Seventeen years ago, I tackled an old fixer-upper in Westford, MA. My goal? Make it as energy-efficient as possible. I dove right in, tackling the rubble foundation and the attached barn. But when it came to the roof, well, that’s where things got a bit…tricky.
I went with an unvented, spray-foam approach, thinking it would do the trick. Boy, was I wrong. That first winter, I learned a hard lesson – thermal bridging can be a real pain in the you-know-what. The attic was freezing in the winter and scorching in the summer. Guess I should have stuck to my original plan, huh?
Well, better late than never, I suppose. When it came time to replace the shingles, I knew it was the perfect opportunity to finally do this right. No more half-measures, no more excuses. Time to go all-in on insulation and make this roof as thermally efficient as humanly possible.
The Insulation Journey Begins (Again)
The original plan was simple: strip the old shingles, expose the deck, and then layer on the rigid insulation. At least R-50, I figured, just to get a handle on those pesky ice dams. But as I dove deeper into the project, I realized I had an opportunity to do something more.
You see, I had a bit of a, shall we say, reputation to uphold. These self-proclaimed “building science gurus” had figured out where I lived, and I couldn’t let them think I was some kind of insulation amateur. No sir, I was going to show them how it’s done.
So I upped the ante – R-70, baby. That’s right, six inches of polyisocyanurate rigid insulation, on top of the existing R-35 from the spray foam. Overkill? Maybe. But hey, when it comes to insulation, I say the more the merrier.
Now, the real challenge was making sure this whole thing didn’t look like some sort of insulation monstrosity. I mean, c’mon, we’ve all seen those ugly, boxy “Passive House” monstrosities, right? Not my style at all.
Preserving the Aesthetic
One of the keys to successful over-roofing, in my opinion, is making sure it’s invisible. If it looks like you just slapped a bunch of insulation on top and called it a day, well, that’s a recipe for disaster. Trust me, I know a thing or two about disasters.
So, I called in the big guns – an architect who really got this whole invisible insulation thing. Together, we came up with a plan to extend the overhangs, rebuild the gable ends, and seamlessly integrate all that extra insulation into the existing roofline.
The gable ends were the trickiest part. I had to cut off the original overhangs, add the insulation, and then rebuild the overhangs as box beams. Sounds complicated, I know, but the end result was nothing short of magic. You’d never know there were six inches of insulation up there.
And on the front of the roof, where the overhangs were already in good shape, I just extended the original rafters to accommodate the extra thickness. Bam, problem solved. The new cellular PVC trim, dentil molding, and crown molding tied it all together perfectly.
Southern Roofing would have been proud. Heck, even the neighbors were impressed – and you know how nosy they can be.
The Devil’s in the Details (and the Air Sealing)
But it wasn’t just about making it look good. Oh no, this was all about performance, baby. And that meant getting the air sealing just right.
See, I learned my lesson with that whole thermal bridging fiasco. This time, I was determined to make sure the air control layer of the roof was seamlessly connected to the air control layer of the walls. No more gaps, no more cold drafts.
On the gable ends, it was pretty straightforward – the fully adhered membrane wrapped right down over the cut-back roof deck, tying into the wall’s water and air control layers. Easy peasy.
But on the front, where the original rafters were extended, that’s where things got a little more interesting. I had to carefully trim back the original roof deck sheathing, fold the membrane down around the rafter tails, and then foam the whole thing up to create a bulletproof air seal. Phew, talk about attention to detail.
And you know what they say – the devil’s in the details. Well, in this case, the insulation devil was in the details, and I was determined to banish him for good.
Insulation Overkill? Maybe. But Who Cares?
So, was the extra insulation overkill? Probably. But you know what they say, “Go big or go home, right?” And in my book, when it comes to insulation, there’s no such thing as too much.
Sure, the payback argument might not be the strongest, but have you ever tried to put a price tag on comfort and quiet? Exactly. Those Passive House folks may think their double-wall monstrosities are the way to go, but I’ll take my single-wall, super-insulated setup any day.
And let’s not forget about the energy grid and all the craziness that’s coming our way. When the power goes out and everyone else is shivering in the dark, I’ll be sitting pretty in my little insulation oasis, sipping hot cocoa and laughing at the ants.
So, was it overkill? Maybe. But sometimes, a little insulation overkill is exactly what the doctor ordered. And hey, if it means I can impress the building science nerds and keep my neighbors guessing, all the better.
The Insulation Journey Continues
Of course, this whole over-roofing project was just the beginning. I’ve still got some work to do on the walls – that whole exterior insulation thing is next on my list. But you can bet your bottom dollar I’m going to make it look just as seamless and invisible as the roof.
And who knows, maybe I’ll even throw in a few more thermal mass tricks, just for good measure. After all, a guy’s gotta keep the grid-lovin’ Passive House folks on their toes, right?
So, there you have it – my insulation insights from a self-proclaimed building science guru. Trust me, when it comes to thermal efficiency, I’ve been there, done that, and bought the t-shirt. But the journey’s not over yet, and I can’t wait to see what other insulation adventures await.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got some more research to do. I hear there’s this new transparent aluminum stuff that might just be the key to the ultimate insulation solution. Who knows, maybe I’ll even patent it and become a millionaire. A guy can dream, right?