The homeowner explained to us that his floors would get cold in his tri-level home and that he was not able to keep the heat and/or cool air in the home to regulate a comfortable living temperature. The home had two attics both which had R-30 batt insulation and a non-vented crawl space that was not insulated. The problems caused with not being able to keep heat and/or cold air in the home was in MI it is recommended that the attic floor contains between R-49 and R-60 insulation and the subfloor in his crawl space was not insulated meaning the subfloor did not contain a thermal boundary between the ground floor and the subfloor. The homeowner chose to have the problem fixed because he could see how not having a properly insulated attic and no insulation in his crawl space was causing discomfort in his living space and impacting his energy bills. The biggest concern the homeowner had was making sure that his home was energy efficient and able to hold its temperature for longer periods of time before his HVAC would come back on. 

  Our customer chose our company because we were very thorough with the tour for two showing what causes of the problems were and how we would best rectify the problem. Our solution for the main floor attic was to remove all of the insulation from the attic floor, air seal the attic floor and then install all new duel wide baffles with freshly blown R-60 cellulose insulation. For the top floor attic, it was too short to remove the insulation so instead we did a cap off of cellulose insulation on top of his existing Batt insulation to get that attic to an R-60 value and to regain the R-value lost by using Batt insulation. For the crawl space we installed R-19 faced Batt insulation between the floor joists on the subfloor in his crawl space to act as a thermal boundary for his floors above. When inspecting the main floor attic, Vermiculite was found under roughly 1/4 of the batt insulation on his attic floor. We had to call an asbestos company who came out and had taken samples to the lab to test for asbestos. Test came back negative so we were able to proceed. The other challenge that we faced was the height of the crawl space made it difficult to move around. The crawl space was 3ft tall from ground to subfloor. We used a combination of products to insulate the home. We used TruSoft Cellulose, ZypFoam, DuroVent Baffles, SilverGlo, foam board insulation and weather strips for the hatch covers and Owens Corning R-19 Batt insulation. The homeowner now has an energy efficient attic and crawl space allowing him to live more comfortably in his home while also saving money.

  The homeowner explained that they have been having problems with ice dams in one of the bedrooms of the home and that all of the bedrooms were cold during the winter months and hot during the summer. Some of the symptoms that were associated with the problems the homeowner pointed out were large amounts of ice building up on the gutter in one corner of the house. The drywall ceiling in the bedroom adjacent to the ice dams outside, was wet in the corner from water getting under the shingles and dripping down to the ceiling below. The problem was caused by a lack of insulation in the eaves of the corner of the attic conditioned warm air to radiate into the attic and melt the snow on the roof. The homeowner chose to have the problem fixed because she did not want any more water damage to the ceiling and she also wanted to upgrade the insulation in the attic to make the other bedrooms in the home more comfortable year round. The homeowner's biggest concern with the problem was that she was worried the ice dam was only to get worse and cause even more damage to the ceiling and she would have a potential mold problem.

  The homeowner chose our company because we were able to explain to her while doing our tour for two and using our Flir Camera why she was having issues with the ice dams and she was able to see how with her own eyes, that not having enough insulation in the eaves was causing warm air to radiate into the attic and melt the snow on the roof. Our solution was to remove all of the loose fiberglass insulation that she had on the attic floor. Air seal all of the penetrations in the attic floor (Top Plates, Bond Plates, Pipe and Wire penetrations ect.). Air seal and insulate her hatch cover properly. Lastly, insulate the attic floor with Cellulose insulation to an R49 R-Value. One of the challenges that we were faced during the installation process was the insulation hose clogged multiple times because of a crack in one of the brass fittings on our water collar. We used a combination of products to achieve our end results. We used 1" Foam Board for our insulation collar around the hatch. DuroVent Venting Baffles, SilverGlo, Weather-stripping, ZypFoam and TruSoft Cellulose. The homeowner now has energy star rated attic insulation and is no longer experiencing cold rooms. She is now no longer getting ice dams on the gutter in the corner of her house.

Insulation Installation and Home Comfort

Are areas in your home freezing cold in the winter and super-hot in the summer? Or just looking to improve your homes energy efficiency and comfort? the attic should be at the top of your priority list. Insulation and air sealing in the attic have a dramatic effect on the home's overall energy performance, and upgrades in this area can lead to significant savings on heating and cooling costs. 

