Spray Foam Insulation Contractor Near Sterling, Ashburn, Reston | Comfenergy

Energy Efficiency Alexandria Virginia

2024-04-09T12:49:22.05Z

Our specialty is air sealing and insulation to help make homes more comfortable. We often find additional needs in a home that can help with the comfort issues but will also make a home more energy efficient. Maximizing the performance of an HVAC system and even reducing the energy use to light a home. We can replace light bulbs and address HVAC system conditions to lower the need for energy use. all of which can save money for homeowners.

Dense Packing Garage Wall Insulation Solutions

2023-12-11T14:16:48.05Z

Many garages are unconditioned spaces. This means they have no direct source for heating or cooling and are often susceptible to influence from outside temperatures. Turning a garage into a conditioned space can help with comfort in any connected rooms that share floors or walls with the garage. It can also help to allow for better storage and or parking inside of the garage. When the ceiling of a garage is not properly insulated, cold air from the garage can make any rooms above the garage colder in the winter. Conversely, in the summer and hotter months, warm air can make those same rooms too hot. The walls of a garage should also be insulated to create a proper barrier between outside and inside.

Pests Like Fiberglass Insulation

2023-11-30T14:40:39.05Z

While pest control companies can help expel unwanted pests and clean up whatever mess they may have left, we have the ability to treat an attic and prevent the return. We use things like spray foam insulation to help air seal areas of an attic, copper mess to fill holes and places where rodents might try and chew or burrow through and Tru Soft cellulose insulation which is treated with Borate. Borate is a human and animal safe compound that is a skin and respiratory irritant for rodents and other small animals. The effects are similar to pepper spray for humans and since they can smell it from a distance, it works as a repellant. We offer removal of old insulation with every attic project we perform and will spray cleaning fog before we install new materials to air seal and insulate.

Hot Attic Impact on Home Comfort - Burke VA

2023-08-10T15:50:29.05Z

Using thermal imaging cameras, we spot the hottest areas in the top floor ceiling. This is often can lights, bathroom vents, electrical boxes and attic hatches/doors. We are able to air seal around these gaps and cracks in the ceiling to eliminate the flow of hot air from the attic into the rooms. This also helps in the winter with holding in warmer conditioned air in the rooms and keeping it from escaping into the attic above. The less conditioned air your HVAC system has to make, the less you spend on energy bills. Once air sealing is done, we can work to eliminate other uncontrolled air flow in the attic and then blow in TruSoft cellulose insulation to properly insulate a space. This will all help to lower the temperature of those hot places in a ceiling and will make the top floor of a home more comfortable.

Dirty Carpet Edges - Cause and Solution

2023-07-13T12:33:57.05Z

Many homeowners experience dirty carpet edges throughout the rooms in their homes. Vacuuming regularly and sometimes calling carpet cleaning companies to come and professionally clean the carpets. Unfortunately, if you do not treat the cause of the dirty carpet edges, they will be dirty again before you know it. Dirty carpet edges are NOT the result of a dirty or dusty home or because of pets, kids or anyone else in the home. This happens because of uncontrolled air flow or "infiltration". If your home is not air sealed, air can move freely through the small gaps and cracks in your walls, including the base where the carpets meet the walls.

Rockwool vs Batt Insulation

2023-06-30T11:55:39.05Z

Traditional batt rolled fiberglass style insulation has been in use for decades. Most homes are built using it from the start. In attics it has a tendency to attract dust and dirt in the air and can become dirty and it makes a nice home for rodents and pests. Many newer homes are built with blown in cellulose insulation instead. when it comes to the walls and ceilings of a home, the same can be true. With traditional insulation often compressing of falling, it can be less effective in actually insulating. Air can easily pass through along with sound. Most people don't realize what is behind their walls and in the ceilings above their heads.

Falls Church Pool Insulation with Spray Foam

2023-06-13T13:14:25.05Z

Jason recommended removal of the foam panel insulation that had originally been installed to help insulate the pool. The paneling was not only lacking an air seal but it was allowing for insects, dust and moisture to mix in with the pipes and mechanics of the pool system. Using spray foam to seal up all of the spaces that were able to be treated without impacting the ability to service and maintain the pool, a better insulation performance was able to be achieved. Eliminating the ability for external air and temperatures to directly contact the pool walls. This will help keep the pool water at the intended temperature for longer and will reduce the need to heat as often as it had been, therefore lower the energy costs for the homeowner.

ASPEN Air Purifier Indoor Air Quality Improvement

2023-06-08T13:17:47.05Z

The Canadian Wildfire smoke has impacted people all along the East Coast. Outdoor air quality alerts are at near hazardous levels in many areas. Many homeowners are reporting that they can smell the wildfire smoke inside of their homes. This is an indication of uncontrolled airflow and can mean that other outside air, dust and allergens are able to enter the home year round, negatively impacting the quality of air being breathed.

