ShareThisQ: I live in a modular house that is a 1986 model (I think) or about that. All the cabinets have the info removed. This house has cathedral ceilings, with no crawl space. I want to insulate the top because in the winter all the houses have snow on the roofs except mine.
I have found many flaws in this house. Air comes in everywhere, and I think there must be little insulation in the roof. I am a single woman but worry about these things.
How do you insulate this type of roof? I need an inexpensive way to do this.
A: The term "modular home" is often used to describe any type of residential building that was not "stick built" or "custom built" on-site.
A modular home can be a factory-built structure delivered to the job site in modules, or it might refer to a factory-built mobile home delivered to the site in two sections that are joined together and fixed to an existing foundation.
Any home, factory-built or built on-site, that utilizes cathedral ceilings makes it difficult to insulate the ceiling-to-roof area.
There are two ways of insulating a cathedral-ceiling-to-roof area that come to mind.
The first would be to cover the roof with thick rigid Styrofoam or extruded polystyrene panels secured to the existing roof. A new roof covering would then be installed over those panels.
The second way to insulate would be to build a false ceiling just below the cathedral ceiling and install insulation between the two ceilings. It would be necessary to use a vapor barrier on the heated side of the false ceiling to prevent moisture buildup between the two ceilings.
There also are spray-on foam applications that can be used instead of the rigid foam panels, but, as you can see, this is not a do-it-yourself project.
Energy prices still are on the rise and if you are losing enough heat to melt the snow from your roof, then your energy costs may drive you from this home. Make an effort now to add insulation -- but do it safely.
I have seen homes with the rigid foam panels that were simply glued to the ceiling. Not only was this a giant eyesore, it was also a dangerous fire hazard.
Foam insulation will burn and smolder and will release toxic gases in the process. Foam panels are covered with warnings and printed instructions that require the panels to be covered with a "thermal barrier," preferably 1/2-inch-thick drywall, when the panels are exposed on the interior of the home or are near an ignition source.
Get a minimum of three estimates from licensed and bonded contractors. Also, contact local or state building officials concerning code requirements and permits when installing new insulation or renovating your home.
(Dwight Barnett is a certified master inspector with the American Society of Home Inspectors. Write to him with home improvement questions at C. Dwight Barnett, Evansville Courier & Press, P.O. Box 286, Evansville, Ind. 47702 or e-mail him at d.Barnett(at)insightbb.com.)
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