The homeowner had noticed dark staining on his roof deck sheathing inside of the attic and his insulation was not properly installed on the attic floor. The homeowner also mentioned that his HVAC would come on after just shutting off, implying that his home was not holding a constant temperature for very long. Mold growth was found on the roof deck sheathing and trusses, also the HVAC system would turn on more than it should. The problem was caused by Fiberglass Batt insulation blocking the soffits and not allowing proper ventilation. The soffits also did not contain baffling. The attic floor also contains 13 can lights that were not covered, causing more penetrations in the attic floor to leak conditioned air into the attic. The homeowner chose to have the problem fixed because we were very thorough with explaining the problems that existed with the attic and he could see why his problems with mold in the attic along with not being properly insulated would not go away without fixing the problem properly. The homeowner's biggest concern with that he was spending money to heat and/or cool the home and his money was being spent just to go up into the attic. He was also concerned that the mold growth would get worse and cause health problems for his wife and himself and would also cause problems with the structural integrity of his roof.

  The homeowner chose our company because we were able to put forth a plan that the homeowner was able to agree with as well, which would be a solution to fixing the mold growth in his attic and making his home more comfortable with having his attic floor air sealed and insulated properly for Michigan zone weather. Our solution was to remove the current Fiberglass Batt insulation that was on the attic floor, Remediate the mold that was in the attic, install 13 can light covers and air seal them, install baffles into the eaves to allow proper ventilation from the soffits once the insulation was blown in, air seal all the accessible penetrations in the attic floor, air seal and insulate the scuttle cover and install R60 insulation on the attic floor. Inside the attic there was a cathedral ceiling that possessed a certain amount of difficulty to access as the truss supports were close together. We used a combination of products to achieve our results. We used Mold X2 products, DuroVent Baffles, TiteShell Can Light Covers, ZypFoam, SilverGlo and TruSoft Cellulose. The homeowner now has a mold free attic and is now able to keep his home warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer without his HVAC coming on so frequently with a properly air sealed and insulated attic. 

  The homeowner had a roof leak at one point and mold growth caused, they were also told by a home health audit that they could use more insulation for energy efficiency. Mold growth was found on top the roof decking and rafters. They also had rooms that were cold below the attic floor. A roof leak was causing added moisture into the attic with not having baffles installed proper ventilation from the soffits to the ridge vent. Attic floor penetrations had also not been air sealed prior to installing the fiberglass batt insulation when the home was built. Nine cans lights were not air sealed on the attic floor allowing airflow to escape into the attic from the conditioned air space below. The homeowner chose to have the problems fixed because they could see how not having proper insulation on the attic floor and not having penetrations on the attic floor air sealed meant they were not only spending money to heat and cool their home but they were losing that air they paid to heat and cool the home to the attic. The homeowner's biggest concern was that they were losing money heating and cooling the home to the attic that they paid for to heat and cool the conditioned space of the home.

  The homeowner chose our company because we were able to show them that they would be able to save money on energy with a properly insulated attic. We also used thermal imaging to show them the heat loss coming from not having the can lights air sealed and covered with can light covers. Our solution was to remediate the mold that was on the roof decking and rafter, remove the existing batt fiberglass insulation and air sealed all the accessible penetrations, top plates and can lights with polyurethane foam and install R60 Cellulose to the attic floor. We ran into a couple challenges during the installation process. We had difficulties fitting the bags of old insulation through the scuttle because the old insulation made the bags thick with only a few pieces in each bag. We also had difficulty with walking through the attic because the attic did not contain trusses and the rafters were hard to reach making it difficult to walk safely. We used a combination of products to achieve our end result. We used Mold X2 products, Durovent Baffles, ZypFoam, SilverGlo, TiteShell Can Light Covers, Can light flag markers, and Stabilized TruSoft Cellulose Insulation. The homeowner now has an energy efficient attic and will be saving money on energy bills while also reducing the changes of ice dams. They also have a healthy mold free attic that will help reduce allergens within the home.

  The homeowner had just bought the home and during the home inspection mold was found all over the roof inside of the attic. The homeowner also explained that the temperature upstairs was not consistent with the temperature on the main floor. Mold was found all over the roof sheathing, trusses and insulation. The upstairs was around 10 degrees cooler than the downstairs during our inspection in the winter. The problem was caused by high humidity in the attic being caused by lack of ventilation coming from the soffits as they were blocked with insulation. The insulation on the attic floor was also lacking causing condensation to build up on the roof deck from warmer air coming in contact with the cool roof. The homeowner chose to have the problem fixed because he knew he had to get this taken care of before the problem got worse and it would save him money in the long run with not spending so much money on his utility bills. The homeowners biggest concern with the problem was that his family was living under a mold infestation that was a large health concern.

  The homeowner chose our company because we were knowledgeable about our solution to correct the problems that were going on that he was concerned about and that he thought we were reasonably priced for the work that we proposed. Our solution was to remediate the mold in the attic and remove all of the insulation that was in the attic. Once the mold was removed and the attic was restored to a clean and healthy space we would air seal the attic floor with cellulose to an R60 value. We faced two challenges during the insulation process. The first was the slope of the driveway made it difficult for our insulation truck to get up the hill without causing damage to the driveway and the step on the back of our insulation truck. We had to go over the grass about 2' in order to achieve the angle required to clear the back step from hitting his driveway. The second challenge was the amount of water we want through. We had a small crack in one of the brass fittings on our water collar that was leaking a lot of water and we had to refill our tank. We used MoldX2 products for the remediation, TruSoft venting baffles, SilverGlo, ZypFoam, Weather-stripping, Rockwool metal chimney wrap and TruSoft Cellulose. The homeowner now has a healthy clean attic and Energy Star rated attic insulation. After performing the job the homeowner had mentioned that the upstairs was noticeably warmer in just a few hours after completing the job.

  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 eave of the corner of the attic causing 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 going 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 2 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 her attic floor. Air seal all of the penetrations in the attic floor (top plate, bond plates, pipe 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 faced during the installation process was the insulation hose clogged multiple times because of a crack in one of the brass fittings on our collar. We used a combination of products to achieve our end results. We used 1" foamboard 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 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.

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.