Insulating Garage ceiling/masterbedroom floor

[vdotmatrix]

A project i mean to do every $#^$@ year.

The garage is right below our masterbedroom of our brick home. we have oak floors in this 49 year old house.

The winters make the bedroom icy, i think it is partly because of the garage is below us.

The ceiling in the garage is drywalled so I cut out a section to look-see.

Looks like the insulation face (paper side) is towards the garage.

[u]MY PROJECT/FINDINGS:</u>

The insulation is inadequate for the current application, it is only 2-3 inch loft of some ancient looking fiberglass insulation that is nearly brown..

The insulation could have been installed imporperly.

Pull down all the ^%$%^# drywall and replace the insulation with r25 or better faced insulation.

1. Does it matter in this application how the facing is installed. so much easier to staple to joist instead of using insulation hangers?

2. Should i also staple up some plastic 3-6 mil plastic as vapor barrier?

Thanks


It's sometimes better to be lucky than smart.

[mrcaptainbob]

Vdotmatrix, I would think that the insulation in that garage ceiling would be just fine. Set a thermometer right on the floor in the middle of the bedroom away from any exterior walls. Compare that temp with what you'd find by setting that same thermometer against the exterior walls (and away from any heat vents). One more thing, what's the insulation like in the bedroom ceiling? More heat is lost at the windows and ceilings first, then at the walls.

[vdotmatrix]

Yeah, 2 years ago i insulated the attic/our ceiling with R25, so the entire house is set, the floor over the garage is drywall, 2-3 inches of very old insulation then the subfloor-brrrrr...
windows: NEW Schucco 3-pane krypton filled glass installed in MAY house wide, brand new Carrier furnace 2 years ago.

So, R25 or r19 for the Garage Ceiling? oh, New Clopay Garage door (R6 or R9 i forget) in May as well with the 3pane krypton filled 3-part schucco sliders in the garage too!

It's sometimes better to be lucky than smart.

[mrcaptainbob]

WOW! Vdotmatrix! Hard t' believe that there'd be ANY evidence of cold in your house! But, since you just had the house windows, and door and sliders in the garage done in May, what say you to holding off to verify whether the problem exists any more? Would you be able to tell in enough time before the really bad weather gets here? Just hate to see you have to go through that anguish of drywalling ceiling work!

[vdotmatrix]

quote:Originally posted by mrcaptainbob

WOW! Vdotmatrix! Hard t' believe that there'd be ANY evidence of cold in your house! But, since you just had the house windows, and door and sliders in the garage done in May, what say you to holding off to verify whether the problem exists any more? Would you be able to tell in enough time before the really bad weather gets here? Just hate to see you have to go through that anguish of drywalling ceiling work!

Oh god I hear you...drywall dust raining down but mixed in with crappy old craptacular ancient fiberglass (the real deal)is going to be a hummer .

My wife, the one who complains of the cold floor and roomage, says to hold off on any new projects........i'd put it off until bush resigns if I could wait....but i wish I could pay someone to demo the ceiling.

You know, those windows we bought are something like R9 and I am anxious to see how well the cold weather will be stopped...the heat and sunlight surely was this hotest of hot summers......

Thanks again!

It's sometimes better to be lucky than smart.

[mcksci]

I had the same problem. I had a home office above our garage. I ended up getting someone in the pump insulation into the garage ceiling. It reduced the cold by about 50% but it still remained cold.
Fortunately we ended up moving, but had I stayed, I would have insulated the garage walls/window and garage doors and expended my heating (forced air) into the garage space also which would have resolved the problem

[HayZee518]

Has anybody checked with the building inspectors? In Massachusetts any living space above a garage HAS to have a floor of a minimum 3 inches of concrete!

[vdotmatrix]

quote:Originally posted by HayZee518

Has anybody checked with the building inspectors? In Massachusetts any living space above a garage HAS to have a floor of a minimum 3 inches of concrete!

Thanks for your input. And No, this application dos not apply.

A building permit is not required for exact replacement of insulation and drywall with the exact materials. The code requirement for the garage is the thick 3/4" drywall for fire resisitance.

I am upgrading the insulation with R19 (61/2"), The R25 is 8" thick and would be too thick for the space I have and if Ihave to compress any insulationI will loose R value....

I answered my own question about the faced side of the insulation pointing to ward the heated side when it is a ceiling that is also the floor....i will put the faced portion of the insulation in first into the ceiling. YUK!

I hate overhead wrk.

It's sometimes better to be lucky than smart.