Insulating Multi-Level Attics

Unusual architectural features, such as multi-level attics make a home unique by giving it personality and helping to define the building's style.

Larry Janesky, owner and founder of Dr. Energy Saver, demonstrates how these charming features can significantly impact the home in terms of energy efficiency.
Multi-level attics create spaces that are hard to access, and therefore hard to insulate and air seal. These areas are often overlooked during construction, and they usually become gaps in the building envelope.

If properly insulated attics are the most important feature of an energy-efficient home, gaps in insulation and sealing in the attic are usually the number one sources of energy loss. In multi-level attics, small portions of the walls usually protrude from the attic floor. If not properly air sealed and insulated, they will cause heat from the living area to be lost to the unvented, cold attic during the winter, through the wall cavity. In the summertime, cool, conditioned air will escape and the scorching heat from the attic will transfer to the living space putting a burden on your air conditioner system.

Each insulation challenge demands a custom-designed solution. There are several techniques and insulation materials that can be used to close these gaps and the choice will depend on specific features of the area in question.

In this particular case, the portion of the wall protruding from the attic floor was insulated with SilverGlo foam board insulation, and air sealed using spray foam.

Are you experiencing inexplicably uneven temperatures around the house, with some rooms that are either much colder or much hotter than others? Does your home feel drafty or damp? At Dr. Energy Saver, we can help you fix all these problems and make your home more comfortable and affordable to own, by lowering your energy bills.

So don't wait! Give us a call today and see just how easy it is to have a greener, more enjoyable home.

For more tips on how to save money and energy at home, watch other episodes of Dr. Energy Saver's "On The Job" videos!