Can additional batt insulation be added later?

[Hobby_Man22]

I'm going to do R30 insulation on the roof of my steel building and R19 on the walls. I think they said it's double insulation where part of it is smooshed in between the outside panel and the other half is strapped on. All I know is the current building I have the only thing anyone wanted to do was spray foam because the building was already put together. Now I don't plan on installing hvac in this 50x60 building, but I don't want to limit myself down the road if one day I decide to. What do you guys think? Or am I wasting my money doing R30?

 

[The Cobbler]

ceiling insulation is the best bang for your buck. most heat is gained or lost through the roof . basically the more the better . that's assuming you can get to it after . and you don;t want it compressed or it looses R value

 

[bdbecker]

No, it would be money well spent. Even without HVAC, having ceiling insulation will really help buffer the heat of that Texas sun from getting into the shop. I couldn't believe the difference it made in my (admittedly smaller) garage during the summer - it is usually 10+ degrees cooler in there from the ambient temperature.

 

[Hobby_Man22]

No, it would be money well spent. Even without HVAC, having ceiling insulation will really help buffer the heat of that Texas sun from getting into the shop. I couldn't believe the difference it made in my (admittedly smaller) garage during the summer - it is usually 10+ degrees cooler in there from the ambient temperature.

Yeah I know when my current building had no insulation it was like 80 outside and 95-100 inside the building.

 

[jcarapet]

Trying to figure out the same problem for my soon to be TX garage. I am 100% committed to a 3" layer of spray foam for first layer and vapor barrier. I'm still deciding on how to retrofit in batts on top of it for additional and sound insulation. One idea I'm playing with is finding a way to attach z girts at regular intervals where it would hold in standard size batt pieces. Kind of like this but probably more jerry-rigged. https://www.cladiator.com/exterior-product-slotted-z-tm

 

[theoldwizard1]

Buy once, cry once ! At a minimum, spray foam the "joints" of the building. 2" over the entire inside is better. You can add more insulation later, but short term you have a well sealed building.

The industry calls it "Flash and Batt".

 

[pcmeiners]

Or am I wasting my money doing R30?

Texas, the closet I been to Hell on earth (Houston), definitely R 30 or better.


"I'm still deciding on how to retrofit in batts on top of it for additional and sound insulation. "

With standard fiberglass insulation you would get extremely little sound control, it would be a waste of time/money if that is your primary concern. Unless your batts are carefully installed, with no air movement within the batt area, your insulation value would also be low; air movement with fiberglass hurts it's R value considerably.

 

[BOBATMDT00]

I do not know, I am wondering if I put a drop ceiling Under my R30m Roof 2' below could I install another R19. I have R30 in the walls

 

[BOBATMDT00]

Another note I have the Insulation cut to the purlan with + 2" and the same for the walls, I do not how much help it is too not have the insulation crushed ,, but I know it must help a little . I hope that may help

 

[bigdav160]

IDK, my experience in the Post Oak Savannah of Texas, well insulated without climate control can be incredibly hot. When the daytime highs are triple digits and it's still 90 degrees at 12am insulation isn't going to make it comfortable.

 

[My Old Tools]

Mine is done that way and it works great.

 

[nadogail]

I have yet to hear any complaints about a building being "Over Insulated".

 

[Hobby_Man22]

IDK, my experience in the Post Oak Savannah of Texas, well insulated without climate control can be incredibly hot. When the daytime highs are triple digits and it's still 90 degrees at 12am insulation isn't going to make it comfortable.

Not if you dont have an hvac system. It will just be a well sealed oven at 12am most likely

 

[dcg9381]

I'm going to do R30 insulation on the roof of my steel building and R19 on the walls. I think they said it's double insulation where part of it is smooshed in between the outside panel and the other half is strapped on. All I know is the current building I have the only thing anyone wanted to do was spray foam because the building was already put together. Now I don't plan on installing hvac in this 50x60 building, but I don't want to limit myself down the road if one day I decide to. What do you guys think? Or am I wasting my money doing R30?

I assume this is a new building. I think you're frankly "nuts" to not consider HVAC in Texas - I mean it was 107 here on Friday. Even in a foam insulated shop, it's insanely hot without AC. Maybe you can handle that heat better than I can.. I've gotten old.

Department of energy recommends at least R30 on top in most of our climate zone. But frankly, that's for residential. It really depends how often you use it, how often you cool it, etc. I'm well under R30, so we "over HVAC" a bit. I feel that's the right decision for us because I may run the HVAC 1 or 2 days a week just for a few hours.

You absolutely can double down on insulation. Roof is the most important part, but it's the hardest part.
Walls, especially if you're going to frame them in, you can add a ton of additional insulation later.

Bang for the buck? 2" of foam to seal things up, add additional bat insulation in the walls. You'll have to figure out how to get that ceiling to R30... Personally, I'd just eat it and spray the foam on the roof deck to desired R value and finish the walls myself with additional rolls.

 

[My Old Tools]

I can tell you for a fact that an insulated building is cooler in the heat of the day than an uninsulated building. You don't get the radiant heat through the roof. Think about it, are you cooler in the shade or out in the sun? Insulation stops radiant heat like a shade tree. Yes, you'll need to ventilate if you don't HVAC. That said, I love my MrCool. On a 100 degree day, I can turn it on and hit turbo mode and feel it cooling things down instantly.