Hi Everyone,

Hopefully this makes sense and sorry for the long post.

I live in San Francisco, CA where the extreme temperatures are not that
great, no frost and hardly anything above 80s.

My home was built in the late 30's. There is no insulation what so
ever and no access to the attic.

I'm about to have my roof redone and wanted the roofers to pull up the
wood planks so that I can insulate the home.

Here is where I get a lot of conflicting information, from the
roofers/insulators/electricians that I spoke with.

Half the house has been transitioned to romex wiring. Since the house
was built in the 30's there is also knob and tube wiring. Most of this
serves the overhead lighting for the hallway, bathroom, bedrooms and
dining room. So basically, the knob and tube wiring isn't used for any
of the outlets and does not have a high load.

The house is single story that is roughly 25 feet wide by 60 feet long.
The roof is flat, both ends slope towards the middle of the home for
drainage. There is a four inch vent people that leads to this "attic
space" and does some venting.


Hopefully, I have the right terminology right here. If I describe the
cross section correctly, there are the roof rafters 2x4s (could be
2x6), then a space of about 4-8 inches (guess this might be considered
the attaic space), then the ceiling joists 2x4s (could be 2x6). The
knob and tube wiring is up here in the so called "attic space".

When I talked to the insulation people they said that they can blow in
the celluse insulation to the very top of the roof rafters about 10
inches worth, to give a R-30 rating. The roofing people said that it
was a bad idea to blow that much in because there may be a chance of
condensation/moisture issues because its mostly dead space and will
cause the wood to rot.

The electrical people didn't seem to care what the insulation people
did but just need to certify that the knob and tubing was in good
condition.

So my questions a

1)Should I insulate to the very top of the roof and get the maximium
R-Value and risk the chances of moisture? Remember there is no access
to this area so once this is done, it'll be sealed up forever. Or
until, I find out about some horrible mold or wood rot issues years
down the line.

2)Should I just insulate the 4-5 inches worth so at least some of that
"attic space" is retained so that moisture can be vented through that 4
inch vent pipe?

3)Should I just not insulate the home? Would 4-5 inches of insulation
make any difference?

4)The roofers sugested a special foam/something or another sheet that
they can add on the roof deck that gives a R-15 for 1/4 thickness. I
thought this was exeragerated and was very costly to do, about 2400
just for that part of the job.

5)I have some recessed lighting (from Lowes), it says on the can that
its thermal protected, but does not say if its IC rated or Non-IC
rated. Should I just keep the insulation away from the can? If so how
should I do it? I saw some websites that use metal flashing to create
a cylindar shape to keep the instulation away. I think I even saw on
the CertainTeed website, they had a cardboard box with the top removed
to keep the insulation away.

6)To prevent any of the cellulose and or cellulose dust from getting
into the home, can I use that spray foam to seal up (without getting a
lot into the box) the area where the wires enter the boxes for the
older existing lights? And also around the boxes too?


Please, if there are any home inspectors or knowledgeable folks in this
area please let me know so I won't make a mistake.

Have a good day and God bless.

Thanks in advance,
kelly

I don't know the answers to your questions, but make sure you do not
put insulation on top of the knob and tube wiring. It is against code
and it is a fire hazard to do so.


Dimitri

Foam would probably be your best bet. Even an inch all over the ceiling
would do what needs to be done. Your problem probably isn't conductive
heat and cold transfer, as in through the ceiling drywall or plaster,
given your stable climate.

That means you will probably get the most benefit from a good air seal.
Foam is dustless. No worries there. I'd say you could get the whole
attic floor covered with 3 of the foam kits at http://www.tigerfoam.com
and they do have a way to get it in there through the roof if you
remove a couple of slats here and there. You'd have to talk with them.
Ask for Sam. He knows about the extension if you need it.

This will cost about $1,800-$2,000, but it'll do the job dustless (my
favorite) and seal like nothing else can, but may be outside your
budget.

Just an option. Personally, I like PU Foam for insulation and sealing.
It doesn't settle, as any blown in insulation will. Cellulose is better
than fiberglass, but I don't like the dust, eventhough it is just
nuisance dust. I have enough problems trying to breathe in this world
as it is! (asthma)

It's also E-84 fire rated, but you should definitely get covers on the
lights. Safety first!

abi

D. Gerasimatos wrote:
I don't know the answers to your questions, but make sure you do not
put insulation on top of the knob and tube wiring. It is against code
and it is a fire hazard to do so.


