Detached garage – make sense to insulate?
tklinr
| Posted in General Questions on
I have a detached garage with attic trusses located in Wisconsin (zone 6). I would like to add insulation so the attic truss area can be a play area for my kids. No plans to heat or cool the space. Will the insulation be required to conform to code? Also, is a vapor barrier necessary if space isn’t conditioned?
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Replies
How finished a space will it be? I'm assuming drywall?
Even though you don't plan to heat or cool the space now, I'm guessing that it will have some sort of heating or cooling at some point in the future whether that's an installed mini split or just a space heater. If not you, someone will probably do it since it'll be a finished space. Might as well take that into consideration for any of the current plans.
Just planning on drywall, basic trim and an LVT floor for a play area in case bad weather keeps kids inside. The garage is at our cabin that gets used a few days a month. I suppose it could be cooled or heated in the future for comfort but we don’t ever plan to use it for dwelling or maintain it as a continually conditioned space.
If just leaky like a barn, don't bother. If you want it reasonable wind proof, insulate, sheet rock, air seal. Makes it ready for any heat and moisture to be controlled should you choose to in the future.