During our discovery, the homeowner mentioned that the rooms on the second floor were much hotter in the summer. The homeowner complained about the high cost to keep the house cool in the summer, and also the different temperatures changes from first to the second floor. After our inspection, we found that the attic was very under-insulated, which was the major contributing factor in the second-floor temperature. We decided that a cap off would help reduce the air loss on the second floor, and used our Tru-soft Stabilized Cellulose so that we did not disturb, but increase the current insulation. We raised the R-value to R60 making the home much more efficient at keeping the cold air inside in the summer. This homeowner felt the difference in their home the same day.

  The homeowner explained that he was looking to upgrade the insulation in the home because he noticed that the home did not hold its temperature very well and that his HVAC system would come on all the time. The symptoms of the problem were that the home was cold and drafty during the winter and hot during the summer time. The problem was caused by having a lack of insulation on the attic floor to prevent the transfer of radiant heat into the home during the summer months and the transfer of heat from the home into the attic during the winter months. The homeowner chose to have the problem fixed because he was tired of paying too much for energy bills. He also wanted to upgrade the insulation in the attic because it was still original from when his home was built and was not even close to today's standards for code and energy efficiency. The homeowner's biggest concern was that he and his wife were not able to keep a consistent temperature in the home and therefore was not comfortable.

  The homeowner chose our company because we met him first at a Home Show and we were able to earn his trust that we would be the right company to fix his problems with his attic after seeing all the solutions that we were able to provide. Our solution was to remove the existing blown-in fiberglass insulation and air seal the attic floor penetrations. We then sealed the metal chimney chase and wrapped it with a rockwool sleeve to prevent insulation from coming into contact with it. We then installed an insulated duct to the bath fan exhaust and vented it out of the attic. We then installed 17" of cellulose insulation on the attic floor to get an R60 value and then air sealed and insulated his hatch cover with SilverGlo foam board. One challenge that we faced was that we were also going to insulate the garage ceiling with dense packed cellulose insulation because the bedroom above the garage ceiling was experiencing cold floors during the winter but found that we were unable to fit our hose between the subfloor and the existing fiberglass batt insulation. So we had to remove insulating the garage ceiling from our solution. We used EZ roll Rockwool wrap, ZypFoam, SilverGlo, DuroVent Baffles, TruSoft Cellulose and Masterflow 4" insulated flex duct. The homeowner now has a properly insulated attic and is now energy efficient. The home is now maintaining a constant temperature and the HVAC is coming on far less often making the home more comfortable and costing the homeowner less to heat and cool the home.

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.

  The homeowner explained that he was looking to upgrade the insulation in the home because he noticed that the home did not hold its temperature very well and that the HVAC would come on all the time. The symptoms of the problem were that the home was cold and drafty during the winter and hot during the summer time. The problem was caused by having a lack of insulation on the attic floor to prevent the transfer of radiant heat into the home during the summer months and transfer of heat from the home into the attic during the winter months. The homeowner chose to have the problem fixed because he was tired of paying too much for energy bills. He also wanted to upgrade the insulation in the attic because it was still original from when his home was built and was not even close to today's standards for code and energy efficiency. The homeowner's biggest concern was that he and his wife were not able to keep a consistent temperature in the home and therefore was not comfortable.

  The homeowner chose our company because we met him first at a Home Show and we were able to earn his trust that we would be the right company to fix his problems with his attic after seeing all the solutions that we were able to provide. Our solution was to remove the existing blown-in fiberglass insulation and air seal the attic floor penetrations. We then sealed the metal chimney chase and wrapped it with a rockwool sleeve to prevent insulation from coming into contact with it. We then installed an insulated duct to the bath fan exhaust and vented it out of the attic. We then installed 17" of cellulose insulation on the attic floor to get an R60 value and then air sealed and insulated his hatch cover with SilverGlo foam board. One challenge that we faced was that we were also going to insulate the garage ceiling with dense packed cellulose insulation because the bedroom above the garage ceiling from our solutions. We used EZ roll Rockwool wrap, Zypfoam, SilverGlo, Durovent Baffles, TruSoft Cellulose, and Masterflow 4" insulated flex duct. The homeowner now has a properly insulated attic and is now energy efficient. The home is now maintaining a constant temperature and HVAC is coming on less often making the home more comfortable and costing the homeowner less to heat and cool the home.

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.