Why a 1950s Cape Cod Feels Like an Oven Upstairs

No Attic Access? Here's How I Solved the Insulation Mystery in This Cape Cod

In this video, we perform an energy audit on a Cape Cod-style house in Baltimore, Maryland, with no access to the attic. Using a thermal camera, we identify areas of the home with missing or inadequate insulation, including the upper floor, knee walls, and attic slopes. This house, built in the 1950s, is a classic example of an under-insulated Cape Cod.

💡 What You’ll Learn:

📷 How to Use Thermal Imaging: Learn how an infrared camera can uncover hidden insulation gaps during warm months
🏠 Cape Cod Design Challenges: Understand why these older homes often have stale, humid attic air and comfort issues upstairs
🔍 Diagnosing Without Access: Find out how to evaluate insulation levels from inside the home using wall and ceiling scans
🛠️ Retrofit Recommendations: Explore options like open-cell spray foam or traditional air sealing and insulation
🔥 Signs of Trouble: Hot knee walls, poor summer comfort, and discolored ceiling areas that point to deeper problems

⏰ Video Highlights
00:00 Introduction and Overview
00:05 Using Thermal Cameras for Insulation Detection
00:45 Case Study: Insulation Issues in a Cape Cod
01:17 Inspecting the Attic and Knee Walls
02:03 Challenges and Common Issues in Older Cape Cods
02:49 Conclusion and Recommendations

🌟 Why Watch This Video?
If your upstairs rooms are sweltering in summer and freezing in winter, and you have no attic access to investigate, this video shows how technology and building science can help. Thermal imaging is a game changer for diagnosing insulation failures — and this Cape Cod is a textbook case. Whether you’re a homeowner, auditor, or DIYer, you’ll gain insight into how to assess and solve comfort and efficiency issues in homes with inaccessible attic spaces.

🌐 Learn More About Home Performance
Website: https://www.hometrustremodeling.com
Website: https://www.ericgans.com

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📘 Facebook Group for Energy Auditors:   / 384354076839150  

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Proudly working in BGE & Pepco's Home Performance w/ ENERGY STAR©® program in Maryland to deliver whole-house energy savings to improve comfort & help protect the environment.