Dimitri

I believe that is correct. Knob and tube by itself is very safe wiring.
It will support more power than today's cables of the same size. However I
seem to recall the prohibition against covering it.

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia duit

Hi Everyone,

Wow, newsgroups are the best!!

In San Francisco, knob and tube wiring can be covered with insulation
(fiberglass or cellulouse but not foam), just as long as a qualified
electrician inspects it and qualifies it with a certificate. I'm also
more curious to what everyone says about the humidity/condensation.

Thanks

-kelly



Joseph Meehan wrote:
D. Gerasimatos wrote:
I don't know the answers to your questions, but make sure you do not
put insulation on top of the knob and tube wiring. It is against code
and it is a fire hazard to do so.


Dimitri

I believe that is correct. Knob and tube by itself is very safe wiring.
It will support more power than today's cables of the same size. However I
seem to recall the prohibition against covering it.

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia duit

wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi Everyone,

Hopefully this makes sense and sorry for the long post.

I live in San Francisco, CA where the extreme temperatures are not that
great, no frost and hardly anything above 80s.

My home was built in the late 30's. There is no insulation what so
ever and no access to the attic.

I'm about to have my roof redone and wanted the roofers to pull up the
wood planks so that I can insulate the home.

Here is where I get a lot of conflicting information, from the
roofers/insulators/electricians that I spoke with.

Half the house has been transitioned to romex wiring. Since the house
was built in the 30's there is also knob and tube wiring. Most of this
serves the overhead lighting for the hallway, bathroom, bedrooms and
dining room. So basically, the knob and tube wiring isn't used for any
of the outlets and does not have a high load.

The house is single story that is roughly 25 feet wide by 60 feet long.
The roof is flat, both ends slope towards the middle of the home for
drainage. There is a four inch vent people that leads to this "attic
space" and does some venting.


Hopefully, I have the right terminology right here. If I describe the
cross section correctly, there are the roof rafters 2x4s (could be
2x6), then a space of about 4-8 inches (guess this might be considered
the attaic space), then the ceiling joists 2x4s (could be 2x6). The
knob and tube wiring is up here in the so called "attic space".

When I talked to the insulation people they said that they can blow in
the celluse insulation to the very top of the roof rafters about 10
inches worth, to give a R-30 rating. The roofing people said that it
was a bad idea to blow that much in because there may be a chance of
condensation/moisture issues because its mostly dead space and will
cause the wood to rot.

R-30 cellouse is 8.5 inches, just had it added to my home. 10 inches would
be fiberglass


The electrical people didn't seem to care what the insulation people
did but just need to certify that the knob and tubing was in good
condition.

So my questions a

1)Should I insulate to the very top of the roof and get the maximium
R-Value and risk the chances of moisture? Remember there is no access
to this area so once this is done, it'll be sealed up forever. Or
until, I find out about some horrible mold or wood rot issues years
down the line.

Have not a clue cant see it very well. The fog must have come in again.


2)Should I just insulate the 4-5 inches worth so at least some of that
"attic space" is retained so that moisture can be vented through that 4
inch vent pipe?

3)Should I just not insulate the home? Would 4-5 inches of insulation
make any difference?

Insulation does make a difference, how much is the issue.

4)The roofers sugested a special foam/something or another sheet that
they can add on the roof deck that gives a R-15 for 1/4 thickness. I
thought this was exeragerated and was very costly to do, about 2400
just for that part of the job.

1/4 thickness of what? inches? If it is inches please provide manufacture
and model number.

Foam under the new roof might be your best bet. Probably more expensive. But
less hassles. One guy does it all, with any luck.


5)I have some recessed lighting (from Lowes), it says on the can that
its thermal protected, but does not say if its IC rated or Non-IC
rated. Should I just keep the insulation away from the can? If so how
should I do it? I saw some websites that use metal flashing to create
a cylindar shape to keep the instulation away. I think I even saw on
the CertainTeed website, they had a cardboard box with the top removed
to keep the insulation away.

Card board is flammable, should not be used for the recessed cans. A drywall
hat would work. They are a pain in the ass to make and to install.
Insulation should not be next to any recessed can that is not rated to be in
direct contact with insulation. Some can manufactures say 6 inches of
clearance. Wow that sorta puts a hole in the insulation......


6)To prevent any of the cellulose and or cellulose dust from getting
into the home, can I use that spray foam to seal up (without getting a
lot into the box) the area where the wires enter the boxes for the
older existing lights? And also around the boxes too?


