New answers tagged attic
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I service thousands of smoke detectors every year and they should NEVER be installed in an attic. There are reasons code does not require them in attics but code is a MINIMUM requirement. If you want to provide additional protection for attic exposure the proper device is a heat detector.
Smoke detectors are not designed to function in the high temperatures ...
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This is a subjective question which depends on your prerogative for several things. How long will you stay in the home (or what's your predilection for saving the planet)? Better venting may keep the attic cooler, which may in turn reduce air conditioning costs (financial and ecological). The payoff (in time and pollution savings) isn't clear without a ...
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The following site has good information. Generally the thought is that air tests are often worthless without the interpretation from the person who administered the test. What was their advice? Are they both the tester and the re-mediator?
Given your numbers are all sub 500 and the categories for mold numbers start at 50,000 per m3 - I think this air ...
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Every stick built house has mold of some type. I have worked in construction since the 70’s and well as a gopher 60’s , I currently work in a lumber mill , the boards are sprayed with a fungicide , plywood when I worked in that plant I could not believe how fast the “mushrooms” and other fungus grew on the edges of the veneer prior to being assembled. So don’...
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Asbestos is a bad guy for sure, but note that the only people who get in trouble for it are those who had occupational exposure and wore no protection, AND were smokers. If this was my house, I'd either leave it alone, or cover it with sheet rock or plywood and forget it. If it's gotta go, test it or look at it under a microscope. If it is asbestos, in my ...
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I doubt that it is asbestos but I would have it tested to be sure. It looks like the pouring wool that my father-in-law used in his attic back in the 1960's
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Yes you can you will need to frame in the opening to the existing framework, I would suggest new work in this case to be larger or thicker as today’s wood is total crap compared to your construction. What I mean if you have 2x6 in that old wood I would go with 2x8 or 4x6 ,, sounds funny but count the rings on your boards and today’s boards will be 1/3 to 1/4 ...
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If the existing joists are adequate to support an attic floor, it will be far easier to replace the recessed can lights with wafer style LED lights such as these from Lithonia.
When shopping, check carefully to see that the lights you select will work out with the openings in your ceiling. You might want to bring one of the trims from your existing ...
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It looks like it is on top of a wall so it is being used as a nailer. I believe that is why.
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This is an active topic of debate in the building and energy communities. The tradeoffs are hard to evaluate.
Your choices are either to air seal every little crack from the home to the attic (including any attic stair). Or, insulate between the rafters in the attic, and make the "thermal envelope" the attic.
Your question can't be answered without ...
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The biggest issue you have venting into the attic is warm, moist air being blown into a somewhat closed area (aside from the grease and particles you have a filter for). If the attic space you vent into is large, and has good ventilation this shouldn't be an issue. If you have to vent into a small portion of the attic and it looks like the moist air will ...
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The catch about these new units is that they are sometimes condensing units. I had two installed. One has a direct feed to the drain, while the other has a pump that pipes it to the same place. We had a super-hard freeze (uncommon where I live) and the pump line froze up. That, in turn, tripped the failsafe switch, which cut power to the unit (required by ...
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Another consideration is installing the unit on vibration isolators. When the fan turns on, it will cause the unit to move (slightly). Likewise, when it’s running, the fan will cause some vibration in the unit. Make sure the unit is isolated from the framing.
I prefer hanging the unit from the roof rafters rather than sitting it on the ceiling framing. ...
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Since you have some space in your attic, and you seem set on installing the furnace up there, I think it would be easy enough to make a small room just for the furnace. I did that in our new addition, as the dedicated furnace for the addition was an afterthought after running ductwork over from the original furnace location turned out to be impractical. We ...
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Yes you can put a high efficiency furnace in an attic hose if allowed by your local code. I use self regulating heat tape if there is any chance of the condensate line freezing.
Have you considered a mini split system? I have installed high efficiency furnaces in attics in the past but you would still need a separate compressor unit outside for AC.
The ...
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Similar to @paul's answer to your first question, but some additional information taken from this:
If header spans a space less than 4ft, a single header can be used
(as opposed to double), and it can be end nailed to the trimmer
joists.
If header spans 4ft or more, headers and trimmers must be doubled.
Doubled trimmer joists must be nailed together with ...
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