My engineering inspector said that I have a “cockloft” that has no subfloor and is uninsulated. I looked it up and it’s supposed to be the space between the roof and the ceiling. Next time I get a chance I will look at it again since I’m not sure exactly how high this cockloft can be. It seems to be accessable, however, as the inspector said that there is a hatch opening for it in the ceiling of a hall closet.


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  1. If you can add batts, that is probably best. If you are insulating rafters or roof joists, you need a baffle to provide an airgap and also a vapor barrier. I prefer unfaced batts very carefully installed and covered with plastic for the vapor barrier if the location suits it.

    A passive convecting vent will allow hot air to escape and help prevent mildew, but you also need some kind of return air vent. If you put the return on one end of the roof and the exhaust on the other, you will create an airflow that will uniformly exhaust the entire space. But an attic fan with its own thermostat is a better solution. And they don’t cost much.

    Check insulation manufacturer websites for in depth info. Insulation is easy to do poorly – and also pretty easy to do quite well.

  2. Would love to hear more stories about cocklofts, vents, and insulation.

    Our skylight is the original stained glass and it’s kind of odd. It has two tiers and is completely open to the cockloft. (Surely no chickens were roosting up there.)

  3. A cockloft is a space that is between the ceiling of the top floor and the roof from the inside. The original use of this area was for chickens where they would be kept at night when Brookyln was still a farming community and every family had a couple of chickens. This is what I have been told by personnel from DOB and I never heard from this before and most of the people still have never heard of such a thing.

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