What is a Cockloft?
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…
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.
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.
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.)
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.
FWIW, I have a cockloft that’s maybe 5-6+ feet in the front of the house to several feet in the back, in a house built in 1919. The skylights go through the cockloft–they are open to the living space and the cockloft space is completely sealed with no access. I had to replace a big ceiling so was able to see up to the rafters during that and you can also tell the height by the three skylight channels. Two things of interest, the space was built with no vents that I can see which was a concern of mine. Secondly, it was originally insulated with a loose fill insulation (rock wool or similar). I added some fiberglass batts when the ceiling was replaced. My skylights have stained glass windows that sit at ceiling level and are removable and open on a hinge in addition to the small air vents on the roof glass domes.
Wow, I’m amazed at these wild problems. Feeling very lucky.
We have a typical 1895 BedStuy brownstone, 3 floors + cellar. The cockloft has about a foot of blown in rockwool insulation from who-knows-when. I’m sure sufficient air leaks into the cockloft to ventilate it, mostly from little gaps here and there in the front and the back, maybe from a couple of unrepaired holes in the plaster in the skuttle (that’s the name of the closet with the ladder to the roof hatchway). But there are no actual vents. And no mold, no cold, no layers of sweaters, no sky high heat bills.
There was a functioning 60s forced-air gas furnace when we bought the house 5 years ago. Then, in Oct ’08 we hired Victory Bros., to replace it with an efficient new Carrier. Smaller, more powerful 2 stage fan, coupled with a humidifier, so that all the warm air feels a little warmer, and no static. Installed in a day, $4000. Worth every penny. Our heating gas bill, which includes the water heater) was $179 during the very cold period we had in December/January of this year! Computerized thermostat is generally at 69 mornings and evenings, 65 at night and 67 during weekdays.
When the old furnace was removed it became evident that the heat exchanger had been breached by corrosion over time; in other words, some of the gases that should’ve gone up the flue were actually going into the ducts. It’s very important to replace an old furnace even if it seems to be working ok. It was a scary awakening to see that hole.
We keep all the passage doors closed so we don’t heat the hall/ stair. This is key.
I also laid panes of clear glass into the lower frame of the ceiling skylight frame. By using two pieces laying side by side, you can lift one onto the other during hot months to let some air pass into the cockloft.
The house has an extension, the ceiling of which is not insulated. It’s much chillier in there, so it makes a great bedroom. We preheat the bed with an electric blanket, and turn it off when we climb in.
Then again, looking on the bright side, flowers last for weeks.
What about just casually dropping some batting here and there across the joists?
It’s a good motivator to do the dishes, though. The hot water feels good.
Good heavens. Thanks for the warning.
I think ours may be considered an attic, after all. I can sort of stand up in there. Maybe it’s four feet or so? Not sure. Of course it slants down in the back because row house roofs slant down.
Our place is 2700 sf plus cellar. During the coldest time of the winter, it’s $400 for three weeks. The rest of the time it’s about $300 for three weeks. We have terrible windows that practically don’t work, so we’ve covered everything with plastic. We wear three sweaters at once and are freezing. We have the thermostat at 61. I’m sure a renter would never put up with this. But maybe it builds character.