Super Kneewall in Pittsfield, MA
Challenge
This homeowner in Pittsfield, MA wanted to reduce ice damming and make his home more comfortable. One problem was the kneewalls. Kneewalls that are not air sealed or insulated allow outside air to enter the home through the soffits. In addition, heated and cooled air from the conditioned space escapes into the kneewall through the end plates. We have the perfect solution to this problem!
Solution
First, our team air sealed the end plates. End plates are the tops of the walls of the home. They run along the entire horizontal plane. Properly air sealing the end plates prevents heated and cooled air from leaking into the kneewall from the conditioned space. Next, we installed our Super Kneewall with SilverGlo. Blocks of SilverGlo foam insulation are installed between the ceiling joist bays. SilverGlo is installed under the rafters up to the kneewall. SilverGlo is expanded polystrene foam insulation with graphite infused into the foam which increases the R-value by 24% compared to regular EPS foam. Now, the inside air can't escape into the kneewall and the cold, dry air in the winter and hot, humid air in the summer can't get in.
