How To Fix An Old Attic

[@eagl3ye]

This guy’s attitude and the relaxing music almost makes this seem like an easy project. Doing just about anything in the attic is actually miserable lol.

[@SimonSaysDIY]

Haha have it was pretty rough 😄

[@tacosalpaxtor]

I had to up the attic and add more insulation. I blasted thrash metal dude, the only way I could stay sane. It was hot up there but the house cooled down a lot after the insulation i added. Its rought man.

[@brettbarager9101]

Having just spent the last two weeks in my attic fixing everything, I can fully appreciate what you have done! Air sealing was one of the most important things I had to do in my century home!

[@nitzamunoz9113]

Thank you I'm 72 years old but I'm always looking for new ideas so I can help my husband. He does a lot of projects in our house and this one was very informative and simple

[@G.I.JeffsWorkbench]

Very helpful vid. I gathered lots of tips that will help me take care of my old attic. Thank you!

[@mattmanning1572]

One thing I'd recommend based on my own attic experience, is to use metal junction boxes in the attic. When I was doing work in ours I found that all the blue plastic junction boxes from previous times had become so brittle (due to heat presumably) that they would shatter if I tried to unscrew the covers or manipulate wires in them. I had to replace almost every one of them that I had to mess with. idk if maybe modern ones are formulated better to take heat into account, but I would not bet on it...

[@SimonSaysDIY]

Thanks for the tip! Very helpful but unfortunately too late for my project lol! 😁 I’ll remember that next time around.

[@jwhite4]

I'd think more the heat-cold cycle (same thing that causes potholes in roads).

[@Somong]

If I needed to decide between paying a professional to do this for me or becoming one, I'd choose the latter. But it's not easy learning everything in one lifetime. I find videos like this fascinating because of the knowledge earned/acquired, and shared. I wish I knew more about the structural framework and electrical work, yet still, it's a pleasure to watch your videos. Thanks for sharing.

[@SimonSaysDIY]

Thanks so much! I appreciate it!

[@justinmaxwell4199]

You're looking at I'd guess, $5,000 in work... So it's not worth paying someone to do a lot of time.

[@augenmaugen]

Good point. All the professionals I’ve hired in the last 10 years (four of them, some with their own workers/subs) have been great at knowing how to do the job quickly, but that’s it. In hindsight, I have some big regrets on each of those projects, some of them big problems that I’ve had to research and fix myself, others that I will need to fix later. I’m not talking about minor aesthetic things either. (I was in my early 30’s and presumed they knew what they were doing, my wife and I were busy with work/school/adoption stuff, so I didn’t think to check in on the details of their work.) The lesson I’ve learned is if I hire a pro again, I’m going to study up on the project way in advance and borderline micromanage the entire process. Or if in the bidding process the person doesn’t describe their process with the latest best practices/considerations, I’ll know to move on. I’ll come across as a male Karen-type, but I know how to be respectful and polite about it.

[@edbouhl3100]

@@augenmaugenAgeeed! You really have to know their job to make sure it’s getting done right. It’s also useful to have them pull a permit - knowing their work is going to be checked helps getting the details right.

[@206downtown]

Thanks for posting. Your experience is almost play-by-play what I’ve experienced in my attic. Only my respirator stopped the steady string of WTFs from circling the block.

[@MSilva-b5n]

I found recessed light covers that go over the high hat lights. Made of a cardboard material so the insulation is not touching the hot lights. Great job with the video!

[@Nolaman70]

I used the professional foam gun, it was worth it. It stops the foam after you release the trigger. It's made by Great Stuff uses different cans. One way I found leaks was to put the bathroom fans on and walk from room to room with a smoke pen, checking windows, ceiling spots. The fans create enough negative pressure to create detectable air flow. I had alot of holes from electrical wire running to outlets and light switches, sealed all wall tops too. Installed 18" of atticcat with baffles at the vents.