Most homes in Michigan have R-30 (just under 10 inches) which was the previous code. With increasing to the current code of R-49 (approx. 15 inches) our homeowners experience significant savings on their heating bills and savings on their electric bills during the summer months when air conditioning is used. Think of your home like a large bag surrounding your living environment. If you turn your furnace or air conditioning off how long will the hot or cold air stay within your home? The more thermal barrier to the outside environment you have the less your equipment will run saving you money and increasing comfort

How the attic impacts home comfort

Cellulose insulation can be installed over existing insulation without interfering with your storage area

About 50% of energy costs are typically attributed to heating and cooling, making it one of the biggest expenses for many homeowners. The attic has a major impact on home efficiency for several reasons:

• Air leaks and drafts between attic and living space
• Air leaks and drafts between attic and outdoors
• Poor or incorrect ventilation
• Insufficient attic insulation
• Uninsulated ductwork in the attic

Best methods for improving attic efficiency

• Air sealing: The first step to improving attic efficiency is air sealing. Your attic is full of gaps and cracks that allows conditioned air to escape from the living space into the attic and unconditioned air to enter from the outside. Sealing these air leaks helps to keep your attic isolated from the outside and keeps conditioned air inside your home.
• Attic insulation: Many attics are lacking proper insulation, which is one of the biggest causes of energy waste and uncomfortable rooms. Raising attic insulation to proper levels prevents heat transfer between the attic and the living space, meaning your HVAC system will run less because conditioned air is being contained in the areas you want to heat and cool.
• Ductwork services: If you have ducts in your attic, they are affected by the extreme hot and cold temperatures that occur in that space. When you try to send cold air through hot ducts or vice versa, the air in the ducts is heated in summer (and cooled in the winter), making it difficult to heat or cool your home. Having ducts in attics is extremely inefficient, which is why duct sealing and duct insulation are smart upgrades for homeowners with ductwork in the attic.

Where Does Mold Grow?

First, it's important to know where to look. Mold tends to prefer cold, dark, and moist spaces. You probably won't find it in your living room, but your attic and crawlspace are much more likely hiding spots.

Mold will grow in places with a lot of moisture, such as around leaks in roofs, windows, or pipes, or where there has been flooding. Mold grows well on paper products, cardboard, ceiling tiles, and wood products. Mold can also grow in dust, paints, wallpaper, insulation, drywall, carpet, fabric, and upholstery.

And that's not all. You might also find it in doorways, windows, heating, and air conditioning systems. It enters your home either through the air or by being attached to other moldy items like old shoes or newspapers. Once it's there, it's difficult to get rid of.

Signs of Mold

The health risks of mold make looking for early signs that it's growing into your home absolutely crucial. If you see even subtle signs, it might be time to call for professional help to take care of the remediation. Some of these signs include:

Irritated lungs and breathing, similar to allergy symptoms.

A musty smell in the home or areas of the house.

Visible mold, both black and with potentially colored spots.

Water leaks, past flooding, or persistent condensation.

Rust and warping of materials due to humidity.

Most of these don't necessarily point directly to mold growth. They just point towards an environment that encourages this growth. That's why simply looking for them doesn't tend to be enough. A more comprehensive inspection is vital to making sure you know about any potential problems.

Can Mold Harm Humans?

The problems with mold are much more than just an inconvenience. Studies have repeatedly shown the many health risks that spores can bring with them. In fact, mold has been linked to anything from chronic coughs to allergic reactions, skin rashes, red eyes, and more. In some cases, it can get worse.

The reason mold removal services tend to be so important is what mold does to the health of some of the most vulnerable people around us. Most are particularly dangerous for those of us with autoimmune disorders, chronic lung disease, strong allergies, or asthma. And of course, it's worse for infants, children, and the elderly, whose immune systems might not be able to fight against it.

The lesson is clear: you don't want and probably can't afford to have mold in your home. Unfortunately, due to its favorite locations, it could also be difficult to find at times. A thorough inspection can help you find it, but looking out for early growth signs is also important.

Mold Prevention Tips

Ideally, you never let it get to a point where removal becomes a necessity. In the interest of your health and your home's value, you want to make sure that you can prevent rather than remediate the mold. A few tips can help you achieve that goal:

Keep the humidity in your home low, preferably under 40%.

Regularly check your home, particularly the potential problem spots mentioned above, for growth and take care of it early when needed.

Don't let wet areas stay wet. Dry them to make sure they don't become a hospitable environment.

During renovations, invest in mold-resistant drywall and sheetrock to create a less preferable environment.

Regularly clean your roof gutters to avoid any potential leaks or water entering the home in hidden spots.

Clean mold problems immediately, rather than letting them grow into a more significant problem.

It pays to be proactive. Still, you can't be expected to know every square inch of your home. In addition to these general tips, it pays to have regular mold inspections, both for your peace of mind and to be able to detect issues before they become major problems.