Hello everyone,
We own a duplex apartment (2nd and 3rd floor) in a six-family house, built in 1993. Unfortunately, it’s quite noticeable that the more roof surface a room has, the warmer it gets in summer and the colder in winter. The roof surfaces are lined with tongue-and-groove wood panels. You can even clearly feel drafts when you place your hand on the gap between the panels and the wall. This draft is especially noticeable when we remove the recessed ceiling lights.
Attached is a photo I took through the opening of the recessed lights: You can see the roof rafters (estimated to be 10–15cm (4–6 inches) deep) and between them many narrow styrofoam panels (5cm (2 inches) wide, 5cm (2 inches) less deep than the rafters).
I have two questions:
1. Is this normal for a house built in 1993, or could this be considered a construction defect? For a building from that year, I expected something different, but I am no expert.
2. What is the most practical way to improve the insulation from inside the rooms? The sloping ceiling affects both our 2nd and 3rd floors. Unfortunately, we don’t have an attic that consists of a single room, as is often shown online.
Thank you very much for your support!
Best regards,
Mischa
We own a duplex apartment (2nd and 3rd floor) in a six-family house, built in 1993. Unfortunately, it’s quite noticeable that the more roof surface a room has, the warmer it gets in summer and the colder in winter. The roof surfaces are lined with tongue-and-groove wood panels. You can even clearly feel drafts when you place your hand on the gap between the panels and the wall. This draft is especially noticeable when we remove the recessed ceiling lights.
Attached is a photo I took through the opening of the recessed lights: You can see the roof rafters (estimated to be 10–15cm (4–6 inches) deep) and between them many narrow styrofoam panels (5cm (2 inches) wide, 5cm (2 inches) less deep than the rafters).
I have two questions:
1. Is this normal for a house built in 1993, or could this be considered a construction defect? For a building from that year, I expected something different, but I am no expert.
2. What is the most practical way to improve the insulation from inside the rooms? The sloping ceiling affects both our 2nd and 3rd floors. Unfortunately, we don’t have an attic that consists of a single room, as is often shown online.
Thank you very much for your support!
Best regards,
Mischa
Hello Mischa,
to effectively improve thermal insulation and eliminate drafts, I would suggest the following:
- Remove the interior lining of the roof slope
- Remove the polystyrene from between the rafters
- Install mineral wool insulation
- Apply a vapor barrier and seal it airtight
To improve summer heat protection, an exterior renovation with the installation of, for example, wood fiber insulation over the rafters would be more suitable, but of course, this involves significantly more effort.
Personally, I do not consider the insulation to be a defect. However, in renovation projects, I have not encountered this exact situation before, only something similar.
You can then attach a substructure to the vapor barrier and install a new interior lining, such as plasterboard.
Best regards,
Daniel
to effectively improve thermal insulation and eliminate drafts, I would suggest the following:
- Remove the interior lining of the roof slope
- Remove the polystyrene from between the rafters
- Install mineral wool insulation
- Apply a vapor barrier and seal it airtight
To improve summer heat protection, an exterior renovation with the installation of, for example, wood fiber insulation over the rafters would be more suitable, but of course, this involves significantly more effort.
Personally, I do not consider the insulation to be a defect. However, in renovation projects, I have not encountered this exact situation before, only something similar.
You can then attach a substructure to the vapor barrier and install a new interior lining, such as plasterboard.
Best regards,
Daniel
D.S._ schrieb:
Hello Mischa,
to effectively improve the thermal insulation and eliminate drafts, I would do the following:
- Remove the interior cladding of the roof slope
- Remove the polystyrene from between the rafters
- Install mineral wool insulation
- Apply a vapor barrier and ensure it is sealed airtight
For better summer heat protection, an exterior renovation with the installation of, for example, wood fiber insulation on the rafters would be more suitable, but of course, the effort is much greater.
Personally, I do not consider the insulation to be a defect. However, in renovations, I have not seen this exact situation before, only something similar.
You can then attach a substructure to the vapor barrier and install new cladding, such as gypsum boards.
Regards, DanielThe problem is that you are not allowed to do any of this without the approval of the homeowners’ association. Also, all six units would have to pay for this unnecessary renovation through the reserve fund. A condominium is a condominium. Anything beyond the interior of your own unit (beyond your wallpaper, I believe) requires approval, but as owners, you already know that.
Similar topics