Where Does Heat Go?
In a thermal image, cold surfaces are shown darker than light, warm surfaces. I got a call for a cold top floor apartment in a building with a functioning heating system. I took this thermal image and revealed what looks like a past roof leak had compromised the insulation at the ceiling level and the…
In a thermal image, cold surfaces are shown darker than light, warm surfaces.
I got a call for a cold top floor apartment in a building with a functioning heating system. I took this thermal image and revealed what looks like a past roof leak had compromised the insulation at the ceiling level and the wall below (shown in blue).
How important is insulation? This apartment is about 8 degrees cooler than the one next to it.
wow where can I get a thermal picture like that taken of my apartments? My house is semi detached and LORD it would be good to see where to make fixes.
FLH, Your basement is about 55-60?????? You are losing heat to the basement. it should actually be a lot MORE colder. Get your pipes or your ductwork insulated.
MP,
if you’re still reading this, is it bad for a cellar to be cold? I live in a three story, and the cellar (where the boiler and hot water heater are), is probably 5-10 degres colder than upstairs. Does this mean the heating is less efficient?
hah. Any shot like that taken in my house would be so dark blue it would look like a black hole. My olde walls are basically brick, with a shmear of plaster.
I have a two columns of problem spots like this going through all four floors of the staircase side of my house. There’s an unoccupied brownstone (part of a twelve year estate battle) next door. While its roof isn’t leaking, the interior of the party wall is obviously much colder behind the its flues, front and back – to the point where the plaster on my side is cracking in those areas due to the difference in temperature.
Interesting.
In general tho, insulating my crawl space a good idea? What’s impact of tighter insulation in the summer when upstairs is wayyy hotter than down?
I would tend to agree with the hidden Chimney theory. It looks too straight to be spotty water damage. Unless that section of insulation was completely removed.
Good point, DIBS, this has to be an exposed side wall. But a top floor in an attached row, whether brownstone, brick, tenement, or frame, could easily have an exposed side wall on the top floor if the building next door is shorter, and the chimney would be internal, meaning no room for insulation. But if the wall is flat inside, then the chimney has to be exterior, meaning there is a side yard.
Interesting, but not surprising.
My new place is pretty badly insulated and there are several places where I know it is losing tons of heat.
My landlord seems to be OK with this despite the fact that I control the thermostat and he pays the heat.