I have a 120 year old house w/ a flat roof, no attic and no insulation. I have a dropped ceiling on the top floor - drop is about 5". Ceiling tiles are not insulated. I plan on getting insulation and having it rest on top of the ceiling tiles.I live in Pittsburgh, PA where we get hot summers and cold winters. What would be a better insulation - traditional fiberglass or radiant? Radiant appeals to me since installation is easier, but if it won't be as effective, I won't do it. Thanks!
I would get the lightest by weight. Make sure your structure that holds the tiles can carry the extra weight of the insulation with out warping or bending!
Leave it - taking it out won't warm your main level enough to do any good. The fiberglass insulation is also insulating your main level. It's also a great sound barrier. Just leave it. The pains you'd go through trying to pull it out would be much more than what it's worth anyways... That fiberglass is nasty stuff! You'll be iching for days, I swear... It's just plain nasty.
get cellulose. fiberglass will melt in you have a fire, then your house will burn. cellulose while it is paper, will not burn. it has borax and other fire retardant things in it.
