1920 built house help?

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chefman45887

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i have a cape cod with knee walls(knee walls have r-13) 2x8 ceiling joists knee walls with 5 ' height , 6 feet of room from knee wall tapering to drop walls which run down the wall joist as one unit blow in insulation 8 inches inbetween ceiling as well as wall joists at tru 2x4 no insulation on inside of the knee wall roofpitch . I have sofit and gable vents on each end on the rear of the house is power attic fan on each end as was as ridge vent. dimension of full house is 32' d by 24'w 1.5 story. I have owed for 11 years now and have done everything i can think of the keep the upstairs warm in winter , and cool in the summer , i have read putting plastic or a vapor barrier on the insulation on the knee wall will make is sweat mold ect and do no good. Any ideas options? i do have heat and ac going upstairs but the floor and the walls are still cold to touch.

Thanks in advance-

Mike
 
A real energy audit done with Infrared cameras to start, and blower doors after you do the fixes is the only way to get it done correctly.

You will get that money back from the test in the first 2 years in savings, and not ruin your home by sealing it up to tight, or attacking the wrong places.
Just my 2 cents.:)
 
May want to check under the knee walls and add rigid foam or solid blocking between floor joists to stop the air flow going from the attic. Also, above the knee wall, install same between rafters up tight to the insulation baffles there. Also did you air barrier (plywood or housewrap) the attic side of the knee wall insulation to prevent wind-washing? If the heat ducts are in the attic, the insulation should be in the rafters. Did you install baffles at the exterior wall/roof line to prevent wind-washing there? Like these, alone: Berger Building Products Or like these: Durovent - Economical Foam Attic Ventilation Channels BUT, only if you used these, too: Windblock
http://www.simplesavings.coop/simplesavings/SIMPLESAVINGS knee walls.pdf

Welcome To Home Energy Magazine Online

The fans may be short-circuiting the soffit vents: Audel Complete Building Construction - Google Books

Be aware of fans: Ron Hungarter investigates black mold with Air Vent, Inc.

Do you have a balanced venting system rated for your attic?

Be safe, Gary
 
well from the top of the knee wall to the peak of the house it has insulation that was put in before i purchased the home. but from looking at the links i have foamboard to install against the studs of the kneewalls put flooring down on top od the ceiling joists, and run the sofit vent baffle from the sofit to the peak of the knee wall and seal away. there are no heat ducts in the attic but i will be closing off the gable vents because i have ridge vent and sofit so i have proper inlet and outlet. and no black mold anywhere
 
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