# Split-level house, no attic



## GoldStone (Mar 6, 2011)

I'm thinking about making an offer on a split-level house that looks very similar to the one shown below. The show-stopper is lack of attic. Or, more precisely, lack of insulation provided by an attic. I'm concerned that bedrooms upstairs might get too hot in the summer, forcing me to run A/C non-stop.

Someone told me I can install a membrane roof which has a better R-value than a regular roof. Aside from being an expensive upgrade, it's not going to be as good as a well-insulated, well-ventilated attic.

I'm looking for feedback from the forum members. Have you ever lived in a house like this? What was it like?

Thanks!


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## NotMe (Jan 10, 2011)

I'm in the same boat but own the house. Actually I have no idea where that house is but it looks a lot like the ones in my neighbourhood in Don Mills (Toronto area). 

Our house is a 4-level backsplit, with two attics. One is accessible and over the bedrooms, and the other - isn't. Technically I could go through a bedroom closet into the lower attic, but I've had several contractors tell me that's a bad idea because it might result in the walls cracking. (I'm not a construction guy). So I am nervous but keep a close eye on the top attic which seems insulated and fine and I haven't seen any evidence of mold or moisture coming down. Next time I get the roof done I will cut into the attic from the outside and repatch it. 

All that said, this house was built in 1961 and it seems fine in terms of temperature, etc. Because it's a smaller house I find it fine, and the bedrooms are just as cool as the lower levels. 

Are you sure there's no attic, and that its just that there is no access?


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## LondonHomes (Dec 29, 2010)

The best thing to do would be to get a copy of the current owners heating & cooling bills for the last year. That way you can see what they paid each month and know what your expected usuage will be be. (Assuming you would have simlar usage to the current owners).


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## Cal (Jun 17, 2009)

LondonHomes said:


> The best thing to do would be to get a copy of the current owners heating & cooling bills for the last year. That way you can see what they paid each month and know what your expected usuage will be be. (Assuming you would have simlar usage to the current owners).


+1. Your agent can help you get those.


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## marina628 (Dec 14, 2010)

Call Mike Holmes he will build another level on top for you and put the correct roof on lol.My friend Arlene has house very similar to this one and she has always had trouble regulating the temperature on multi-levels.She has a HVAC company come in and they added more heat runs.When she replaced the 31 year old furance and A/C with the added duct work ,she added ceiling fans in all the rooms .Her house was amazing after and her A/C was greatly reduced .Ceiling fans will make a huge difference on A/C bill and helps the system to become more efficient.


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## LBCfan (Jan 13, 2011)

Unless you have ceilings that follow the roof line, you have enough attic to insulate. There should be some access above the bedroom level to see what's there, have a look.

Does it have roof and soffit vents?


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## GoldStone (Mar 6, 2011)

Here's the actual house:










The roof slope is even lower than the similar house that I posed in my original post.

There is definitely no attic above the middle level (left side of the house). Living and dining rooms have exposed roof beams. The ceiling is sloped the same way as the roof. I'm pretty sure the bottom of the roof sheating acts as the ceiling.

Not sure about the space above the bedrooms (right side of the house). Now that I read all the responses, I'm having some doubts. There _might be_ a small attic in there. I need to take a second look.

I like the suggestion to check the heating and cooling bills. One caveat though. I can't trust this method 100%. Reasonable bills don't guarantee that the house is comfortable.


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## OhGreatGuru (May 24, 2009)

GoldStone said:


> I'm thinking about making an offer on a split-level house that looks very similar to the one shown below. The show-stopper is lack of attic. Or, more precisely, lack of insulation provided by an attic. I'm concerned that bedrooms upstairs might get too hot in the summer, forcing me to run A/C non-stop.
> 
> Someone told me I can install a membrane roof which has a better R-value than a regular roof. Aside from being an expensive upgrade, it's not going to be as good as a well-insulated, well-ventilated attic.
> 
> ...


That's pretty hard to say without a home inspection. Some of these house designs had sloped (cathedral) ceilings built with roof rafters, not trusses. So the only insulation sapce is the rafter space. There should be some ventilation space betweeen the top of the insulation and the underside of the roof deck. Others have some small attic spaces, possibly inacessible if they are low. (Roof vents and flat ceilings would indicate atttic spaces.)

In neither case can you add insulation by simply adding roof-top insulation and a roofing membrane.


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## kubatron (Jan 17, 2011)

@NotMe - where in Don Mills do you live? I'm in Parkwoods / Underhill area.


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## dogcom (May 23, 2009)

I live in Richmond BC and my house is a back-split with the post and beams you can see. We do have an insulated attic over the bedrooms and just a roof with no attic on the other side. Heating isn't a problem even though we don't use it all that much and our furnace is over 50 years old. I do however notice that it does get pretty warm in the area with no attic when it does get warm in the summer.


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## Dana (Nov 17, 2009)

GoldStone said:


> Here's the actual house:
> 
> 
> The roof slope is even lower than the similar house that I posed in my original post.
> ...


We have a slope in our house as well. the front part of our house has a cathedral ceiling with no attic above it - but it's not a part that we sleep in. 

I do not find that part of the house any warmer in the summer months (except perhaps in the morning as it faces east and has 6 large windows). One option is to put ceiling fans in the rooms to help circulate the air and draw it down.


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## NotMe (Jan 10, 2011)

kubatron said:


> @NotMe - where in Don Mills do you live? I'm in Parkwoods / Underhill area.


Hi neighbour. I'm at Lawrence and Underhill.


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