No More Taking the Bad with the Good of Cape Cods
Nothing says home sweet home like traditional Cape style construction - They are cozy, simple, and have an undeniable feeling of authenticity. Sadly, that warm and cozy feeling doesn’t apply to temperature and comfort in these homes. Cape Cod’s actually preform very poorly when it comes to adverse weather. It is ironic because Capes are a popular architectural type to have near the sea. They endure cool breeze's year-round, but do a very bad job at keeping the house, and the people in it, warm.
3 Common Problems We Find With Capes:
If you own a cape or have ever been in the upstairs area of one, you know that the upper level is always much colder than the rest of the house. The great knee wall structure that makes efficient use of space unfortunately allows air to leak out like crazy. There are a couple of explanations for this problem.
- Cheap Oil Used To Mean No Need For Insulation - Most Capes that homeowners live in today were built back between the 1920's-1950's. It was during the cut-rate oil era, when the cost to heat your home was very cheap. Therefore, nobody really thought about insulation, it simply was on the back burner of people's minds. That is no longer the economy we live in.
- Leaky Knee Wall Spaces - Along with lack of proper insulation - and most times no insulation at all - the knee wall space is the main reason why air is leaking out and coming inside. Those triangular spaces on opposite ends of the home are unfinished. This allows outside air to travel through them from overhanging structure of the house, also referred to as soffits. For each cubic foot of air that is lost in this manner, your furnace must run longer to heat a replacement cubic foot of air.
- Hollow Floor Joists - The floor of the upstairs area is so problematic because the floor joists that support the upstairs flooring and the ceiling below are attached. This forms a hollow where that cold air will circulate and in turn pull heated air from both levels. This causes awkward and uncomfortable temperature levels throughout the home. Also, since the knee wall space is sitting directly above the ceiling of the rooms below, and since heat rises- that air is going to escape out through the leaky insulation work upstairs.
Solutions for Real Change In Comfort!
Our products, services, and expert installation will result in hot rooms being cooler in the summer, and cold rooms being warmer in the winter, all the while saving you money on your energy bills. Our specially engineered insulation options can stop the processes that causes discomfort dead in their tracks! If you have a Cape Cod style home that is experiencing these problems - or any home at all - give us a call today at 1-607-821-0519. One of our certified home comfort specialists will come out and provide you with a free, no obligation estimate! - The solutions are closer than you think!