[@Craigthepope]

This is an interesting suggestion that I hadn't thought of.

[@joeteejoetee]

OMG you put-out SO much physical labor doing these Attic enhancements. Great locked-off & long-form camera work too!

[@SimonSaysDIY]

Thank you very much! I appreciate it 😁

[@Bigben22710]

I have an old house that was built in 1960 and has been added onto and renovations since then but had no access to the attic. I have been needing to run new romex for my bathroom remodel and finally cut a hole and got a lot of work ahead of me and this video helped give me ideas

[@wonderwhat4]

I wold like to get up in my attic to install radiant barrier but it's tight up there to maneuver. I clicked on your video to see clear ways to get around up there. Now I know what I need to do. But it also added to my to do list. Now I want to seal what I can up there, as long as I'm up there....Looked like a big project but in doing a little at a time section by section you got it done and feel good about it. Thanks for the inspiration and the video.

[@stuemler]

Hi Simon! Thank you for posting this! My attic is 1960s and 1950s (two parts)! I am trying to make structural, insulation, and HVAC mods to the 50s portion right now and this is an encouragement.

[@stuemler]

I installed weight distribution and center ailse flooring in my attic and the height is very similar to yours, which is why I watched!

[@SimonSaysDIY]

So glad the video was helpful! Thanks so much! Good luck with you project!

[@koenigdf]

This is great. I really appreciate the ideas and demonstrations

[@37dcaldart]

Lol, I had my 3tab redone two years ago. I went up this summer to spread some moss powder and found a Festool drill with a battery. Still worked. Two years on a roof in Westewrn Wa. Crazy. Still works and charges.

[@gg-gn3re]

Yea li-ion batteries can do 5-7 years until "degradation" rating (which is only like 70-80% so it still could work years longer than that) charge cycles will also wear them down faster which is what we see on phones more than drills.. unless you using the drill 10 hours a day ofc

[@RedGrayBeard1218]

I agree with you on that about when people working in the attic just letting the stuff lay up there. I'm in the process of getting my attic ready for blown insulation.

[@OhJanney]

I've worked in the attic installing several recessed lights. My body hurting me for two weeks. You did great. Dreading to go back to properly insulation around those lights and add more insulation. But it has to be done.

[@SimonSaysDIY]

Thanks! it really makes a huge difference. But it is not fun. I try to get the work done in the fall or winter as the heat and bees, bugs or spiders are not an issue.

[@OhJanney]

@@SimonSaysDIY that's a tip. I will try to do min this fall or early spring. Because the heat up there is no joke in the summer

[@keithboyer3210]

Looping and taping wire like that will create heat and possible fire. Those Can lights are not IC (insulation contact rated. Again fire hazard

[@heyzeuss]

Was thinking the same thing. You need a special vapor barrier against those lights. I bought special cones that you can completely cover lights with and spray foam around to seal. They are expensive but can't put a price on safety.

[@jaysoneubanks579]

Starting to realize the home inspector had no idea what he was looking at and could have saved me tons of money when I bought the house...

[@gg-gn3re]

Most of them don't know. They go home drink beer and watch tv. learned people watch DIY videos on youtube, read forums, reddit, etc. Learning new things constantly will keep you sharp until your dead of old age, instead of being brain dead last 20 years of life

[@RETRO-RANEYS-RESTORATIONS]

Lol

[@TitusTheTiny]

I was at work when my wife went with an inspector to look at our new future home…. They couldn’t find access to the attic… as soon as I got home I found it in one of the closets..

[@JamesCharless-yr5sw]

@@TitusTheTinymaybe that’s a common scam cause same exact thing happen to me lmao opened the closet looked up and oh look an access to the attic

[@icompute]

@yz@@@@z@@z7iuo7x

[@zolariydesigns4693]

Hi Simon, this is probably the most informative attic "clean-up" videos I've watched on KZbin. I've been sleeping with an air purifier due to the allergy issues I assume I am having because of my attic. I will speak with my husband about cleaning up our attic after this using the information you've shared. Thank you so much for this video. Please keep posting as you've earned two new subscribers (I'll hint to my husband to subscribe to you as well 😊).

