weren't curious about the window and never knew there was a third
floor. What did they think the window was doing there?