Expert: Richard Taylor, AIA - 1/3/2010

Question
I noticed in our home (4 years old) that the girls' rooms which face west are really cold/hot.  When I looked in the attic, the dormers above their rooms are not insulated. The rest of the attic floor is insulated as well as the ceiling.  Could/should this space be insulated?  And if so where/how?  paper on ceiling facing the floor....paper on floor facing lower level?  are there areas to avoid?  Gap for air flow?  Is there something else I should check since the rooms don't heat and cool properly?  Both rooms have two large windows and the vent is below the window.  Air does come out of the vents.  

Answer
Good morning Lynn - thanks for your question!

Yes, you may have an insulation problem - the lack of insulation in dormers above your girl's room is like an open window...lots of heat being lost thru the attic!

You also have a "west facing" issue - the afternoon sun is probably really heating up that side of the house, especially with windows on that side.

Typically though, insulation is just part of the problem.  Often it's "loose construction" around doors and windows that lets in cold air and makes it hard to keep a room warm (it sounds like you suspected that already!).

You might not have enough air being delivered to the room - that could be from a number of reasons included a poorly-balanced system; a partially-closed damper; too long a distance from the air handler, etc.

So what can you do? Depends on how much work you want to take on.  Sealing up the "cracks" around windows (if any) is number one.  You can check this by feeling around the edges of the window on a cold day - you'll feel the cold air coming in.  The quick and dirty solution is caulk; the permanent solution is removing the interior trim and filling the gap between window frame and wall framing with expanding foam insulation.

You can have the heating system checked; a few small adjustments might help a lot.

And you can add insulation up in the attic.  But read the labels on the insulation batts carefully - paper-backed insulation is NOT to be used in exposed conditions (it is a fire hazard if not covered by drywall).  If you have paper backing showing in the attic now, cover it up or remove it.

You should also do a little research - or hire a pro - before you do too much insulating work.  Improperly installed insulation can lead to condensation, water damage, mold, etc.  It's very important, wherever you have insulation, to have a place for air to move around it and remove moisture.  Lots of info about this on the web however - especially from insulation manufacturers.

Hope this helps,

Richard Taylor, AIA
www.rtastudio.com
www.rtaplans.com
www.rtastudio.blogspot.com