chevynut
07-23-2013, 06:23 PM
I've been working the past week or two on insulating my shop. I'm finished and will try to get it inspected tomorrow, so I can start with the drywall. Gotta get this damned thing done before snow flies!!
I had an interesting discussion with the inspector last week. The new county "energy code" requires that you have R13 walls and R30 ceilings if the building is heated. I plan to heat mine. I also have a 10x38 foot floor in the storage attic. The trusses have 2x6 lower chords, so I asked if I needed to raise the floor so I could get to R30, or what I had to do to meet the requirements.
If I was an inspector and someone wanted to do this, I would approve an AVERAGE of R30. My 10x38 attic floor is about 30% of the shop area. If a guy put insulation in the 2x6 area and it was R19, I would approve of a higher R-value everywhere else. Why not?
Anyhow, when I asked if putting R30 batts and compressing them to the 2x6 height was okay (which is what I did in the other shop), or if I needed to raise up the floor, they asked how I was going to use the shop. The inspector asked if I was going to use the "auxiliary building" exception. I asked what that was.
Well, if you only turn on the heat a couple of hours a day or have it on a timer, you DON'T EVEN NEED INSULATION! I told them I want to insulate it, just want to be sure I pass inspection. I said I'd put in a set-back thermostat, and they said to do whatever I want. I think I'll build up the floor anyhow, and blow in R30.
This shit is just crazy sometimes.
I had an interesting discussion with the inspector last week. The new county "energy code" requires that you have R13 walls and R30 ceilings if the building is heated. I plan to heat mine. I also have a 10x38 foot floor in the storage attic. The trusses have 2x6 lower chords, so I asked if I needed to raise the floor so I could get to R30, or what I had to do to meet the requirements.
If I was an inspector and someone wanted to do this, I would approve an AVERAGE of R30. My 10x38 attic floor is about 30% of the shop area. If a guy put insulation in the 2x6 area and it was R19, I would approve of a higher R-value everywhere else. Why not?
Anyhow, when I asked if putting R30 batts and compressing them to the 2x6 height was okay (which is what I did in the other shop), or if I needed to raise up the floor, they asked how I was going to use the shop. The inspector asked if I was going to use the "auxiliary building" exception. I asked what that was.
Well, if you only turn on the heat a couple of hours a day or have it on a timer, you DON'T EVEN NEED INSULATION! I told them I want to insulate it, just want to be sure I pass inspection. I said I'd put in a set-back thermostat, and they said to do whatever I want. I think I'll build up the floor anyhow, and blow in R30.
This shit is just crazy sometimes.