Reinsulate attic?
 

Bought a small brick Colonial last June.

Attic has blown-in fiberglass between the joists on the floor. The
joists are covered with plywood.

I want to keep using the attic for storage, but I also want to
insulate it better. Also, the fiberglass fill seems to generate lots
of unpleasant dust.

My questions:

(1) Would fiberglass batts generate less of that dust? Right now when
I go up there, I feel like I have to wear a cheap respirator, and over
time the dust gets on the stuff we put up there, which is annoying.
(If it were just general dust, I wouldn't care, but I get worried that
it's fiberglass dust.)

(2) Insulation-wise, the space under the "floor" (height of joists) is
a little less than 6". Reading about insulation on-line, seems like
that's not a lot of insulation---so it might not even be worth
insulating better. (Apart from the dust issue.) If we add more,
though, we'd either have to get rid of the floor boards and have no
storage space, or, as a friend suggested, increase the height by
nailing some wood on top of the joists, then putting the floor boards
on top of that. Is that a good idea?

TIA,

S

Reinsulate attic?
 

On Mar 16, 11:27*am, wrote:
Bought a small brick Colonial last June.

Attic has blown-in fiberglass between the joists on the floor. *The
joists are covered with plywood.

I want to keep using the attic for storage, but I also want to
insulate it better. *Also, the fiberglass fill seems to generate lots
of unpleasant dust.


If it's covered with a plywood floor, where is the dust coming from?
Are you sure it's from the fiberglass?




My questions:

(1) Would fiberglass batts generate less of that dust? *Right now when
I go up there, I feel like I have to wear a cheap respirator, and over
time the dust gets on the stuff we put up there, which is annoying.
(If it were just general dust, I wouldn't care, but I get worried that
it's fiberglass dust.)


(2) Insulation-wise, the space under the "floor" (height of joists) is
a little less than 6". *Reading about insulation on-line, seems like
that's not a lot of insulation---so it might not even be worth
insulating better. *(Apart from the dust issue.)

I'd say it's because you only have 5 1/2 inches that it's probably
worth it to insulate more. But you are right, that also limits your
options. You could remove the fiberglass and go with sprayed in
foam, which can have a value as high as R7 per inch.

How much more insulation will benefit you depends a lot on where you
live. MN and SC are too very different places.





*If we add more,
though, we'd either have to get rid of the floor boards and have no
storage space, or, as a friend suggested, increase the height by
nailing some wood on top of the joists, then putting the floor boards
on top of that. *Is that a good idea?


I'd say the problem is if you do that, to get any significant increase
in R value using fiberglass or similar, you're going to have to raise
it up so much, it's use as a convenient storage space will be gone.
If you;re willing to give that up, then remove the plywood and install
batts on top. Otherwise, consider removing what's there and going
with the sprayed in.

Reinsulate attic?
 

On Mar 16, 10:27*am, wrote:
Bought a small brick Colonial last June.

Attic has blown-in fiberglass between the joists on the floor. *The
joists are covered with plywood.

I want to keep using the attic for storage, but I also want to
insulate it better. *Also, the fiberglass fill seems to generate lots
of unpleasant dust.

My questions:

(1) Would fiberglass batts generate less of that dust? *Right now when
I go up there, I feel like I have to wear a cheap respirator, and over
time the dust gets on the stuff we put up there, which is annoying.
(If it were just general dust, I wouldn't care, but I get worried that
it's fiberglass dust.)

(2) Insulation-wise, the space under the "floor" (height of joists) is
a little less than 6". *Reading about insulation on-line, seems like
that's not a lot of insulation---so it might not even be worth
insulating better. *(Apart from the dust issue.) *If we add more,
though, we'd either have to get rid of the floor boards and have no
storage space, or, as a friend suggested, increase the height by
nailing some wood on top of the joists, then putting the floor boards
on top of that. *Is that a good idea?

TIA,

S

Ususaly old rock wool or cellulose is dusty. You have about R 20 now,
where I live Zone 5, R 35 is minimum and R 60 optimal. www.energystar.gov
might help you. Unfaced batts under a raised area should work.

Reinsulate attic?
 

On Mon, 16 Mar 2009 08:27:07 -0700 (PDT),
wrote:

Bought a small brick Colonial last June.

Attic has blown-in fiberglass between the joists on the floor. The
joists are covered with plywood.

I want to keep using the attic for storage, but I also want to
insulate it better. Also, the fiberglass fill seems to generate lots
of unpleasant dust.

My questions:

(1) Would fiberglass batts generate less of that dust? Right now when
I go up there, I feel like I have to wear a cheap respirator, and over
time the dust gets on the stuff we put up there, which is annoying.
(If it were just general dust, I wouldn't care, but I get worried that
it's fiberglass dust.)


Wouldn't you think the blown-in insulation would settle down? Maybe
in a few hours after the install? I have both in my attic. There
will always be some dust up there so I use plastic totes for storage.


(2) Insulation-wise, the space under the "floor" (height of joists) is
a little less than 6". Reading about insulation on-line, seems like
that's not a lot of insulation---so it might not even be worth
insulating better. (Apart from the dust issue.) If we add more,
though, we'd either have to get rid of the floor boards and have no
storage space, or, as a friend suggested, increase the height by
nailing some wood on top of the joists, then putting the floor boards
on top of that. Is that a good idea?

TIA,

S

The wooden floor has insulation properties as well, plus boxes stored
on the floor will have some insulating properties. You might want to
get an infrared thermomter to test the attic for areas needing
caulking.

Reinsulate attic?
 

On Mar 16, 10:27*am, wrote:
Bought a small brick Colonial last June.

Attic has blown-in fiberglass between the joists on the floor. *The
joists are covered with plywood.

