Covered Deck / Roof Structure -- Ceiling or Wall Fan Options?
Bryan
2 years ago
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Comments (15)
HALLETT & Co.
2 years agoopaone
2 years agoRelated Discussions
Roof question: structural members and venting
Comments (5)Structural: Whether or not you can use BCIs will depend upon the overall span, snow, and wind loads. Generally speaking, glulams/microlams can be manufactured longer and stronger than I joists. I'd side with the designer on this one because this roof system will need to be engineered anyhow. Ventilation/Insulation: Cathedral ceilings are required by energy/building codes to be ventilated. There are exceptions such as when using SIPs. Your builder's plan would actually violate building/energy codes since he does not intend to use rafter vents from the eaves to the ridge in each rafter space. Again, your designer shows a better graps of the issues here. Ice Dams: Ice dams form in part, where there is no ventilation or not enough ventilation. This is also a reason why ventilation is rafter spaces is necessary. But any ice damming can be avoided by simply covering the entire roof with ice shield or a similar waterproofing membrane....See Moreattic roof fan and insulation for flat-roofed rowhouse
Comments (15)Thanks guys. Let me see if I can provide a clearer picture of what I'm working with. The house is over 100 years old--a brick row house in the center of a block. Most walls and all the ceilings on the third floor are plaster, with lots of lumps and bumps and a few small cracks, but mostly solid. There are no ceiling moldings. To call what is above this floor an attic is a an exaggeration. It is a space that ranges from about 3 foot tall at the front of the house to about half that at the back of the house (roughly 40-feet on that floor...first and second floors have a bigger footprint and do not need insulating between living space and roof.) There is a central air (newish high-velocity, narrow tube) system that snakes around the "attic". The blower is installed at the one access point there had been. This system serves ONLY the third floor and has two outlets in each of three small bedrooms and one in the tiny bathroom. The system serving the first and second floors is in a second floor closet. The insulation guys tell me that they can blow insulation in but will need to cut at least one new mansized hole in the ceiling to get in--possibly two, one toward either end. There are no recessed lights on the floor, and only three overhead lights at all. All other lights are wall brackets, wired from the floor up, rather than from the ceiling down. Of the three overheads..one was put in new by me, so isn't K&T. One the previous owner says was moved by them, so isn't K&T (But may connect in to K&T at the meeting of wall and ceiling. And one is the bathroom overhead, which can easily be checked. My electrician replaced the fixture there, so he should know what's above it. The roof is asphalt and fairly new (say 5 years old?) so, I'm not inclined to want to replace it anytime soon. I've gotten a quote for $950 to cut an access whole and blow in insulation. I'd have to pay someone else separately to fix up the access panel afterwards, probably adding another few hundred. Most neighbors don't even try to do much of anything with ventilation in their "attics", as they are all scared witless of cutting holes in their roofs. But I have found info on the Brooklyn Brownstoner blog about successful attic and whole house fan installations and one neighbor loves the whole house fan he has which sits in a sort of plastic cove on the roof. Unfortunately, he bought it with the house and has no idea who installed it. I don't intend to move in the near future, or even the more distant future. But I would like to make the third floor more habitable in the summer, especially since at some point in the next two years or so, I'd like to turn it into a separate apartment and rent it. Honestly, I seem to be finding such conflicting information and I'm so dubious about how knowledgeable folks you hire to do this stuff are about old and "out of the norm" houses that I really, really, do appreciate any and all help I can get here on this forum. Thanks,...See MoreCenter ventilation options for low slope roof (1:12)
Comments (12)Our roofer has suggested 2 different approaches: Option 1. 90 mil EPDM - 1/2" cover board - 2" polyiso - 7.5" EPS. This option would also require a 10" knee wall built around perimeter of roof. Total cost about $53,000. Also said to spray foam vertical walls inside the rafter area for additional cost of about 5000. His proposal also included a 7 1/4" fascia - curious how this would work since the roof assembly will be thicker than 7 1/4". Option 2 90 mil EPDM - 1/2" cover board - 2 layers of 2.2" polyiso. This option would require 3 2x4's nailed around perimeter. Also need to add 6" closed cell spray foam on underside. Proposal also includes 7 1/4" fascia. Total cost about $68,000. Would you guys recommend option 1 or option 2? We have about 3800 SF of roof....See MoreAddition: roof pitch options? (pros/cons?)
Comments (13)Option 1 we've covered. Option 2 is ok IF main roof and new roof are continous and pitch doesn't change. Except change of style in front,option 4 is very similar to the way I did mine several years ago and there hasn't been a problem. Peak (aka ridge) in option 4 must start at least a few feet up from edge of main roof. Change of style at front will be fine only if the dormer pitch doesn't meet wall on main house. You can't use enough flashing and tar to prevent leaks if it does. Dormer should be positioned away from main wall so that new roof run's continuesly along wall from peak to drip. Close attention must be given to flashing high side of chimney. I won't try and give you step by step but instead tell you to make certain roofer know's what he's doing. If the person framing and decking isn't one and same as applying shingles,have roofer give instructions on how frameing, decking and flashing should meet wall and chimney. Framer/decker is in best position to install most flashing at wall and chimney. I'm a huge fan of crickets on high side of chimney,esp if there is a large expanse of run off above. Option 5 might be having new ridge hit old wall a foot or more below drip of old roof if measurments work. As stated earlier for best appearance pitch is best maintained throughout if it can be done without interfering with pratical considerations. Shingle mfgr reps are a good source to bounce drawings off of before construction if you have doupts....See MoreBryan
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