Challenge

A homeowner in Pittsfield, MA had heating and cooling concerns with their attic. 

The homeowner needed insulation inside his home and in his attic. The attic of her house is always either too hot or too cold in the summer, so she wanted proper ventilation in the attic. The heat in her attic made her concerned about a fire starting. Since she has lived in this house since 1988 and loves its cozy feeling, she didn't want to move due to this problem. At times, it's so uncomfortable that she can't even sleep in her upstairs room. Her roof was replaced 12 years ago and they didn't look at her attic like she expected. She has oil heat and uses it so much during the winter because it's so cold.

Following an inspection by our building science specialist, we discovered that the homeowner needed to remove their old insulation to complete a proper air-sealing job. There was an uninsulated scuttle hole leading to the attic that caused air leakage. The bath fan would have to be replaced to prevent excessive condensation and mold growth. Also, the building science specialist noticed an open-air space around the chimney that needed to be sealed. In the winter, her attic was too cool, and in the summer, it was too hot. This was because of air leaks in the house. This made it difficult to heat and maintain a comfortable temperature.  

Solution

Here's How Fogarty's Home Services Resolved Attic Insulation Concerns in Pittsfield, MA

In order to make this home more comfortable, Fogarty's Home Services had to perform numerous tasks. First, remove the insulation from the attic and vacuum it. It was unpleasant but necessary to remove the damaged, soiled insulation from the homeowners' attic. This step allows the attic to be properly air-sealed before installing our clean, fresh, high-quality Trusoft cellulose insulation. The SilverGlo foam insulation panel was used to air-seal and insulate the scuttle cover. During the summer, the radiant barrier on top will reflect heat from the attic. A scuttle cover that is insulated makes your home easier to heat, thereby reducing your utility bills. By replacing the ineffective bath fan with a Broan Ultra Pro Fan, we were able to prevent mold growth, excessive moisture, and lingering odors. You'll save money on your electric bills with this fan as it's incredibly quiet, keeps your room dry, and improves the air quality in your home. An air-sealing chimney wrap is required to properly seal the chimney in the attic. It's probably a mystery to you what a chimney wrap is. The chimney wrap eliminates all gaps in the insulation around your chimney and seals one of your home's biggest air leaks. As soon as we complete the above installations, we can install TruSoft Cellulose insulation in the attic to keep it from getting burned, moldy, or attracting pests. The blown insulation fills all gaps and odd shapes, and it prevents thermal bridging by covering framing members. This is how we fixed the uncomfortable house by making it less drafty and lowering fuel and electric bills.