[@SimonSaysDIY]

I’m so glad the video could help! Thanks so much! I really appreciate it :)

[@AnscoDIY]

Thank you for your post. I am dealing with the same issue in my attic. The contractor mess-up with the former owner. I have to retrofit and reroute the bathroom fan, update my recessed light. replace the stack faced insulation batts.

[@ANigerianPrince]

You are my angel. This video is incredibly helpful.

[@SimonSaysDIY]

I'm so glad! Thanks!

[@erikyoung5139]

I wish I had found this when you first put it out. I also have a place built in the 60s with all these issues.

[@SimonSaysDIY]

Thanks! I hope the video was helpful.

[@polish2x91]

My eyes and mind say yes, but my knees and back say no

[@SimonSaysDIY]

haha yeah, it's not a fun project.

[@TheOREGON1859]

Knee pads are helpful

[@OneLeggedTarantula]

I had a similar old attic with really old ductwork from the early 60's. My approach? remove the duct work, and vacuum all that little bit of old insulation out. The reason, now you can see the wiring, the problems, the holes and removed all the rat poop and stuff. I then rewired the house which was easy will all the insulation gone and boards around to move. Oh, yes I also did a LVL beam install so yes a clean attic was really needed.. Only thing I should have done was installing permanent lights up front. I used two layers of rockwool for R38. Plugged all the holes with foam and now have a nice warm house. You can rent giant insulation vacuum machines that suck all that out in a day or two. Don't forget tax breaks for the insulation costs.

[@chopnteddy]

It really shows how good home inspectors are.

[@SimonSaysDIY]

Thanks! 😁 yeah, for real!

[@MAGAMAN]

They are pretty much worthless. If they had done a good job, I would not have bought the house I am currently in.

[@darylsmith9318]

Agreed. Our home inspector missed major issues here too. I don't know what I paid them for.@@MAGAMAN

[@dominiquesauvage2547]

@@MAGAMAN I agree, I got totally screwed by my inspector.

[@mxcollin95]

Nice work man! 👍 I need to get after it and do this to my attic.

[@SimonSaysDIY]

Thanks for watching! 😁 good luck with yours!

[@mar1video]

Great video bro ! I like the way you think and work !

[@SimonSaysDIY]

I appreciate that!

[@2Anut]

Awesome video, I’ll be doing this too. At 4:28 the wire twisted and my OCD went off 😂

[@SimonSaysDIY]

Glad to hear it! Thanks! 😊

[@gg-gn3re]

great video. one tip with the great stuff cans and other sprayfoam if you keep the nozzle down you get more out of them. After you lose pressure cut the can open you can see how much excess you have. It gets sticky on the bottom of the cam you can slam it down to get the stuff to fall more toward the nozzle hole

[@bradb5996]

Simon, your post was extremely helpful and answered a lot of my concerns. Thank you for sharing! I laughed at the comment “ Sup with your hair.” 😂 Cheers

[@samfeldman1508]

To your point, it’s miserable working in an attic. I installed a Gable fan and couldn’t be done and out soon enough. Certainly don’t condone short cuts but understand them. Great job! I was getting PTSD watching you work on the cooking vent.

[@AJ-bi6ns]

Awesome video, daunting undertaking. Especially if you have blown insulation that is higher than the rafters!

[@SimonSaysDIY]

Very true! Thanks! 😄

[@zecatela]

Great video and very educational. Thank you for sharing. For the wiring at the junction box at 6:42, how did you do that wiring? It looks like the hot and neutral you wired together (black and white wire) and have 1 black lead wire from that same connection. Trying to figure out why you wired the hot and neutral together. Unless the color is different for that connect? Any insight would great help.

