Insulating The Ceiling

Question: My house is 150 years old and I am finishing the attic to make it into a living space. The floor is insulated and I plan to insulate the ceiling. When I looked at the roof boards between rafters I noticed gaps between them and the tarpaper under the roof shingles is showing. What should I do about that?

Answer: Nothing. The boards have been separated for 150 years and the tarpaper and shingles span the gaps very well. In fact, those separations probably were done on purpose to allow the original shingles, most likely the wood to breathe. One thing to remember I to provide an inch of air space between insulation and roof boards, plus other ways to ventilate that space. This ventilation is generally recommended to prevent problems caused by possible condensation.

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