I live in Denver. My 60 year old house is 1.5 stories. The upstairs has a highly sloped roof and definitely has insulation in the relatively narrow attic and I believe has insulation at the angled portions of the second story and in the hip walls. However, that insulation is not updated since 60 years ago and was found by a home energy audit to be insufficient.
I have to have my roof redone this year due to hail damage. The roof is asphalt shingles. Most of the attic space is tiny, like 4 feet tall. There are currently vents on the sides of the house, but no vents in the top nor any vents in the soffit. There is an attic-fan which draws are in through the vents on the side of the house – the fan runs on on a thermostat.
- Should I have the roofers take off all the shingles and plywood in the roof, redo the insulation in the attic/walls, and then reinstall the roof?
- If not, what strategy is the best in terms of cost, improved comfort, energy savings?
A picture may be worth a thousand words? Here's a cross-section focused on where we have insulation, of what quality, and where we have access.
Best Answer
Unless you need to, don't rip off the sheathing. At 60 years old, it may need it anyways. If you look at the roof can you see dips between the rafters? If the sheathing is still flat, keep it in place.
Your best bet is probably blown-in cellulose. You can hire a company to handle it, or rent the machine from your home center. You should only need a small access point to get the nozzle in, large enough for a rake to smooth out any irregularities.