Please, if there are any home inspectors or knowledgeable folks in this
area please let me know so I won't make a mistake.

Have a good day and God bless.

Thanks in advance,
kelly

Talk to some pros in your area. See what they offer and at what price.

wrote:
Hi Everyone,

Wow, newsgroups are the best!!

In San Francisco, knob and tube wiring can be covered with insulation
(fiberglass or cellulouse but not foam), just as long as a qualified
electrician inspects it and qualifies it with a certificate. I'm also
more curious to what everyone says about the humidity/condensation.

That is more of a tough one, as local conditions come into play.


Thanks

-kelly



Joseph Meehan wrote:
D. Gerasimatos wrote:
I don't know the answers to your questions, but make sure you do
not put insulation on top of the knob and tube wiring. It is
against code and it is a fire hazard to do so.


Dimitri

I believe that is correct. Knob and tube by itself is very safe
wiring. It will support more power than today's cables of the same
size. However I seem to recall the prohibition against covering it.

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia duit

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia duit

"It will support more power than today's cables of the same size."

Huh?

In article .com,
Matt wrote:

"It will support more power than today's cables of the same size."

Huh?


I think what he means is that the wires that were used for, say 15 amp
circuits before are a larger gauge than those used now. You could run
20 amps over K&t circuits designed to run 15 amps - at least in terms of
the gauge of the wire.


Dimitri

"D. Gerasimatos" wrote in message
...
In article .com,
Matt wrote:

"It will support more power than today's cables of the same size."

Huh?


I think what he means is that the wires that were used for, say 15 amp
circuits before are a larger gauge than those used now. You could run
20 amps over K&t circuits designed to run 15 amps - at least in terms of
the gauge of the wire.


Dimitri

I think it's reference to insulation or lack of. With no insulation the
wire dissipates heat faster, hence the higher rating.

"I think it's reference to insulation or lack of. With no insulation
the
wire dissipates heat faster, hence the higher rating. "

OK, I'm officially terrified now.

Chas Hurst wrote:

"D. Gerasimatos" wrote in message
...

In article .com,
Matt wrote:

"It will support more power than today's cables of the same size."

Huh?


I think what he means is that the wires that were used for, say 15 amp
circuits before are a larger gauge than those used now. You could run
20 amps over K&t circuits designed to run 15 amps - at least in terms of
the gauge of the wire.


Dimitri


I think it's reference to insulation or lack of. With no insulation the
wire dissipates heat faster, hence the higher rating.


IIRC knob and tube used insulated wire, but I can see some validity in
the its getting more convection cooling because it was free standing
between the insulators (knobs) whereas romex is usually stapled against
wood and often covered by insulation too.

Wouldn't bet on it without seeing the old specs myself though.

Jeff

--
Jeffry Wisnia

(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)

"Truth exists; only falsehood has to be invented."

It seems to me that cellulose has two drawbacks- 1) It is flammable. 2)
It is biodegradable and can support the growth of some micro-organisms.
The manufacturer could add biocides to limit this second issue, but the
underlying problem remains.
Polyurethane foam OTOH is inert to most micro-organisms but is
flammable. Flame retardants can be added but if the surrounding wood
supports the flame, it will still burn but with a lot of toxic smoke.
Could I suggest a small layer of fiberglass insulation on the attic
floor? It is not as an efficient insulator as the others, but from your
description of the temperature extremes you don't need that much. By
the same token, it will not cause as much overheating of the wiring and
will not by itself burst into flame if that were to happen.
If access for laying an insulation matt is problematic, I believe
fiberglass can be blown in the form of "chops" much like cellulose
insulation. Perhaps another poster has details on this.-Jitney

"Matt" wrote in message
oups.com...
"I think it's reference to insulation or lack of. With no insulation
the
wire dissipates heat faster, hence the higher rating. "

OK, I'm officially terrified now.

What? Afraid of a toaster in the attic.

wrote in message
ps.com...
It seems to me that cellulose has two drawbacks- 1) It is flammable. 2)
It is biodegradable and can support the growth of some micro-organisms.
The manufacturer could add biocides to limit this second issue, but the
underlying problem remains.
Polyurethane foam OTOH is inert to most micro-organisms but is
flammable. Flame retardants can be added but if the surrounding wood
supports the flame, it will still burn but with a lot of toxic smoke.
Could I suggest a small layer of fiberglass insulation on the attic
floor? It is not as an efficient insulator as the others, but from your
description of the temperature extremes you don't need that much. By
the same token, it will not cause as much overheating of the wiring and
will not by itself burst into flame if that were to happen.
If access for laying an insulation matt is problematic, I believe
fiberglass can be blown in the form of "chops" much like cellulose
insulation. Perhaps another poster has details on this.-Jitney

Cellulose is treated with flame retardant. That same flame retardant (boric
acid) is a fine insecticide.
I would be much more concerned about toxic smoke from drapes, upholstery and
carpeting.