Fredericksburg VA Front Porch Solution

2023-05-12T13:53:51.05Z

This beautiful home in Fredericksburg, VA had a serious design flaw that was causing home comfort issues. This design flaw, while making the home look appealing and creating a wonderful outdoor spot for the homeowners to spend time, was leading to issues inside of the home and high energy bills. The front porch of this home had a large overhang, which helped create a nice porch to sit on and be free from too much sun/shade and some other elements. The light fixtures in the ceiling of the porch were acting as pathways for external air and temperatures to work into the air inside of the home.

Ashburn VA HVAC Duct Spray Foam

2023-05-04T13:53:40.05Z

The "mixer box" is the section of an HVAC duct system where it changes directions or splits off into more ducts. This duct joint area is often the source of lost conditioned air being pumped through it, making an HVAC system work less efficiently than it should, resulting in higher than needed energy bills. This attic HVAC duct system had 2 mixer boxes and was leaking a tremendous amount of conditioned air.

Yard Signs

2023-04-21T15:13:37.05Z

Have you ever wanted to make your home look better on the outside and be more comfortable or energy efficient on the inside? Many Northern Virginia homeowners struggle with these needs. Luckily we can help with any number of products, services and solutions from our 2 Home Performance Brands. Every home can benefit from one or more of our services. We just need to come and perform a free inspection to find out what can get you the results you prefer.

Did you know your attic is likely the reason your home is uncomfortable?

2023-03-01T00:00:00.05Z

The areas of our homes that we see the least often can have the most impact on how we feel every day in the areas of our homes that we spend the most time in. Most attics are insufficiently or ineffectively insulated. Older homes in this area often have less insulation in the attics than is needed to properly insulate the home. This can happen over time as insulation settles and as external air is able to work into an attic bringing dirt, allergens and often unwanted pests with it. Many newer homes are built very quickly and with the least expensive materials available. Meeting “CODE” does not mean using the highest quality materials. Improving the quality of insulation in your attic can greatly impact your homes comfort and the cost to heat and cool a home year round. Air Sealing is the most important step in any attic project. Eliminating the ability for air to move freely in and out of an attic and keeping conditioned air in the rooms of a home that it is intended to heat or cool can help reduce energy costs as much as 25% in most homes. Giving attention to the HVAC ducts running through an attic can have a similar effect. Imagine a metal HVAC duct running through an attic in Northern VA in February. It could be 20 to 30 degrees in the attic and that metal HVAC duct has heated air trying to travel through it. The attic air is a hostile environment for the heated air created by the HVAC system. By the time the heated air passes through the cold HVAC duct, it is no longer at the temperature it needs to be to heat the rooms of the home it is travelling to. This can cause people to turn up the heat or to have their system running more often than it needs to. HVAC ducts in an attic should be sealed to prevent conditioned air from escaping and should be insulated with either spray foam insulation, wrap insulation or be buried in cellulose blown insulation. This is just one example of how the space in your home that you don’t always see, can have a significant impact on a homeowner or resident.

Culpeper VA High Energy Bills

2023-02-27T13:31:06.05Z

After having a free Home Performance Inspection done by our sales pro Eric, it became easy to see what was leading to the different temperatures in the different rooms of the house. The design of the home, as unique as it was, had lead to these issues. Rooms on the front of the home, including 2 bathrooms, shared the ceiling of the front porch with their floors. External air was able to make its way into the rooms above, through outdoor can lights on the porch and with a lack of proper insulation, it all added up to be the problem the homeowner was trying to fix. Additionally, the homeowners master bedroom was above their large, 3 car garage. More unconditioned air from the garage was able to makes its way into the room above and make it hot in summer and cold in winter. All in all, the home simply wasn't keeping unconditioned air from outside from coming in, and the home was allowing conditioned air to escape the rooms it was intended to heat or cool. Spray foam, air sealing and added insulation in the attic would all help to solve these issues. Having the walls and ceiling of the garage packed with insulation would help with the master bedroom above it. Creating a better envelope for the home to have control over the air inside. This will reduce the need for the HVAC units to constantly run and will save the homeowners thousands of dollars over the years.

Impacts of Insufficient Insulation (low R value)

2022-09-13T09:19:34.05Z

What is insulation R-value?

The R-value of building material, such as insulation, is its resistance to the movement or transfer of heat. R-value is known as thermal resistance; R stands for Resistance. It is a numerical rating of how good an insulator of certain building material is. Different materials can provide a different R Value along with the amount of material used.

