How do I insulate a vaulted ceiling where the interior boards are the roof decking?
First post (I think), so I’m not sure where’s the best place for this.
The living room of our 1950’s California ranch in KY has a vaulted ceiling. The ceiling is what I think would be described as a “vaulted-beam” look. We’ve only been in the house a couple of years and had to replace the roof due to tree damage in a different part of the house. Anyway, it turns out that the ceiling boards you see from the inside are actually the roof decking boards (2×8 if I recall correctly). That room has always been hot in the summer and cold in the winter – now I understand why. With a new roof already in place I’m wondering what are my options for improving heat loss/gain. I read an article started in 2011 on this site but honestly I got a bit lost as the discussion bounced around onto various related topics and because it seems like there might be more options now than there were then? Any input would be appreciated. I am going to meet with a local insulation company as well very soon. Just don’t want to cause any problems by insulating incorrectly. Thanks, Bill.
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Hi Bill.
To insulate the cathedral ceiling, you'll either need to re-roof the house again or close up the ceiling from the inside, or both. Are you willing to do either, or both? If so, I recommend that you read this article as a starting point. It should answer your questions: How to build an Insulated Cathedral Ceiling