'What? Afraid of a toaster in the attic. '

ROFL.

For the OP:

Either don't insulate, or have your wiring upgraded. Also, try to find
a way to get access to the attic, other then via the roof.

Cellulose is treated with flame retardant. That same flame retardant
(boric
acid) is a fine insecticide(snip)

That would work. I stand corrected.-Jitney

Wow, thanks for all the responses everyone!

Here is a pic of the ceiling to the "attic space" to the roof rafter.

http://us.f3.yahoofs.com/users/41a50...3IrCDBOldFdIcO

The minimium amount of insulation could be the green arrow(about four
inches). However, I would like to go to the red arrow (about 6-7
inches but below the knob and tube wiring). The insulation companies
that I called said they would do a R-30 rating, so the knob and tube
would be covered, as soon with the yellow arrow.

Also, I'm selecting celloluse because of the low cost, natural material
and flame resistant. I'm thinking about the Cocoon brand that can be
viewed online at http://www.cocooninsulation.com


Thanks again,
kelly



wrote:
Cellulose is treated with flame retardant. That same flame retardant
(boric
acid) is a fine insecticide(snip)

That would work. I stand corrected.-Jitney

In article ,
Chas Hurst wrote:

I think it's reference to insulation or lack of. With no insulation the
wire dissipates heat faster, hence the higher rating.


Knob and tube is insulated. It's exactly what I said. The gauge of the
wire is thicker. K&t used 12 gauge wire for 15 amp circuits. Most 15 amp
circuits now use 14 gauge wire.


Dimitri

D. Gerasimatos wrote:
In article ,
Chas Hurst wrote:

I think it's reference to insulation or lack of. With no insulation
the wire dissipates heat faster, hence the higher rating.


Knob and tube is insulated. It's exactly what I said. The gauge of the
wire is thicker. K&t used 12 gauge wire for 15 amp circuits. Most 15
amp circuits now use 14 gauge wire.

You are right that it is insulated. Of course by now a lot of it is not
all that insulated.

However you are at least a little off on the wire gauge thing. I am
not quite old enough to know if they originally required or used larger
gauge wire for a circuit. The stuff I have worked with did not. In fact it
used smaller gauge wire. The physical separation and the ability to
dissipate heat allowed it to carry the additional current per wire size.




Dimitri

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia duit

Matt wrote:
"It will support more power than today's cables of the same size."

Huh?

The additional physical separation of the wires allowed a greater
ability to dissipate heat and that allowed for the greater capacity.

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia duit

Hi - Kelly. I'll make my comments inline below...

wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi Everyone,

Hopefully this makes sense and sorry for the long post.

I live in San Francisco, CA where the extreme temperatures are not that
great, no frost and hardly anything above 80s.

My home was built in the late 30's. There is no insulation what so
ever and no access to the attic.

I'm about to have my roof redone and wanted the roofers to pull up the
wood planks so that I can insulate the home.

Good idea here. Your climate may see less benefit and a longer payback
period but it couldn't hurt.


Here is where I get a lot of conflicting information, from the
roofers/insulators/electricians that I spoke with.

Half the house has been transitioned to romex wiring. Since the house
was built in the 30's there is also knob and tube wiring. Most of this
serves the overhead lighting for the hallway, bathroom, bedrooms and
dining room. So basically, the knob and tube wiring isn't used for any
of the outlets and does not have a high load.

The house is single story that is roughly 25 feet wide by 60 feet long.
The roof is flat, both ends slope towards the middle of the home for
drainage. There is a four inch vent people that leads to this "attic
space" and does some venting.


Hopefully, I have the right terminology right here. If I describe the
cross section correctly, there are the roof rafters 2x4s (could be
2x6), then a space of about 4-8 inches (guess this might be considered
the attaic space), then the ceiling joists 2x4s (could be 2x6). The
knob and tube wiring is up here in the so called "attic space".