[@giantsquid9235]

That’s his switch leg. Switch boxes don’t require a neutral so he’s using the black and white as hot conductors. He’s bringing the power to the switch on the black and bringing the power from the switch back to the device on the white. The black conductor he’s connecting it to our the pig tail for that light and the hot conductor of the next device on the run being powered by that switch.

[@tz12346]

Great video and explanations!

[@jeffcole1914]

Very informative thanks I’m sure you invested a few days into all of the details Thanks

[@SimonSaysDIY]

Thanks so much! I really appreciate it 😁

[@DanielinLaTuna]

Thanks, Simon; that’s a good first step, lighting. Most attics are darker than sin and hotter than Hades. Powered air vents help too. (I try not to work in the attic in summer!) The roll insulation you plan to apply at 90° to the joists is an excellent idea! You’ll be burying the wood in a nice envelope of insulation, which should cut down on heat transfer that the exposed joists transmit through the ceiling. Also, I had the same issue with “allergens” in my house like you mentioned, before having the insulation, rat droppings, and accumulated dust and pollens removed late last year. (And probably some molds?) interestingly, I felt well on vacations, but within a few days of being at home my allergies would start!

[@SimonSaysDIY]

Thanks! I appreciate it! 😁

[@MAGAMAN]

Was up in my attic installing some insulation because the old home owners did... something that removed a lot of it from the attic. I used a light stringer and an extension cord for the lighting because in my area, installing permanent lighting without a permit and an inspection woudl be a code violation. It was so hot in my attic that the 95 degree air blowing in through my attic access felt cool to me. The best part was that my attic access is so small I cant bring the whole roll of insulation into the attic without unrolling it first, then I had to carry it up the ladder, then feed it up through the access hole while standing on the ladder being careful I don't tear the insulation. Fun stuff.

[@RobTucker-cx6vo]

Can you do a before and after using your energy bills to show the savings?

[@sunnyd6019]

Man I need you up in my atttic, lol. Fantastic job!!!!!

[@fblox5]

What kind of boards are you using in the attic to move around? Dimensions and thickness, material etc. Thanks.

[@DanielinLaTuna]

Half inch plywood would work (the spacing between the ceiling joists should be 16” on center (but it could be 24”…!) If it were me, I’d rip 3/4 4X8 sheets of A/C grade plywood into 16” strips. That would give you a strong and enough enough platform on which to scoot around. I recommend A/C plywood because you can use the “good” (A side) face to move on without worrying about splintering, and the “bad” (C side) against the insulation side. That way you get the best material for the money - and save by not over-buying

[@vroor32]

​@@DanielinLaTuna🙏🏼 I had no idea there's "AC" plywood in existence

[@NKPGarage]

Very nice work! And great to hear your thoughts at the end on the changes afterwards.

[@a587789]

I'll give it to Milwaukee, probably the best quality tools that deliver amazing performance. However, I usually buy Rigid for almost as good quality and performance with a lifetime guarantee. That find is awesome. Also, great video.

[@SimonSaysDIY]

Thanks so much! I agree my top choice is Milwaukee but Rigid is a close 2nd because it is more affordable and I have had very few issue with my rigid tools.

[@jeevespreston]

Now that it’s been a while since you did all this excellent clean up work, can you offer any comment on how much your heating and A/C bills improved? Thanks for the great vid!

[@SimonSaysDIY]

We’ve seen a great improvement in energy savings. Although the energy costs have gone up significantly, our bills AC bills haven’t increased and dropped slightly from the year before. Heating is much more efficient and we used almost half the amount of firewood to heat our house. The air quality as improved and as awhile we have been less congested and no attic smell gets into the house. Thank you! 😁

[@svetlanahart4213]

Wonderful video, very helpful, thanks you so much, subscribing for sure!

[@SimonSaysDIY]

Thanks so much! 😄

[@58long]

why did you go from 14ga romex on the incoming line for the bedroom lights and switch to 12ga (yellow) wire? the romex is color coded for easy recognition of circuit ampacity.

