The upstairs level of the home was always more hot or cold depending on the season then the rest of the home below. Mold in the attic was a problem explained by the homeowner. The upstairs level of the home was much warmer at the time of inspection than the floor below. Mold in the attic was a problem explained the homeowner. The upstairs of the home was much warmer at the time of inspection than the floor below. Visual mold was covering about 75% of the roof deck. Blocked soffits without baffles and lack of ventilation in the attic caused mold to grow on the roof deck and trusses. The attic was under insulated with encapsulated fiberglass insulation that was torn due to foot traffic within the attic. A drop down shower ceiling soffit was also left uncovered allowing humidity to leak into the attic. The homeowner chose to have the problem fixed because he joined us in the attic for the inspection and was able to see how having the soffits blocked and being under insulated was causing moisture to build up in the attic and cause mold to grow. The homeowners biggest concern was getting the mold removed from the attic and better insulating his attic to better control the heating/cooling of the rooms below.

  The homeowner chose TCI Remediation to do the project because during the inspection of the attic we were able to demonstrate what needed to be done in a clear and informative way that made sense to the homeowner to fix the problem within the attic. We build a level of trust with the homeowner to ensure him that our solution would take care of the mold problem and provide a more comfortable home. We treated the mold in the attic and covered the drop down shower ceiling with SilverGlo and air sealed it tight. We then cleared the soffits of insulation and installed the proper amount of baffles to insure the attic was breathing properly. We capped off the existing insulation with TruSoft Cellulose to get the attic to a R-60 R-Value to reduce the risk of moisture leaking into the attic from the conditioned home and to provide a better thermal barrier between the attic floor and the rooms below the attic. We had difficulties getting the SilverGlo into the attic scuttle due to the size of the opening. We had used Mold X2 and Mold X2 Botanicals to rid the attic of mold. We also used a combination of insulation products including TruSoft Stabilized Cellulose and SilverGlo  Polystyrene Foam Board. ZypFoam was used to air seal the drop down soffit above the shower. DuroVent duel wide baffles were installed for proper ventilation from the soffits. The homeowner now has a mold free attic and a better insulated attic that will provide a more comfortable home.

  The homeowner explained that he had noticed dark discoloration all over his roof sheathing inside the attic. He had mentioned that his attic was poorly ventilated from the beginning of the build and that it needed to be corrected. The symptoms of the problem were high humidity in the attic along with zero airflow. Mold growth was present in the attic all over the roof sheathing and trusses and was also found on the insulation. The problems were caused by a lack of airflow in the attic because the horizontal slit ventilation that was installed on the eaves of the roof had been completely blocked with the blown in insulation that was installed years ago. The homeowner chose to have the problem fixed because he was getting a new roof installed and he wanted to protect his investment in the new roof by making sure that the wood was healthy and no longer posing a problem that would shorten the life of his new roof. He knew that mold eats wood and wanted to ensure the structural integrity of his roof would last for years to come. The homeowner's biggest concern with the problem was that the mold in his attic was a health concern for him and his family along with the health and longevity of the roof of his home. The homeowner's biggest concern with the problem was that the mold in his attic was a health concern for him and his family along with the health and longevity of the roof of his home.

  The homeowner chose our company because he had multiple companies come out to his home to provide a solution but out of all of them, we were able to identify issues that were the true root cause of the problem that other companies did not have an answer for. Even though we were more in cost than the other companies, we provided a solution that the homeowner agreed made more sense. Our solution was to remediate the mold that was on his roof sheathing and trusses, remove the dirty/contaminated insulation from the attic floor, clear the horizontal split vents that were installed for the new roof, install all new duel wide venting baffles, then install new cellulose insulation to an R38 value. One of the biggest challenges that we faced during the installation process was the pitch of the roof as it got closer to the eave. This pitch made it very difficult to clear the horizontal slit vents. There was a lot of roofing debris below the fiberglass batt insulation making it very difficult to remove the blown-in insulation with our vacuum. The last challenge that we faced was roughly an 80 square foot section of the drywall ceiling was not attached to the joist and would not be safe to install cellulose on top of that. The customer had to have a drywall company come into replace that section of the ceiling before we were able to complete the rest of the insulation installation. We used MoldX2 products, DuroVent Baffles and TruSoft Cellulose. The homeowner now has a healthy clean insulation that will help keep his energy bills and consumption down.

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 the 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 it 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.