When I talked to the insulation people they said that they can blow in
the celluse insulation to the very top of the roof rafters about 10
inches worth, to give a R-30 rating. The roofing people said that it
was a bad idea to blow that much in because there may be a chance of
condensation/moisture issues because its mostly dead space and will
cause the wood to rot.

Ventilation is very important in attics and will prolong the roof life and
eliminate rot, etc. I would make sure there is some airspace between the
roof sheathing and the insulation AND that there is a way for air to enter
and exit.

Given that this is a flat roof, there are products that can be added on top
for insulation. they are not 1/2" thick, they are about 3 or 4 inches thick
urethane. Here is one of many
http://www.insulateonline.com/index1...intro.htm~main


The electrical people didn't seem to care what the insulation people
did but just need to certify that the knob and tubing was in good
condition.

So my questions a

1)Should I insulate to the very top of the roof and get the maximium
R-Value and risk the chances of moisture? Remember there is no access
to this area so once this is done, it'll be sealed up forever. Or
until, I find out about some horrible mold or wood rot issues years
down the line.

If I insulated the 'attic' I would leave airspace and add vents.


2)Should I just insulate the 4-5 inches worth so at least some of that
"attic space" is retained so that moisture can be vented through that 4
inch vent pipe?

That pipe may or may not be adequate. There should be a place for air to
enter and exit under the entire roof.


3)Should I just not insulate the home? Would 4-5 inches of insulation
make any difference?

That would be best answered by a heating AC guy. Are you getting hot or
having trouble staying warm or both
? You may never see a payback or ROI. You could in a year. Too hard to tell.


4)The roofers sugested a special foam/something or another sheet that
they can add on the roof deck that gives a R-15 for 1/4 thickness. I
thought this was exaggerated and was very costly to do, about 2400
just for that part of the job.

Its about R5 per inch. They are most likely talking about a 3" product. make
sure they are then that price may be OK. its definitely not for a 1/4"
product.


5)I have some recessed lighting (from Lowes), it says on the can that
its thermal protected, but does not say if its IC rated or Non-IC
rated. Should I just keep the insulation away from the can? If so how
should I do it? I saw some websites that use metal flashing to create
a cylindar shape to keep the instulation away. I think I even saw on
the CertainTeed website, they had a cardboard box with the top removed
to keep the insulation away.

They are cheap - Just get an IC rated can if you are adding the insulation
and venting. Do not mess with non-IC in an insulated area.


6)To prevent any of the cellulose and or cellulose dust from getting
into the home, can I use that spray foam to seal up (without getting a
lot into the box) the area where the wires enter the boxes for the
older existing lights? And also around the boxes too?

Don't worry about it - Very little, if any, will leak out.



Please, if there are any home inspectors or knowledgeable folks in this
area please let me know so I won't make a mistake.


So - To sum it up. If it were me. I would add a 4" ridged foam on top of my
roof sheathing before I had my new flat roof installed. Before it was
installed I would have some sheathing removed so my K&T wire could be looked
at. If the insulation was crumbling off I would have it replace with romex.
If it was fine I would leave it alone. Maybe at this point I would have my
recessed light installed. I can use the one I have because I'm not putting
insulation in my 'attic'.

Our advice is free, take it for what its worth.

Have a good day and God bless.

Thanks in advance,
kelly

Joseph Meehan wrote:

"It will support more power than today's cables of the same size."

The additional physical separation of the wires allowed a greater
ability to dissipate heat and that allowed for the greater capacity.

The fusing current of 12 ga copper wire is 235 amps...

Nick

"Chas Hurst" wrote in message
...

wrote in message
ps.com...
It seems to me that cellulose has two drawbacks- 1) It is flammable. 2)
It is biodegradable and can support the growth of some micro-organisms.
The manufacturer could add biocides to limit this second issue, but the
underlying problem remains.
Polyurethane foam OTOH is inert to most micro-organisms but is
flammable. Flame retardants can be added but if the surrounding wood
supports the flame, it will still burn but with a lot of toxic smoke.
Could I suggest a small layer of fiberglass insulation on the attic
floor? It is not as an efficient insulator as the others, but from your
description of the temperature extremes you don't need that much. By
the same token, it will not cause as much overheating of the wiring and
will not by itself burst into flame if that were to happen.
If access for laying an insulation matt is problematic, I believe
fiberglass can be blown in the form of "chops" much like cellulose
insulation. Perhaps another poster has details on this.-Jitney

Cellulose is treated with flame retardant. That same flame retardant
(boric
acid) is a fine insecticide.
I would be much more concerned about toxic smoke from drapes, upholstery
and
carpeting.


