This Friday our bonus room knee walls were repaired by a local insulation contractor. The repair procedure was to cut through drywall for the east wall and cut through OSB sheathing on the garage attic access.
Photographic evidence revealed that the friction-fit fiberglass batts placed in the ceiling slope had fallen into the knee wall cavity. This was the cause for the 46.5 degree temperature recorded next to an ambient temperature of 68 degrees or a 21.5 degree cold spot in the bonus room.
It is ironic that I predicted the problem based upon what was found in the great room knee wall that had afforded easier access. Sam Rashkin of the EPA (in charge of the Energy Star program) had felt that the infrared thermo imaging photos revealed mere air infiltration problems. He was wrong and was prepared to allow the home builder to skip this problem.
The use of Friction-fit fiberglass batts without complying with the Thermal Bypass Checklist requirements of Energy Star is a recipe for disaster.
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