Blown-in Insulation Case Studies: Uncomfortable Upper Floor in Castleton, VA

Wednesday, October 24th, 2018 by Crystal Bonner

Challenge

Homeowners in Castleton, VA were always uncomfortable on their top floor. They also had old insulation and suspected rodents in their attic. Attic insulation in your home can get yucky. It sits there for years collecting dirt, dust, pollen, bugs, rodent feces, bird droppings, and other undesirable things. To reduce overall air leakage and to keep the upper floor more comfortable, the attic is the first priority because warm air rises to the top of the house and finds any and all holes to leak out into the cold vented attic and is lost. The only reason cold air leaks in from the outside at the lower levels of the house, is that warm air leaked out of the top and created a suction at the bottom. This results in a home that is harder to heat and keep comfortable.

Solution

First, our Comfenergy Production crew carefully removed all of the old nasty insulation from the attic. They properly disinfected the area and used copper mesh in any areas that rodents could possibly get inside. Next, the crew air sealed all accessible penetrations and top plates using expanding polyurethane foam. We installed any needed air baffles and wooded dams around the hatch. Finally, TruSoft cellulose insulation is blown into the attic. TruSoft will not get moldy or burn, and is treated with boric acid to deter pests from coming back.