Insulating Chicago Bungalows and Cape-cod Style Homes

How to Solve Insulation Problems in Chicago Bungalows and Cape Cod-style Homes

Two of the most common requests for insulation assistance come from homes built between 1910 and the 1960s to accommodate Chicago’s growing middle-class population. Typically built on the standard 25×125-foot city lot, these homes include Chicago Bungalows and Cape Cod-style homes. Each has a unique architectural design and challenges.

1. Chicago Bungalows

Overview:
Chicago bungalows are distinctive for their brick construction, low-pitched roofs, and wide front porches. Designed as affordable, durable, and functional homes, they often feature spacious interiors and basements. Built-in rows along tree-lined streets, over 80,000 bungalows comprise about a third of Chicago’s single-family housing stock today.

Attic Design:
Initially, Chicago bungalows were constructed without finished attics. These spaces had steeply pitched roofs and were left unfinished to allow for future expansion as families grew or finances improved.

Conversions Over Time:
During the mid-20th century, many homeowners converted attics into living spaces, adding bedrooms, offices, or recreational areas. Today, while many bungalows have finished attics, insulation, and ventilation upgrades are often needed to improve energy efficiency and comfort.

Side note: if you are looking at purchasing a Bungalow with an unfinished attic, let’s talk before you do anything… It is much more cost-effective to solve the issue than to fix it afterward!

2. Cape Cod-style Homes

Overview:
Cape Cod-style homes in Chicago were primarily built between the late 1940s and 1960s as part of the post-World War II housing boom. These homes reflect a practical adaptation of the traditional New England Cape Cod design to meet the needs of Chicago’s growing middle class.

Key Features:
Cape Cod homes are compact, with steeply pitched roofs, dormer windows, and minimal attic space. The attic often includes small knee-wall storage areas and a narrow triangular space above the center of the home. These areas are usually poorly insulated, with limited or no access.

Insulation Challenges:
Poor attic access and inadequate insulation in knee-wall spaces, sloped ceilings, and small attic triangles can lead to significant energy loss and discomfort in summer and winter.

By combining advanced materials like spray foam and dense-pack cellulose, you can achieve year-round comfort, lower energy bills, and a more durable home

Solving Insulation Issues
To address insulation challenges in both Chicago bungalows with finished attics and Cape Cod homes, it’s critical to tackle the entire building envelope comprehensively: air sealing, insulation, and ventilation.

Step 1: Air Sealing

Air sealing is the first and most crucial step, guided by a BPI-certified energy audit ($500), which measures air leakage and identifies failure points.

• Use a blower door test to locate leaks.

• Seal common problem areas, such as knee-wall access doors, electrical outlets, plumbing penetrations, and framing gaps.

• Apply spray foam or caulk to seal gaps around recessed lights, ductwork, and wiring.

• Install airtight covers for attic access hatches or pull-down stairs if not using spray foam at the roof.

Step 2: Improve Knee-Wall Insulation

Knee walls, a hallmark of these homes, are often poorly insulated. Proper insulation is essential for energy efficiency.

• Remove old fiberglass batt insulation if it is compressed or poorly installed.

• Replace with spray-applied foam insulation, which provides high R-values and is an air barrier.

Step 3: Insulate Sloped Ceilings

Sloped ceilings in finished bungalows and Cape Cod homes often lack sufficient insulation.

• Blown-In or Dense-Packed Cellulose Insulation:

• Drill and fill voids to minimize settling and improve R-value. This method is less invasive but not as effective as spray foam.

• Spray Foam Insulation:

• For optimal performance, remove drywall to access the roof cavity and apply closed-cell spray foam. While more effective, this method requires more extensive demolition.

Step 4: Address Bathroom Ventilation

Proper ventilation is essential to control humidity and prevent condensation, which can damage insulation and lead to mold.

• Vent all bathrooms through the roof to the outside.

Conclusion

To make Chicago bungalows and Cape Cod-style homes more energy-efficient, addressing air sealing, knee walls, sloped ceilings, attic floors, and ventilation is essential as part of a comprehensive insulation plan. By combining advanced materials like spray foam and dense-pack cellulose, you can achieve year-round comfort, lower energy bills, and a more durable home.

Call Chicago Green Insulation at 847-987-3626 to schedule your paid energy audit and discuss your home’s unique insulation needs!


About the Author, Tom Decker

With ten years of experience selling spray foam insulation in Chicago, Tom Decker is THE person to call and the Chicago Green Insulation is the organization to hire when you are looking for top notch quality and performance as well as someone who can deal with the needs of code officials, home owners and general contractors. Call the others in Chicago, if you are interested in the cheapest price, call Chicago Green Insulation if you are interested in using your dollars to make Chicago a better city for all of us!

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