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KNEE
WALLS
Another
type of attic access is a knee-wall door. A knee wall is typically
a partial height wall that is usually found in the upstairs level
of finished-attic homes. Knee walls are notoriously leaky and
often poorly insulated. Make sure that the knee-wall door is weatherstripped
and has a latch that pulls it tightly against the frame and weatherstripping
to achieve a solid seal. Use construction adhesive and screws
to attach rigid insulation to the attic side of the door. Some
attic doors are full-height interior doors which should be insulated,
weatherstripped, and equipped with a tight threshold. Inspect
the rest of the knee wall and adjust insulation levels to meet
those recommended in the 1995 MEC or DOE Insulation Fact Sheet.
If not enough insulation is installed, first air seal the knee
wall before insulating. Consider covering the back of the vertical
knee wall with rigid insulation. Insulated sheathing, with the
seams caulked or sealed with housewrap tape, reduces heat flow
and minimizes the comfort problems commonly associated with drafty
attic knee walls.
In
new construction, an improved approach is to insulate and air
seal the rafter space along the sloped ceiling of the knee wall.
The rafters should be covered with a sealed air barrier, such
as drywall, rigid insulation, or foil-faced hardboard. One advantage
of this approach is that the storage area as well as any ductwork
is now inside a more tempered space.
The attic knee wall is often underinsulated and leaky. Install
adequate insulation and air seal around the living space for continuity
in the building envelope when addressing the knee-wall door.
Add
R-value to a knee-wall door by adhering rigid insulation boards
(sandwiched together with construction adhesive and screws) to
the back of the door. Pay special attention to the clearance between
the insulation and the door frame and air sealing details.
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