[@str8kronic]

U can go from 14 to 12…can’t go from 12 to 14

[@bokononisti2820]

Guessing he probably had 12ga wire laying around. Same reason the person before him used too small a junction box - it's what he had on hand and didn't want to run to store.

[@ismaeldarwish1280]

Hi Simon, my attic has a huge mound of that loose insulation fluff that you have there in your attic. Do you recommend that I go up and spread it around so that all areas have equal coverage up there? Or should I take it all out and replace it with some other type of insulation? (Like the kind that comes in rolls). Thanks!

[@SimonSaysDIY]

Good question. Ideally the loose insulation would be evenly covering everything to be effective. If you have an issue with too much heat leaking into the house from your attic you may want to replace the loose insulation with the roll insulation as it has a much better insulation value and is much more efficient.

[@dtotheram]

Thanks for the video! I plan to tackle my own attic in the cooler months, and this has helped me consider doing it myself. Any recommendations for spray foam? Would it be best to get fire-blocking options for the gaps between the floor and lights?

[@grantp6451]

Nice work, and certainly something my house could benefit from--I just hate working in the attic! Now that some time has passed, can you share any measurable changes in your utilities? I would guess your greatest improvement comes in winter, but I'm curious about the summer months too.

[@mar1video]

Try to pick a cool day to start your project. Worst combination is hot day and emergency task you really don’t want to do. Stay cool and take frequent breaks ! Good luck with your project ! I know you can do it !

[@therealchewieswalkabout]

What respirator do you recommend? Brand/type/etc?

[@krehbein]

Some day you should replace those can lights with those pancake led lights. You can lay insulation right over them.

[@SimonSaysDIY]

Thanks! That would be a nice updated from these can lights.

[@PNWLiving1725]

One thing about the led lights. That after 5 years. You have to replace them all with another one

[@spartan4545]

Your video was a god send iam dealing with the same problem for years with my atic tight , dark, unisulated . Would u mind sharing what kind of spray insulation u use around can ligjhs , apreciated iy .

[@Craigthepope]

Is it safe to put spray foam around can lights? I know you're not even supposed to let insulation touch it since they can get so hot. (Some people rip them out and replace them with wafer-thin LED lights)

[@Cjbman]

Rockwool can light covers with a thin line of spray foam to seal the base of the cover.

[@gmontenegro9711]

Watching this two years after video has been posted. Have you done a cost analysis in terms of energy usage (electric/gas)?

[@SimonSaysDIY]

Since this has been done, energy prices have risen significantly, so a year over year cost comparison isn’t super helpful. However even with price increases the bill has maintained the same amount or a little less than the years before. We have noticed that our AC system runs for a shorter amount of time and the wood stove we use in the winter doesn’t have to run full blast any more.

[@bokononisti2820]

@@SimonSaysDIY you can compare kilowatt-hours, which will be reported on each electricity bill. So you should hopefully see a significant drop in kwh's in summer months.

[@MrPresidentSwole]

I feel sorry for the person who left a working drill in the attic lol

[@XsoloXela1989]

Did you do cellulose blown in between the 2x6 truss then place fiberglass batts perpendicularly on thop of that? I thought you shouldnt mix insulation types? Also, do you not need a vapor barrier woth blownin insulation? Why not?

[@tylervandall]

Did you have baffles installed venting your soffit? If not, how were you able to check for proper ventilation? Only asking because this is something I could use help on and can't find a video! Thanks!

[@harisharora2064]

Hello Simon,. I liked this attic video it is very informative. do you have a video about fitting RafterVents/AccuVent

[@robertricker9689]

Great video!!

[@SimonSaysDIY]

Thanks! 😄

[@oliverr9967]

Can most of the attic be boarded (have a place to walk or store stuff) or is not recommended?

