skip to main content

Building a Home

Unfinished storage room off playroom - culprit?

11 years ago

Our playroom doesn't stay the same temperature as the rest of the house. It is hot in summer and colder than normal in winter. I have been told by the smart folks on here that one problem, particularly in the summer, may be can lights. There are a lot of them. I wish I had known to have insulated lights put in but I will have to insulate them after the fact.

I recently read that when you insulate a wall, it works better if you have something over the insulation on the inside. Is this true? We have r-19 batts in the walls of a storage room that opens into the playroom. Would it be helpful to put sheetrock over the batts or foam insulating board?

Thinking foam board might work as I can do it myself and it may add a little extra insulation but don't want to do it if it is a waste of time.

Thanks!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (3)

worthy
11 years ago
The fiber glass insulation will be more effective with an air barrier covering it. If you use foam board it has to be covered with a thermal/fire barrier--1/2" drywall or equivalent. (Some foam board products, such as Thermax, do not require a separate barrier; but they are expensive and are typically used in industrial/agricultural buildings.)
energy_rater_la
11 years ago
recessed lights are either IC insulation contact
meaning insulation can be in contact with the housing.

or ICAT insulation contact air tight meaning insulation
can be in contact with the Air Tight housing.

it isn't the insulation but the air leakage through
the insulation into the holes that enters the room
bringing attic temps, insulation particles and de-rating
the insulation for 1 sq ft around each recessed light
to R-0.

can you access this area to deal with them from the
attic side?
if not, then getting the model number & name brand
to shop for both air tight baffle inserts & air tight
trim kits will work. lots more expensive.
you can forego the trim kits if you use a mastic
tape to seal the cut in the sheetrock around the
recessed light. but will need the insert/baffle
to make housing air tight. Juno/Halo inserts
are $13-17 per light, and a pita to install.

if the walls are sheetrock, that is the fire barrier.
use high R-value foam sheathing boards
to seal attic side of these kneewalls.
thinking that you have to sheetrock over foam board
is a common misconception. the interior sheetrock
provides the needed fire rating from
the attic into the interior of
the wall. where we live.

here is an excellent pdf from southface inst.

http://www.southface.org/default-interior/Documents/airsealingkeypoints.pdf

the info for kneewalls is on page 5.
but look at all pages. great info.

