"Don" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@news5.newsguy.com:
Actually, there isn't as much cross-bracing as I'd expect - it's mostly taken up by flexible insualted ducting tubes. At least, the one (topmost) section.
I'd have to plan it pretty carefully; laying the batting under the ducting will also be a challenge. It will definitely take planning.
There is only one way into the topmost area, which is the pull-down ladder in the upstairs landing area. The area over teh garage is easy, thre is a mini-door - literally, it's framed and had a doorknob and so on. The water heater is in that area. no insulation since it's over the garage, but I'll eventually put something down so as to keep teh base- plate area of the "extra room" warmer. Right now, the room seems to me to get hotter and colder than it ought to, which I think might be affecting the master bath underneath it.
THe other side of the extra room only has some silly screw-in square of painted plywood - I'd like to eventually put a mini-door there as well, because there is potential storage space, plus I'd liek to be able to check the area periodically.
I guess I'd have to look at the blown stuff, too, and see how high it's piled up.
So it should cost about $350 (after tax) for the material itself. Not too bad, but takes planning.
I'd prob have them deliver it, actually. I can't fit too much in my little old Saturn sedan Also wouldn't want fiberglass bits left in the car.
THat's the case with most things, so makes sense.
Good idea re: the plywood. It's not a bad idea to have some on hand for generalized cutting, too.
Got those ;) I found some "heavy duty" ones at Lowe's, which are good for any'n'all projects that require kneeling. I think they're a good investment - if one has knee problems, they mitigate those, and if one does not have knee problems, it's one way to keep from getting them.
Yeah, esp. given the humidity here (Houston is the 5th most humid city in the US, IIRC).
I'm not as worried re: heat loss (it got up to 78 degrees yesterday - the A/C kicked on...), as I am with the longevity, "blowiness", and other problems with the blown-in junk.
((ALthough I do wonder whether the rising heat from the uninsulated attic rea over the garage for most of the year is part of what makes the extra room so hot - there is batting on the room's walls, buit the garage faces South, so the sun beats down on it for most of the day.))
Ideally, I'd consider boarding-over the attic, first to keep teh insulation in place and so on, second to provide a place to walk so I can periodically check through the attic. Trying to balance on the beams is really tricky for me.
All in all, tho', the main thnig is that, if I do this again (have a place built by either a developer or, *hopefully* int he future, custom), I'm definitely going to ask about options other than this blown-in crap. If it costs extra, or if I have to go buy it myself and put it in before the ducting goes in, so be it. THis blown-in stuff in IMO just something that is expedient and cheap as peanut shells for the builder, and a future big pain in the bucket for the buyer...