half conditioned attic?

[Randy West]

R-30 batt insulation in an attic. It is installed on the webs, several feet above the ceilings and a few feet below the roof sheathing. The second photo is moving the insulation and looking up at the roof sheathing.

I know the paper should not be exposed under any circumstances. I am finding some 'conditioned' attics in newer homes with the insulation directly under the roof sheathing. Usually it is foam, not batt. But I have never seen insulation half way up in an attic. Anyone seen this before (perhaps unfaced, without the exposed paper?).

[Jerry Peck]

Can you say FIRE! in your report? :)

I would refer to that as: Insulation improperly installed in the wrong location, this makes the insulation not effective and also makes it a fire hazard.

[John Kogel]

It looks like the attic space was going to be finished, with vaulted ceilings, but they never got the drywall up there.

[Randy West]

I sent the photos to Mike Uniacke. He owns Advanced Insulation and is a well known insulation expert (instructor, speaker, several articles in the JLC, etc.). Here was his reply:

Randy,
Your hunch is correct. Only air impermeable insulation should be used in a cathedralized application. I believe this is what the IRC states. These batts need to dropped down to the ceiling below and the kraft paper should be turned around so that the paper is not exposed.