Garage Roof Rafter Insulation

Make sure you have enough ventilation on your roof as well.

Garage roof rafter insulation.

Covering up the soffit vents with loose fill or batts which can happen if you stuff insulation along the eaves is a huge no no. Ibc dictates acceptable placement and composition of roofing materials in chapter 15 but describes required thermal efficiency of the roof in chapter 13 which references the international energy conservation code iecc the minimum required thermal resistance varies. There should be a continuous ridge and soffit ventilation. Images courtesy simpson gumpertz heger.

If you are insulating the garage ceiling not only by the truss level but also up by the roofline then you must leave at least 1 1 2 to two inches of air between the fiberglass and the underside. In a warm roof structure the insulation is placed above or above and between rafters in order to avoid heat loss and energy transfer. For the same reason insulation shouldn t touch the roof s underside. It pays to insulate your garage if you re adding heat whether on a permanent or as needed basis.

Opening vents in the soffit would allow air to flow from the low edge of the roof up along each channel between the rafters and up to your ridge vent. Blown cellulose insulation will require the installation of netting over the rafter pockets. This allows you to put insulation on the bottom side of the rafters but allows outside temperature air to circulate under the roof continued michael karas feb 20 16 at 23 18. Roof insulation configurations for unvented rafter truss assemblies.

You can either install faced batting insulation which has a paper. Garages built without attics are also prime candidates for insulation into rafter bays the name for those spaces between rafters. The airflow from the soffits to the ridge vent keeps the roof cool and prevents ice dams and the material will block that flow. In reality insulation merely slows the transfer of heat through the insulated barrier wall ceiling floor etc.

If you re not adding heat there s little point in insulating.