Knee wall spaces are small spaces commonly found in combination with cathedral or sloped ceilings in finished attics, behind a short wall, and come with or without a small door to access the area.
Typically these spaces are treated as if they were outside the thermal boundary of the house. They are not insulated as you would insulate an attic, and the small wall that separates it from the living area isn’t insulated either.
The roof above the knee wall can reach scorching temperatures during the summer, and get freezing cold during the winter. In addition, soffit vents used to vent the roof allow dirty, unconditioned air from the outside to flow inside the home.
The unconditioned air will then leak into the conditioned area, transferring its extreme temperatures to the whole house through the walls and cavities.
All of this air leakage and heat transfer makes your home much harder to cool and heat, increasing your energy bills. That is the reason why in homes with knee wall spaces, Dr. Energy Saver considers knee wall insulation an energy efficient priority along with attic and foundation insulation.
In this particular case, the knee wall was insulated with SilverGlo™, a product that is exclusively available through the Dr. Energy Saver network. SilverGlo™ is a high R-Value, graphite-infused insulation foam board, lined with radiant foil that reflects the sun’s heat away from the home during the summer, and maintains the heat during the winter.
The space was then completely air sealed to stop air leakages, and is now included in the building’s envelope. Without the extreme temperatures and the air leakages, the space is now clean and suitable for storage. The adjacent rooms are more comfortable and energy efficient.
If your home has untreated, uninsulated knee walls or any architectural features that might be causing energy waste, call Dr. Energy Saver for a free estimate and evaluation.
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