[@PongoXBongo]

Could you make an insulated panel for the stairwell? Like, when you drop the stairs you pop it up and off, then back down and on before putting the stairs back up?

[@Rjribs46]

Is the stairwell you are referring to the attic access? As in ‘drop the stairs’ meaning the access you pull down to access the ladder or ‘stairwell’ to get up into the attic? If I am understanding your question correctly, the answer is yes. ‘Attic tent’ has a product for that. It has a zipper like a jacket to close it when not in use, which helps minimize heat transfer and air infiltration. Very good product. 👍

[@PongoXBongo]

@@Rjribs46Yes, that is what I was referring to. Thank you for the product info!

[@abc123xyz-q2p]

We have an insulated cover for the attic stairs, made a big difference.

[@SimonSaysDIY]

I need one of those! :)

[@str8kronic]

I thought with a truss system, there wasn’t any interior walls that were supporting ? I have an extremely similar house as yours, and I removed the wall separating my kitchen and living room, and now I’m super nervous lol. I had 3 separate people tell me the wall was fine to take out, but I’m still nervous

[@SimonSaysDIY]

Yeah, good question. My house didn’t have trusses. It used rafter system and a lot of the supports had been taken out by someone that didn’t know what they were doing. So first the roof was weekend by a previous homeowner. And this particular setup used the walls below it to give it more strength as each support tied into the top of the wall below. Trusses can span far distances without sagging and would be much better than the setup I had in this attic. So that may be true in your case. I hope this was helpful.

[@str8kronic]

@SimonSaysDIY yes very helpful thank you. I need to get up in my attic and do pretty much everything you did..I just keep procrastinating lol. Thanks for the reply and thanks for thr video

[@LJRockstar]

Great video. Why no eye protection?

[@SimonSaysDIY]

Thanks! 😄 yeah I probably should have but didn’t think of it honestly.

[@mar1video]

@@SimonSaysDIY - you got pulled over by the safety police 😉

[@jamesdavies686]

Leveling out all that insulation looks good but you probably messed with the R value. You should probably blow in another 6 inches to get it up to code.

[@rarechiga]

What size boards are you using to work in the attic?

[@SimonSaysDIY]

I could only fit 18 inch wide boards up through the attic access door. They were easy to move around when needed and still wide enough to crawl across.

[@deviousuno9778]

One thing you missed was baffles. You should have used our installed baffles. A must have.

[@cannonball134]

Which baffles are you recommending?

[@takismantas1159]

Nice work. I don't see ventilation chutes between rafters. Have you consider them so the insulation is not blown away?

[@wedontknowlol]

What an awesome, yet long, commercial for rigid batteries 😂😂

[@leeknivek]

Instead of running 2 wires for the switch you only need to run one as a switch leg, so black goes to every light, white goes to every light, and down the line the switch connects them. Much less work and less wire.

[@lavishlex]

Do you need specific insulation for an attic?

[@gentivideo]

Thank you for the clear and well put together videos. I noticed that you were using the regular foam and not the orange/fireblock. If you were to do it again, would you use the regular one or the version that is more resistant to fire? Thank you again!

[@SimonSaysDIY]

Thanks!! I would probably stick with the normal, However, I currently have all led bulbs in the can lights that I sealed around so the heat given off by them is very minimal. If fluorescent or incandescent bulbs are used I would recommend using the fire-resistant foam as the heat would be much higher. if you would rather use the fire-resistant foam for everything it certainly wouldn't hurt anything.

[@gentivideo]

@@SimonSaysDIY Thanks for the reply. After writing the question above I went into a rabbit hole researching and the store-bought orange foam is basically the same as the regular foam. Somebody had even posted an article with the title "A Can Full Of Lies". Thanks again and looking forward to the other videos you have posted here.

[@SimonSaysDIY]

Wow, good to know, thanks!! :)

[@billrose5146]

With the added foam around the lights, how long does the foam take to "dry" before filling in the insulation on top of it? There is a roof support that looks like it is sitting on an added board with a 1" toenail. Did you fix that when you fixed the sagging roof? How could the previous owner add that and leave it that way?