best of luck.
Related Discussions
Playroom in place of the living room
Q
Comments (132)
I've got the sofa downstairs now. I covered it with what I had on hand - a huge black blanket and a smaller white one. The red thing behind the sofa is a mattress. It's a safe place for the baby to sleep at night (I block the way out). Now I'm wondering if it makes sense to buy a table and a lamp for the armchair. This part of the living room could be the actual 'living' part, while the other side is dedicated to children and their play. How about some kind of a wall art? I'm sorry, and it probably sounds like I don't know what I want, but I would like this room to look more 'finished'. Do I expect too much? Maybe it would be best to wait for four or five more years and then redesign this space? But can I wait that long? I wish this house was arranged and I didn't have to worry about it all anymore! :( We've been living here for three years now and it upsets me that everything looks so awful. We don't even have a hardwood floor upstairs - just go with carpets on concrete floor. We are currently having a bathroom made, but imagine living all that time with temporary solutions :( There are only a few things that we actually bought for the house - the rest are hand me downs - nothing matches, everything old and not to my style. I'd like to turn this house to home at last. Maybe I should go to ikea, look at those timy flats they have there and order everything there is!!! I'm sorry I just needed to vent :(
...See More
Playroom/family room without closets
Q
Comments (11)
PAX can definitely be imposing and overwhelming—if you went this direction, you may want to consider the 14” depth instead of the 23” depth. That might be a more practical depth for toys and games anyway. Ease of operation of the doors might depend on whether the doors are sliding vs hinged, material and style, etc. I’m sure some are heavy and difficult, although mine (hinged) are not. I actually wish mine were harder for my 11 month old to open, but sadly he has this obsession with opening and shutting doors and won’t leave my Pax alone. Someday he’s going to pinch his fingers. At my last house (which also had Pax) we didn’t have much space for doors so we mounted thin curtain rods along the top of the units and hung simple linen curtains on rings. It worked and looked better than I had expected and would be easy for kids to operate.
...See More
Yikes, Let's decorate the Playroom!
Q
Comments (4)
I’m guessing that reference to dads workout/bike area means he’s either a triathlete or cyclist. We’ve got lots of gear! May I suggest some storage for his area? I like those cube storage shelves (ikea, Target, Walmart) all sell them. They are great for storing hand weights, foam rollers, canvas drawers for things like gloves, arm warmers, etc. then make sure you’ve got an outlet nearby. The top of the shelf can be a nice surface for dad’s tablet or phone so he can either watch movies, listen to music on headphones, or just follow along with is training plan while riding. I also like a yoga mat for post ride stretching, etc. (I also place my bike & trainer on top of an old yoga mat. Helps protect the floors and keeps the ride steady.) Not sure if that helps at all, but that’s where my experience is, versus playroom ideas :) Happy planning!
...See More
Spare Room- Pantry or Play Room?
Q
Comments (21)
Thanks for the suggestions! The previous owners who built the house used it as an office. There is no window as it is in the middle of the house surrounded on all sides. I would love to use the bonus room upstairs as a playroom later on but not until I feel comfortable w our youngest going up and down stairs well. We are leaning towards using it as mainly a storage/pantry room. The kids rooms are so big I think they can share one and the other room will be the playroom. Then when they are older they can have their own rooms and use the upstairs as a hangout space.
...See More
User
11 years ago
Many of these energy saving precautions should have been required by the building code. So unless the ceiling around the recessed lights is very cold in the winter I would suspect the HVAC system. The space should have it's own thermostat and if the system is forced air there should be a return air duct.

Related Stories

BASEMENTS Room of the Day: From Unfinished Basement to Spacious Great Room

A partial basement in San Francisco is transformed into a striking living space

MOST POPULAR How to Add a Backyard Shed for Storage or Living

By Mitchell Parker

Need a home office, a playspace or extra room for your stuff? Learn about off-the-shelf, prefab and custom sheds

HOUZZ TOURS My Houzz: Patience and Resourcefulness Pay Off in Dallas

By Sarah Greenman

Unhurried remodeling lets a growing family stay within budget and get exactly the look they want for their Texas home

LIFE House Rule: Off With Your Shoes

Do you prefer your guests to go shoeless in your house? Here are some ways to encourage stockinged feet

HOUZZ TOURS Houzz Tour: Just What Mom Wanted, Off the Washington Coast

By Mitchell Parker

With an art studio, age-in-place features and a view-maximizing design, this home shows just how well the architect knows his client

DECORATING GUIDES Take the Chill Off With Cozy Winter Textures

By Becky Harris

Stay warm this fall and winter with your favorite applications of velvet, wool and knits and plenty of woodsy accents

ROOM OF THE DAY Room of the Day: A Bright, Colorful Playroom for Kids and Adults

By Mitchell Parker

Fun colors mix with sophisticated furnishings and finishes to create an addition suitable for child’s play and adult relaxation

DECLUTTERING Tame the Toy Chaos: Bin Storage for All

By Mary Jo Bowling

New project for a new year: With bins, totes and shelves, a clutter-free playroom can be yours

PRODUCT PICKS Guest Picks: Put Together a Posh Playroom

By Daniela Shuffler

Create a fun and functional kids' space with well-designed storage, furniture and, of course, toys

KIDS’ SPACES Kid Spaces: Ingredients of a Dream Playroom

By Bud Dietrich, AIA

Great floors, playful storage, heroic color and secret places fill play spaces with possibility

Sponsored

CHC & Family Developments

4 Reviews

Industry Leading General Contractors in Franklin County, Ohio

More Discussions

Need Help Reviewing Floor Plan!

52

Will it be cheaper to build a home?

14

Installation Floater Insurance question

6

Hardie Board Discoloration

11

Foundation house plan

8