This kneewall in Union Beach, NJ is poorly insulated, allowing unwanted hot and cold air to leak into the house. In winter, inadequate insulation leads to air leaks through fascia/soffit assemblies or soffit vents, resulting in colder rooms. Similarly, during hot summers, radiant roof heat enters through the kneewall, leaking hot air and making the home uncomfortable.
Solution
Our solution involves installing SilverGlo rigid foam board insulation blocks between the ceiling joist bays and sealing them with spray foam. This prevents air infiltration through the ceiling joists and into the conditioned room floors, eliminating cold floors. Additionally, we'll apply SilverGlo under the rafters up to the kneewall, sealed with foam sealant.
SilverGlo features a radiant barrier on both sides, reflecting roof heat out in summer and retaining house heat in winter. By creating a thermal barrier, we keep unwanted outside air from entering the kneewall and ceiling joists. The result is significantly warmer upstairs rooms in winter, cooler rooms in hot weather, reduced drafts, increased comfort, and lower energy bills.
At the entrance of the kneewall, air is leaking through the ceiling joists and roof rafters, leading to uneven temperatures in the conditioned rooms.
As we insert the camera into the joist bay of the kneewall, we can observe why air is passing through into the conditioned rooms, resulting in cold floors. Blocking the joist bay with SilverGlo blocks and sealing it with spray foam will help prevent cold air or unwanted air leaks into the conditioned rooms, ensuring a more comfortable environment.
We can clearly see the lack of insulation along the entire length of the kneewall. The insufficient insulation fails to properly insulate the conditioned rooms and prevent cold air from infiltrating the floors.
Upon closer inspection, the fiberglass insulation is ineffective at insulating against outside air. There is no insulation on the adjoining wall or the walls of the conditioned rooms, allowing outside air to easily infiltrate the conditioned space.
We install SilverGlo insulation under the rafters up to the kneewall and seal it with foam sealant or spray foam. SilverGlo includes a radiant barrier on both sides, reflecting roof heat in the summer and retaining house heat in the winter. This thermal barrier effectively prevents unwanted outside air from entering the conditioned space and floors. This photo was taken during the work in progress. Once completed, this home will have a thermal barrier that protects the owner from outside air, ensuring greater comfort and energy efficiency.
