This Herndon, VA homeowner had sevral areas of their home that were drafty and cold. Basically, making it not livable during the colder days in the winter, when it got below 35 degrees or so. A free evaluation from Comfenergy found several issues that we could solve. The cathedral ceiling was causing a "convective loop" that made heated air rise, and hit the cold ceiling, cooling the air off, and making it drop into the living space causing drafts.
Another issue was a cantilever that had little/no insulation in it.
Solution
Take a look at the pictures in this case study to address the cathedral ceiling, leaking can lights, and poorly insulated cantilever. Another multi-issue solution provided by Comfenergy!!!
Project Summary
Evaluator: Carl Depner
This Herndon, VA home had cold/drafty areas making it almost unlivable during the colder days of the winter.
Comfenergy found there to be a "convective loop" at the cathedral ceiling. The heated air would rise, hit the cold (poorly insulated) cathedral ceiling, cool the air, and drop onto the living space below. The can lights needed to be sealed before we could insulate the cathedral ceiling properly.
Here's a close up of the can lights being sealed from the inside, because they cannot be accessed from the attic in a sloped (cathedral) ceiling.
This pictured shows how we insulated the soffit from outside by routing a hose through each joist space in the cathedral ceiling. Then each hole is patched with a wooden dowel and caulked.
This cantilevered area also presented a big cold spot during colder days. Once opened it was discovered that the builder didn't even insulated beneath this area. Brrrr!!!!
This is the properly insulated cantilever. Comfenergy used closed cell spray foam to air seal and fill the cavity properly to keep the cold air from touching the floor above this cantilever.
