How do I work around insulation in attic.

[PrecisionMachinisT]

insulation.

Ya...

Just be sure to push it all back when your finished is all.

[JOHN D]

I need to do some work in my attic. There's nothing but the joists to walk on and everything is covered with at least a foot of loose fill insulation. Do I have to just push the insulation out of the way or build something over it or what.

[C & M]

You don't say what your task is but if it involves recessed lighting with the can protruding into the attic you have to keep the cellulose away from the can by 6". There are cans with a feature which allows you to put the insulation closer - ask the supplier. If you plan to be working in one particular area consider taking a board along with you and laying in on the joists so that you don't become fatigued in the 'straddle' posture of standing on the joists. Also, consider screwing them fast or, at least, placing a cleat on each end of the board so the it cannot walk off of the joist on either end.

insulation.

[PipeDown]

I have the same mess but I can't walk, crawling is the best I get. My insulation is only an inch or two over the joists.

I pushed it back and laid a few long slats of plywood (1.5'x8' scraps I had) over the joists to give me more surface to move around on.

Get a good respirator, those little hospital masks are useless when that stuff is wafting around.

In addition to spreading the stiff back out, I have at least 10 large hefty bags of the stuff I removed from some exterior walls I plan to add on top. The walls will get standard fiberglass batts later.

If you have to go up multiple times and are designing whatever you are doiung at the same time, take a digital camera or video camera up with you and make a good recording. It will save a few exploratory trips later when you need to know how something is put together. I did the same with my crawlspace too.

[JOHN D]

There's a lotta things I want/need do in the attic.. The previous owner removed or never installed the chimney pipes for the wood burning fireplace. The pipes go into the attic but not out through the roof. I need to fix that. Needless to say ,We don't can't, never did, use the fireplace. As it is it's must be one helluva code violation. I want to add 1 or 2 elect circuits to the kitchen. I have some quiet vent fans for the bathrooms. Looking into the attic, I can't see any vent pipes comeing form the existing vent fans. I need to add a vent fan for the laundry room. From time to time I want to run some new TV & Ham radio antenna, phone, network, allarm cables. Some day I want to remodel the master bath which would require some new plumbing vent connections in the attic.

[meirman]

In alt.home.repair on Thu, 21 Jul 2005 06:59:34 GMT "JOHN D" posted:

All I have is an opening to the attic that will only take a 17 or

18inch wide board. So I cut some 4 x 8 sheets of plywood to 16 inch widths, and little by little I've been flooring the attic. The middle is floored and I have a few spare pieces to go to outlying areas. Used to have to move those around, but have enough now to leave them where they are. I've used some scrap wood that a friend was throwing away. Mostly 3/8" iirc because it's easier to carry and move around, and cheaper, but as I gain weight, doesn't seem so good. Well I never merely walk on the floor. I always aim my feet at the joists.

Still two layers of 3/8th might be easier, if more expensive, than

1/2.

I did a lot of things, ceiling light, roof fan, phone jacks, alarm sirens (inside and out), speaker wiring, cable tv, ceiling fixtures for two bedrooms below, including wiring down one outside wall, but still not as much as you have to do. I don't plan to ever make the floor look nice.or to nail it to the joists. Too many empty boxes in the way. Maybe the next owner will.

Meirman

-- If emailing, please let me know whether or not you are posting the same letter. Change domain to erols.com, if necessary.

[PipeDown]

I was up in my attic again this morning and I have one more important piece of advice.

Put lanyards or something on all the tools you bring up. I just lost my second pair of wire cutters in that cellulose snow bank of an attic of mine. Watch where you put your tools or you'll be digging in the stuff for hours looking for it. (now I need to bring up a metal detector)

BTW, you can put insulation up against recessed lights if you buy the IC type. I used H7ICAT from halo and they are pretty universal and cheap.

Outragous chimney setup you have, must have been operable at some point, maybe they removed the top portion during a reroof or abandoned it due to the expense of reapir or something like that.