[@SimonSaysDIY]

Thanks! It takes a few hours to harden. Yeah I replaced that support. I was completely shocked to see what this guy had done up there. He really messed up a lot!

[@dominiquesauvage2547]

I would be careful as termites love the expanding foam.

[@vroor32]

Huh? 🤔

[@boudreauxish]

Did doing this help with your electric bill? And is it really hard to change a light later with that foam insulation being on it?

[@bryanrackley2058]

I would get the cheapest LED pancake style fixtures. You're gonna crack your head on one of those light bulbs.

[@SimonSaysDIY]

Haha yeah I broke several bulbs in the process of working up there. Thanks!

[@kkmc4513]

Great video. What type of contractor can I call to assess attic support beam, exhaust vents & insulation?

[@dalgire245]

If the home has vented soffit, it is possible to vent the range exhaust there

[@SimonSaysDIY]

Unfortunately the soffits aren’t vented. It only has vents at the peak of the gable on both ends.

[@robcarr9494]

If soffits are vented, it is not a good idea to push range exhaust out through the soffit. Should go through wall of structure to outside or through roof.

[@AJ-bi6ns]

Never vent into an attic, range vents drastically increase humidity as well as pose a risk of grease. Just not worth the risk.

[@deltron9322]

Don’t you want the paper moisture barrier of the insulation present face down?

[@andrewmckinlay2964]

If they installed a beam to take over the load for the load-bearing wall they removed, why did you need to install knee walls?

[@Pallidus_Rider]

KZbin recommended this video 👍

[@SimonSaysDIY]

Thanks for watching!

[@KernelBill]

16:56 - 16:57 there’s a diagonal 2x4 in frame just past his right hand. is that even attached to anything? It looks like maybe it’s connected by the bottom half inch or so. Great video btw!

[@SimonSaysDIY]

Yeah, I found several issues like that one. The previous owner made some modifications and almost all of them were done poorly. I had to replace a whole section of the roof supports because it was messed up so bad and the roof was beginning to sag. Here's the link for that video. kzbin.info/www/bejne/kILTe6OFhsaWY9U. Thanks!

[@Kudeghraw]

kinda looks like what I am dealing with. Its not big enough to consider any sort of room, but the storage space cannot be denied. I am looking into how I can snag a bit more room and square things up by installing vertical rafter supports instead of the slanted ones. Might double up on them for shits and giggles Then it is just a process of finding a spot for an access ladder and beefing up the ceiling joists to bear more weight. Maybe it could be a futon room someday, but just want the storage for now.

[@angryox3102]

I’m shocked at how much dust was on the filter. I frequently run ethernet cables in office ceilings. I’m going to start masking up.

[@SimonSaysDIY]

Yeah, I won't go up there without a mask now. Thanks!

[@MAGAMAN]

Now that you are done, can you clean up my attic? I have more room than you do (I can almost stand up straight in the highest part). Also, instead of having what might be an insurance canceling code violation in your attic, you can buy a "temporary" light stringer from home depot for about $60 and just plug it in with an extension cord whenever you are in your attic. I bought a 50 foot, 5 light stringer from home depot and it gives a ton of light and can be moved to other areas if needed or even used other places and it does not violate and electrical codes.

[@miketyrawa1568]

You make me feel better about my ocd lol. Great work on your attic. Do you have a percentage estimate on how much this helped with your energy bills after a few years have passed?

