Vaulted ceilings often have little attic space behind them, so insulation is especially important.
Insulating your home is one of the single most important things you can do to increase your energy efficiency. And it's not just for cold climates. Insulation keeps the cold out -- or in. In addition, insulation helps decrease drafts and muffle sound, providing you with a comfortable, quiet home. At a glance, vaulted ceilings -- sometimes called cathedral ceilings -- might seem difficult to insulate, but in actuality, they prove little different from regular ceilings. You can readily install either faced or unfaced fiberglass insulation with little more than a ladder and an afternoon of time.
Instructions
1. Remove the current ceiling covering to uncover the existing insulation. Pry away wood paneling, or cut away drywall. Save the materials, if possible, to rebuild your ceiling later, or discard them if you desire a new ceiling finish.
2. Tear away the vapor barrier, if it is separate from the insulation and you wish to use faced insulation. Faced insulation features a paper-like backing that acts as a vapor barrier. You need only one vapor barrier, and it must face the heated, or ceiling, side of the home, instead of the roof side. Alternatively, you can add unfaced insulation over a vapor barrier or remove the vapor barrier and install faced installation or even use unfaced insulation with a new vapor barrier.
3. Squirt either caulk or expanding foam, following the product instructions, into gaps such as wiring holes running through the ceiling joists and the juncture of the top of the wall plate with the ceiling. Sealing such openings helps eliminate air movement within the finished ceiling.
4. Measure the distance from the wall of the room to the peak of the ceiling. Unroll fiberglass insulation on the floor, and cut to size. Use a straight edge, and press down on the insulation as you cut the length with scissors or a utility knife. Alternatively, use fiberglass batts, which come in pre-cut lengths.
5. The same fiberglass insulation can be installed in your walls, floor and ceiling.
Begin in a corner of the room, against the wall on the low end of the ceiling. Lift a length of insulation, facing side down if applicable, into place between the ceiling joists. Push the insulation into place, then pull it back out slightly to ensure you are not compressing the fiberglass, which lowers the R-value (a measure of insulating power).
6. Work up to the peak of the ceiling, inserting the insulation between each joist. Staple the edges of the paper backing on faced insulation to the bottom of the wood joists every eight to 10 inches to secure. Allow the friction created by a snug fit to hold unfaced insulation in place, alternatively.
7. Split the fiberglass apart slightly to provide three inches of clearance around electrical boxes, outlets or other heat-producing objects that could present a fire hazard. Ensure that the fiberglass insulation otherwise completely surrounds the wiring and other conduits in order to avoid unnecessary gaps in the insulation.
8. Cover the entire ceiling, once all the insulation is installed, with a vapor barrier if was used and a barrier is not present. Spread the vapor barrier across the area in an unbroken, puncture-free sheet, if possible, stapling it to the ceiling joists like you did the insulation. Overlap any pieces needed by at least a foot. Tape such seams to prevent moisture escape.
9. Choose a new ceiling finish, or replace the ceiling material as desired. Secure the ceiling covering to the wood joists, as appropriate according to the finish used, to complete.
Tags: vapor barrier, fiberglass insulation, unfaced insulation, ceiling joists, ceiling covering