ONE WORD, GROSS!
Today we decided to take on the attic. During the home inspection, the inspector pointed out a small pile of guano (bat poop), and he told us that there was probably a lot more behind the foil insulation that was pinned up... and he was right! Tons and tons of guano. Luckily, there were no bats to be seen. Maybe it is because the attic had since been properly sealed or perhaps they all died from the white nose disease that has decimated the bat population (over 6 million have died as a result since 2007). I was carefully to wear a respirator and goggles during my guano farming. A coworker had told Abigail that people pay good money for guano as fertilizer, but you couldn't pay me enough to deal with this crap for a minute longer than I had to.
The goal for today was the removal of the foil insulation and any other hidden treasures that might be attached to the ceiling.
Those of you with a keen eye may have seen this gem in the back corner of the picture above. Luckily, we were able to negotiate keeping this and a few other nostalgic items . Those of you who continue to follow the blog will see this piece again, repurposed in a spectacular fashion.
I can't even imagine how many bats called our attic home at one time. It's a miracle that the insulation didn't fall down from the weight of the guano. Fortunately, the thin foil insulation was the only thing attached to the roof. Besides the guano, there was a lot of slate; evidence of the original slate roof. It's really a shame that they did not keep the slate roof. However, the roof is not leaking, so we'll take it.
Since I have experience building houses, I immediately noticed that there is no ridge vent or soffit vent. Vented roofs have been common practice by most builders for the last 50 years. Good thing other contractors had shown me in the past how to properly vent a roof, right? Wrong!
For the past few weeks I have been obsessed with researching building science and home efficiency. It turns out that the science behind vented roofs isn't even actually science. Yes, it is one way to control condensation when done correctly, but not required nor optimal.
For anyone interested in the science I will include a link below explaining this topic. Rather than venting, we will insulate directly against the roof deck with closed cell spray foam. It will provide an airtight roof which is key in controlling moisture. Finally, we will face the ceiling with 2 inch R Max foil foamboard to prevent thermal bridging, which is caused by the low r-value of the wood beams. We will be sure to post in detail when we get to that step.
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