I have heard health warnings regarding loose glass fibre floating around, so
I'd avoid "chop"!
There may be roll-on matting of an alternative synthetic material available
to you, but that requires access. Look at foam in-roof, or under sheeting,
again.

Sorry everyone, here is a better link:

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/kelly_kung/my_photos

Any ideas or comments about the moisture or condensation? Or should I
just fill up the entire cavity?


-kelly

Generally you would want to have vents along the eaves of the roof, then
vents at the peak of the roof and a clear path for the air to flow as
pictured on the following web page.

http://www.owenscorning.com/around/v...ofandattic.asp

So best to have this type of air flow and to not block that air flow with
insulation.

So far as the knob and tube wiring, I would have it all replaced with romex
if it is acceptable to cover the romex in your area with insulation, then
not to worry about that.

So far as the recessed lighting, no matter what the label says, these can
get *very* hot and damage/melt the insulation on the wiring. I would have
the electrician verify that these are wired with appropriate new high heat
rated wiring. Then I would also be sure to not cover them with any
insulation so the heat can dissipate.

So far as how much insulation, with the current high energy costs, I would
add as much insulation as possible to the attic and also add the roof top
insulation. It will probably be worth it in the long run. I don't know what
your heating and cooling costs are, but if you want to lower them, then
consider the cost of this work -vs- the cost of added insulation.

And so far as spray foam around the existing electrical boxes for ceiling
lighting, again these can get to be quite hot as heat travels up. I would
re-wire with appropriate new high heat wiring and ask the local building
inspector what is allowed. I have seen these where the heat from a regular
light bulb has caused the insulation on old wiring to fall to pieces
leaving bare wire (was not high heat rated wiring). Personally I would tend
to want to leave a little ventilation above these just like the recessed
lighting.

Overall, your area may require a building permit to install insulation.
Good idea to get a permit and discuss your plans with a local building
inspector before the work is done, then have it inspected after the work is
done. If no permit is required, might want to see if you can pay a building
inspector to check it out in their spare time or something - make
suggestions as to what would be best.

I'd replace all the knob and tube wiring with romex while you have
access to that area. I'd only use IC rated lighting. I also would not
fill the entire space with insulation. There should be air space with
vents for a way for air to enter and exit above the insulation. This
keeps the temps down and prevents moisture problems. Plus in your
area with milder climate, you can get by with less insulation.

I beg to differ on a couple of points. Cellulose insulation isn't
flammable. There are a lot of borates in the formula that make it
impossible to ignite. Grab a handful at Home Depot and put a torch to
it. I have. Won't burn. Foam is flammable, but there are formulas
available today that aren't like they were 10-15 years ago. Foam burns,
but the smoke, though colored differently than the smoke from the wood
(less water vapor in the foam) the chemical make up of the foam is no
more toxic than the smoke from the treated lumber. That is a fact.

Also, most foamers will build a drywall high hat and surround it with
mineral wool and foam around that. Mineral wool doesn't burn at all.

But, this application seems more of an air sealing application than a
insulating application given that the extremes in temp aren't a factor.

Of all the options, what is the best air seal choice? Not the
fiberglass, that's for sure.

abi

How about the p2000 foam insulation: http://www.p2insulation.com/

For 1 inch, installed with seams properly taped and an air space like
you have, you can get close to R-40. Yes... 1 inch... r-40. It's
expensive but great for limited space. A number of the timber framers
around here are starting to use it since it's so useful for limited
space areas. The 1 inch of p2000 gives better r-value than the regular
rigid foam they used to use. I understand it's been used commercially
for some time and is just now getting onto the residential market. From
the literature it seems it gets it's high r-value by addressing
radiative and conductive heat along with a vapour barrier all at the
same time.

- Scott

wrote in message
ups.com...
Sorry everyone, here is a better link:

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/kelly_kung/my_photos

Any ideas or comments about the moisture or condensation? Or should I
just fill up the entire cavity?


-kelly


Who did the wiring job? It looks like a bunch of 4-year old Special
Olympians were turned loose in your attic.

Better get the wiring corrected before you insulate.

If it were my house I would replace the crappy old knob and tube wire
with something good like armored cable and have foam put in so you can
get good R value with enough space left open for venting (add vents if
you need to). I would also be tempted to replace the in house light
fixtures with new ones that could support some serious weight so that I
could put in ceiling fans if I wanted to. You really need to get rid
of that old wiring for insurance purposes.