Attic Insulation Case Studies: Cold/Drafty Home in Gaithersburg, MD

Challenge

This beautiful, large estate in Gaithersburg, MD was hiding issues for years. The homeowner had it built in 1987 and has always suffered from cold drafty areas, especially during winter months.  Rooms with fireplaces were always cold. Areas in the kitchen were also cold, the cabinets would constantly have cold air drafting out of them.

Solution

Comfenergy performed a full home comfort and energy evaluation including a blower door test and thermal imaging.  We found a tremendous amount of air leakage coming from the attic.  Huge gaps existed where the framing met the brick fireplaces, allowing drafts of cold air to dump into those rooms. Empty cavities above the kitchen cabinets allowed cold air to fall in to the cabinet space.

We removed and disposed of the existing Batt insulation as it allowed air to move freely between the batts. The entire attic underwent air sealing using one part foam spray. Then we blew in loose fiberglass insulation to a depth of 16" to cover everything with a nice warm blanket, including all the HVAC duct work.

Project Summary

Evaluator: Justin Dobson