Modular Home in Salem, CT

Challenge

You may have seen or even live in a modular home just as these homeowners in Salem, CT. They can be built in the blink of the eye but when too many corners are cut, there can be definite drawbacks. These homes  are built in separate sections and then joined at the building site. Where these pieces meet are not always properly air sealed, allowing air to flow in and out of the home which makes the home uncomfortable and more costly to heat and cool.

These homeowners had issues with drafts and high energy bills, and came to us to insulate the rim joist in the basement. Our free evaluation showed us that while the rim joist was one of the issues, there were major air leaks in the attic both in the attic floor and along that previously mentioned seam between pieces of the home.

Solution

The attic was our number one concern so we tackled it first. The old fiberglass batt insulation was removed, then once the area was cleared we air sealed the seam, top plates, and around any electrical pieces allowing air to pass by them. The attic, once sealed off from the conditioned space of the home, does still need to keep ventilation to regular temperature of the roof and humidity in the attic, so we installed baffles to keep our cellulose from blocking up existing ventilation. We then blew in our Trusoft cellulose to insulate the attic and keep heat in the home in the winter. Lastly, we installed an insulated scuttle cover to allow access up into the attic while not leaving an air leak.

We then moved down to the basement, where we sealed the rim joist to keep outside are from seeping into the home. We installed our Foamax polyiso board onto the concrete walls to stop the movement of heat through the walls by conduction.

The home will no longer let air escape from the top, nor pull cold air in from the bottom.

Thanks to Dr. Energy Saver by Eco Energy Solutions, this home is far more comfortable and energy efficient.