I want to keep using the attic for storage, but I also want to
insulate it better. *Also, the fiberglass fill seems to generate lots
of unpleasant dust.

My questions:

(1) Would fiberglass batts generate less of that dust? *Right now when
I go up there, I feel like I have to wear a cheap respirator, and over
time the dust gets on the stuff we put up there, which is annoying.
(If it were just general dust, I wouldn't care, but I get worried that
it's fiberglass dust.)

(2) Insulation-wise, the space under the "floor" (height of joists) is
a little less than 6". *Reading about insulation on-line, seems like
that's not a lot of insulation---so it might not even be worth
insulating better. *(Apart from the dust issue.) *If we add more,
though, we'd either have to get rid of the floor boards and have no
storage space, or, as a friend suggested, increase the height by
nailing some wood on top of the joists, then putting the floor boards
on top of that. *Is that a good idea?

TIA,

S

Gee if the attic is floored with plywood it's hard to see how the
"fiberglass" dust is escaping. It could be plain old ordinary dust,
such as accumulates on everything everywhere over time. The attic has
vents to the outside, right? Dust happens.

Also, the blown-in stuff may be rock wool, which looks and feels
somewhat similar to fiberglass but for some reason does not have the
same health concerns.

I had a similar situation, floored attic used for storage, with, in my
case, even less insulation under there, just a couple inches in most
places. I sure as heck did not want to rip up all that flooring.
First, I got rid of as much stuff as I could. Then, I built some low
platforms to put stuff on - each one a 4X8 sheet on a frame of 2X4s,
with little 2X4 legs to raise it up about a foot. All cheap
materials. Then I insulated the attic with rolls of fiberglass laid
on top of the flooring, leaving a corridor down the middle for a
walkway. The insulation runs under the platforms. The platforms run
along the walkway. Now I have insulation (on 90% of the area) and
storage too. Incidentally, I used Mansville Comfort-Therm insulation,
it is wrapped in a thin plastic sheet to contain the fibers. The
plastic is thin and gets ripped easily, etc. but I figure it's better
than nothing. -- H

P.S. you could also use old card tables, etc. to get stuff up off the
floor.

Reinsulate attic?
 

On Mar 16, 11:49*am, wrote:
On Mar 16, 11:27*am, wrote:

Bought a small brick Colonial last June.

Attic has blown-in fiberglass between the joists on the floor. *The
joists are covered with plywood.

I want to keep using the attic for storage, but I also want to
insulate it better. *Also, the fiberglass fill seems to generate lots
of unpleasant dust.

If it's covered with a plywood floor, where is the dust coming from?
Are you sure it's from the fiberglass?

No, I guess not. I just didn't see any other source of dust, and
maybe I'm paranoid about breathing in fiberglass.

snip

I'd say the problem is if you do that, to get any significant increase
in R value using fiberglass or similar, you're going to have to raise
it up so much, it's use as a convenient storage space will be gone.
If you;re willing to give that up, then remove the plywood and install
batts on top. *Otherwise, consider removing what's there and going
with the sprayed in.

Yeah, that's what I'm thinking.

Thanks for the suggestion about the foam; I'll look into that.

Reinsulate attic?
 

On Mar 16, 4:54*pm, Heathcliff wrote:
On Mar 16, 10:27*am, wrote:





Bought a small brick Colonial last June.

Attic has blown-in fiberglass between the joists on the floor. *The
joists are covered with plywood.

I want to keep using the attic for storage, but I also want to
insulate it better. *Also, the fiberglass fill seems to generate lots
of unpleasant dust.

My questions:

(1) Would fiberglass batts generate less of that dust? *Right now when
I go up there, I feel like I have to wear a cheap respirator, and over
time the dust gets on the stuff we put up there, which is annoying.
(If it were just general dust, I wouldn't care, but I get worried that
it's fiberglass dust.)

(2) Insulation-wise, the space under the "floor" (height of joists) is
a little less than 6". *Reading about insulation on-line, seems like
that's not a lot of insulation---so it might not even be worth
insulating better. *(Apart from the dust issue.) *If we add more,
though, we'd either have to get rid of the floor boards and have no
storage space, or, as a friend suggested, increase the height by
nailing some wood on top of the joists, then putting the floor boards
on top of that. *Is that a good idea?

TIA,

S

Gee if the attic is floored with plywood it's hard to see how the
"fiberglass" dust is escaping. *It could be plain old ordinary dust,
such as accumulates on everything everywhere over time. *The attic has
vents to the outside, right? Dust happens.

Yes, you're right, I can't know it's fiberglass. Just paranoid. Not
that I'm sure a teeny bit of fg dust is all _that_ harmful.

Also, the blown-in stuff may be rock wool, which looks and feels
somewhat similar to fiberglass but for some reason does not have the
same health concerns.

OK.

I had a similar situation, floored attic used for storage, with, in my
case, even less insulation under there, just a couple inches in most
places. *I sure as heck did not want to rip up all that flooring.
First, I got rid of as much stuff as I could. *Then, I built some low
platforms to put stuff on - each one a 4X8 sheet on a frame of 2X4s,
with little 2X4 legs to raise it up about a foot. *All cheap
materials. *Then I insulated the attic with rolls of fiberglass laid
on top of the flooring, leaving a corridor down the middle for a
walkway. *The insulation runs under the platforms. *The platforms run
along the walkway. *Now I have insulation (on 90% of the area) and
storage too. *Incidentally, I used Mansville Comfort-Therm insulation,
it is wrapped in a thin plastic sheet to contain the fibers. *The
plastic is thin and gets ripped easily, etc. but I figure it's better
than nothing. *-- H

P.S. you could also use old card tables, etc. to get stuff up off the
floor

Yeah, that's a really good idea. I'll look into that. Thanks!

Reinsulate attic?