# adding attic insulation with hip roof



## bsa0021 (Jan 29, 2012)

I have a 1950s ranch with a hip roof that I am adding roll insulation over the blown insulation.  The rolls are running across the joists. With the hip roof design the roof joists run close to the floor joists for about 30" to the eves. I know I have to keep an air space up from the eves but how far back do I put the rolls? I put a roll back until it started to touch the roof joists with plenty of air space but its still about 30" away from the wall below. If I install baffles, I could push the insulation back further but the r30 insulation would be crushed against the roof joists.


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## FGZ (Jan 29, 2012)

I have a similar design, interested to hear opinions. Bump for ya!


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## Lumber-Jack (Jan 29, 2012)

In a lot of modern blown-in insulation jobs I have seen, the guys install the air vent "baffles" and then stuff a piece of rigid batt insulation between the baffle and the top wall plate to plug the holes before blowing the insulation in. The rigid piece of insulation acts as a plug to stop the loose blown in insulation from leaking out, and it also stops strong winds from blowing in past the baffle and causing the loose blown in insulation from drifting inside the attic. I have seen areas inside attics where the wind managed to get in under the eaves and blow the loose insulation around causing it to form sort of snow drifts, so there ended up being piles of insulation in some areas and bare areas where there was no insulation. 
So, a little compressed insulatin around the baffles is a good thing.


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## DAKSY (Jan 30, 2012)

bsa0021 said:
			
		

> I have a 1950s ranch with a hip roof that I am adding roll insulation over the blown insulation.  The rolls are running across the joists. With the hip roof design the roof joists run close to the floor joists for about 30" to the eves. I know I have to keep an air space up from the eves but how far back do I put the rolls? I put a roll back until it started to touch the roof joists with plenty of air space but its still about 30" away from the wall below. If I install baffles, I could push the insulation back further but the r30 insulation would be crushed against the roof joists.



Use the Prop-R-Vents, or whatever brand of styrofoam is
sold in your area, to keep the air passage open &"notch" 
the batts where they will meet the rafters so that the entire 
surface doesn't get compressed. You want to get those batts
over the top of your walls & tight against the styofoam...
As an aside to that, make sure you wear a Hardhat when you
do the job. Roofing nails leave nasty scars on your noggin.
Don't ask me how I found THAT out... :-S


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## bsa0021 (Jan 31, 2012)

Thanks for the info Dasky. I wasn't sure if I would have to cut a small piece for each joist. Your way will be more airtight.


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## gitmo234 (Jan 31, 2012)

Youre going to feel a HUGE difference. I laid down R30 over my blown in (ranged from R12 depth to R20) insulation. I have four heat registers in the bedroom and with the new insulation I closed two (four is ridiculous anyways) because it was WAY too hot and my thermostat was in there. The other rooms are too open for the thermostat, so with those two shut and the insulation Ive managed to balance the heat in the whole house to registering roughly the same..within two degrees max


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