Attic Insulation Case Studies: Insulation & Remediation in Ann Arbor, MI
Challenge
The homeowner originally called us because mold was found on the attic sheathing and trusses during the home inspection when they bought the house. After our inspection and questioning the homeowner it was brought out that the home was also very uncomfortable upstairs and that all the rooms upstairs were cold during the winter. The symptoms of the problem were mold growth on the attic sheathing and trusses, high humidity in the attic and cold ceiling temperatures when measured with a thermal camera. The problems in the attic were caused by blocked soffit vents caused by blown fiberglass that was installed without the use of baffling, and the lack of insulation for the floor with the climate that the home is located in. The homeowner's chose to have the problems fixed because they are Both Doctors and know the health hazards that come with mold and they did not want that in their home. They also were tired of being uncomfortable in their bedroom upstairs because they said it was like a freezer box even with the heat cranked up. The homeowners biggest concern was making sure that the home they had just purchased would be healthy for them to live in.
Solution
The homeowner's chose our company because we were reasonably priced for the work and we were able to identify other problems that the homeowner was having and we were able to come up with the proper solutions that the homeowner agreed would make them much more comfortable. Our solution was to remediate the mold in the attic and remove all of the insulation in the attic to start with a fresh clean surface. We would air seal all of the penetrations on the attic floor and install a structural covering over the dropped staircase opening, air seal and insulate the hatch cover and then install cellulose insulation to an R49 value. One of the challenges that we faced during the installation process was the height of the attic made it difficult to move around especially when vacuuming out the existing insulation. We used SilverGlo, ZypFoam, Weather-stripping, DuroVent baffles and TruSoft Cellulose. The homeowner now has a healthy clean attic and his attic floor is now insulated to an Energy Star rated R49 allowing them to be more comfortable and save money on their heating and cooling bills.
