Green Building How To Build A Conditioned Attic

Fincher is weighing the relative merits of making the attic a conditioned space where he could safely house heating and air conditioning equipment or keeping it an unconditioned space.

Green building how to build a conditioned attic.

Unvented attics are built with insulation of the attic is placed at the roof level and the area inside the attic is a conditioned space. Department of energy through the building america program to research conditioned attics in nevada and texas. You can reduce dust buildup using an unvented attic versus a vented attic. In warmer climates unvented attics can prevent the condensation that occurs on ductwork in some vented attic spaces.

Code requirements vary across the country. That decision he writes has added a whole new level of complexity to his building process. An unvented attic assembly a k a. After experimenting with cellulose insulated roof assemblies and fiberglass insulated roof assemblies lstiburek began promoting conditioned attics.

One of them is what to do about the attic. The irc has permitted unvented conditioned attics since 2006 with certain requirements. This has several advantages including less air transfer and what air does transfer is conditioned. My name is matt risinger of risinger homes and welcome to my video blog on green building and building science topics.

During the 1990s the building science corporation received funding from the u s. Watch this if you ve not seen it. My original plan was to build a conditioned attic and place 1 5 of foam xps board r7 5 installation on top of the roof deck and fill the old true 2x4 rafters and rafter walls with closed cell insulation and if able attach 3 of foam xps board r15 to the rafters in the attic. 5 dumb ways to build in the south.

Compact assembly or hot roof ventilated roof assembly you can insulate the rafter space provided that you leave a ventilation space between the top of the insulation typically fiberglass batts or blown cellulose and the underside of the roof sheathing section r806 1 ventilation required. The roof deck in an unvented attic must be exceptionally airtight.