[@williamnewman8850]

Not sure tieing up excess wiring is good idea. If you are redoing everything might as well cut off excess wiring and run directly to where it needs to go rather then have all this extra wiring

[@johncole3010]

I’m South Tx an attic space had rattlesnake skins laying around. Another one in the Hill Country was infested with scorpions. Can you do a video on properly Installing radiant barrier sheeting ? Thanks

[@JNHEscapes]

I have bought, sold and renovated many houses. Home inspectors are useless (I even got licensed as one and it’s comical how little they really have to know). If you do this enough you can inspect better than an “inspector”. The first thing I noticed was the framing shot at the beginning was horribly wrong. I had to pause it and wonder wtf they were thinking. Some things I recommend: there is no need to run 12 awg yellow romex for attic lights. 14 awg is much easier to deal with and led bulbs take very little power. The white plastic clips are garbage and will turn brittle in the attic heat over time. You need to always use electrical rated metal staples. Keep in mind they make airtight can lights and no matter if you spray foam yours or not the cans themselves have holes all in them. Use gasket tape on the holes or remove the cans entirely and install the new trim type that seals against the sheetrock and only has a lead wire and box. You can buy foam vents to put in the rafter cavities to allow ventilation but also allow you to add thicker insulation. When I was in my early twenties I spent a great deal of time in attics doing exactly what you just did and these days I will literally have an insulation company come in and vacuum out the entire attic so I can fix everything and then reinsulate. Insulation breaks down over time and turns to dirt practically and should be replaced in older homes. I just started a 1800 sqft house and the first thing I did was have the attic cleaned out including all the ductwork. Very easy to see what you have and fix problems. Blown in insulation is cheap to put back or roxell which i love. The struts and purlings in your house need to be fixed they’re awful and nowhere near correct or supporting much of anything. It appears several have been cut off also bad. Keep in mind the collar ties at the top of the peak do not support downward load they are for uplift only. Your downward load are the struts and you need more. They should always go to a load bearing wall and L brace. The electrical is a nightmare too it should be cleaned up. Junction boxes are not the answer. Great for you to learn keep it up…every project I do I still learn something new.

[@drophammer776]

Be careful which wall openings in the attic you seal. Figuratively speaking the exterior walls and the walls around a bathroom. The house needs to breathe and many times when the caulk or grout in the bathroom goes bad, the space between the walls in the attic will breathe. After sealing the humidity builds up causing moisture following mold, then health issues.

[@SimonSaysDIY]

Thanks for the tip!

[@tonyc7352]

That is entirely wrong. Letting inside air, especially moist, bathroom air leak into the attic will cause so many problems, including "mold and health issues". This is especially true for exterior walls that are right at the eaves. The bathroom must have an exhaust fan that moves the moist, warm air to the outside, that is the only "breathing" (ventilation) that should happen. This isn't one of those my-way/your-way type of things, it is simple and black and white. There isn't an universe where it is better to let bathroom air leak into the attic. Not even half-qualified builder would agree with your advice here.

[@andrewmckinlay2964]

Um, isn’t there supposed to be a water barrier behind the tile?

[@priceandpride]

How do you make that foam not look like garbage?

[@joecochran6343]

You gave termites a feast??try using milk cartons as a foothold instead of wood👍👍

[@SimonSaysDIY]

Thanks for the tip.

[@MAGAMAN]

When you installed that knee wall, was there a supporting wall beneath it? If not, you are likely going to have ceiling problems because of this.

[@GroovyMisfit]

What is the make and model of your head lamp?

[@Matt34677]

How old is this house?

[@SimonSaysDIY]

It was built in 1966.

[@Racer1691]

That tool you're using to spread out the insulation. Did you build that, or buy it. If so, how or where?

[@ErnestoMunoz2075]

Nice. 😊😊😊

[@travis4308]

A Mr sparky that actually cleans up his mess 😂 good luck if you do that you probably not a sparky.

[@jamesj5469]

I'd really like to do that with the plywood just in case I have to work up there again

[@drjoephd]

Lots of code violations from before and after your little project. Worst one is your didn’t use fire resistant caulking in the penetrations through the top plates.

[@kack7130]

do you hear house settling in the attic? I am trying to fix mine

[@jumar360]

Yeah, free drill!