We often experience homeowners who call us due to rooms that are too cold in the winter or too hot in the summer. Many times these same customers started off by calling an HVAC company to come and "fix" their HVAC system because it will not heat or cool their home and rooms to the right temperature, only to be told the HVAC system is working as it should be. Once we have one of our Home Performance experts evaluate the entire home, the most common problem that we uncover is either insufficient or poor quality insulation. People have too little insulation to properly hold in the heated or cooled air created by the HVAC system, thus an R Value that is too low to perform as needed for the home. Or the home has poor quality or poorly installed insulation which allows the conditioned air to escape.

How Much are Home Buyers Willing to Pay

2022-06-27T00:00:00.05Z

According to a recent article from Eye on Housing written by Carmel Ford on average home buyers are willing to pay an additional $8,728 upfront on a home in order to save $1,000 a year in utility bills. These numbers were gotten from a study done by the National Association of Home Builders. This study was conducted by surveying recent and prospective home buyers about what they want in a home and community.

According to the study, only 17% of buyers said they would be willing to pay less than $1,000 upfront. 46% of buyers said they would be willing to spend anywhere from $1,000 to $9,999 in additional upfront costs and 37% of buyers said they would be willing to spend $10,000 or more upfront. Additional data shows that homebuyers who are already willing to spend $500,000 on a home will pay on average $10,560 for more energy efficiency. This data also showed that home buyers who were spending less than $150,000 on a home would spend only $6,653 in order to save money on energy.

Comfenergy can help you prepare your home to maximize your potential earnings when you decide to sell, or we can help you save money on energy bills in your new home. Our expert service providers can give you a free consultation to find out how you can make your home as energy-efficient as possible.

The Most Important Thing to do Before Going Solar

2022-06-23T00:00:00.05Z

In a recent article from Energy Sense Miranda Boutelle discussed the ins and outs of going solar. One of the first things she spoke about was energy consumption. More specifically, she wrote about the importance of having an energy-efficient home before installing a large expensive solar system.

One of the best ways you can make your home more energy efficient is by having high-quality full coverage air sealing and insulation installed in your attic that helps to completely encapsulate your home. By fully air sealing and insulating your home you can drastically increase your energy efficiency by keeping conditioned air inside and keeping uncontrolled unconditioned air out. When your home is not properly air sealed and has low-quality insulation your HVAC system is put under additional strain. Your HVAC system will need to work significantly harder and use more energy in order to compensate for the external conditions that are entering your home.

In the article, Miranda also suggested that homeowners verify the efficiency of their lighting and HVAC systems. Doing this can allow you to make sure that these systems are operating properly and is another way to keep your home as energy efficient as possible. Comfenergy can provide a full home energy evaluation that will check your building envelope and inspect your insulation. And through our preferred partner program we can direct you to one of the many high-quality HVAC companies we work with. After we finish the energy evaluation, we can install an air seal and replace and upgrade the existing insulation in your attic to provide maximum energy efficiency and save you money whether you decide to go solar or not.

Why to air seal and insulate your attic

2022-05-17T16:08:36.05Z

This home had uncomfortable temperatures and owners who were suffering from allergies. Upon inspection of the home, we identified a significant amount of uncontrolled air in and around the attic. The insulation in the attic was dirty and brown after working for years as a filter for dirty outside air bringing in pollen, dust, and other nasty air particles.

Air Sealing & Insulation in Springfield, VA

2022-05-15T21:00:15.05Z

Like many homeowners in Northern Virginia, Jean was frustrated by the uneven temperatures throughout his Springfield home, especially the upstairs level. The main level could be perfectly comfortable while the upstairs level was hot and almost unbearable. After hearing our radio ad one day, discussing this exact issue, he decided to give us a call. Our salesperson, Pedro, visited the home to discover what could be causing these irregular temperature fluctuations. He found substantial air leakage occurring in the attic. In the summer months, attics can reach 140 degrees. This extremely hot air can radiate down into the living space. He also found that can light and the attic hatch were also sources of air leakage.

Reducing Spring Allergies at Home

2022-04-29T00:00:00.05Z

It is quite common for people to suffer from allergies, especially in the spring season. Allergic reactions can be caused by virtually anything. If your body perceives something as a threat, it'll have your immune system kick into overdrive to fend it off.

Side effects of these allergens may include:

Nasal Stuffiness
Sneezing
Watery Eyes
Runny Nose
Postnasal Drip
Asthma

Indoor air pollutants may exacerbate allergy and asthma symptoms, so by taking measures to improve your home's indoor air quality, you'll reduce the chances of severe problems. The four most common indoor allergens are:

Dust Mites Dust mites are tiny invisible insect-like pests that feed on dead human skin cells and thrive in warm humid environments. These allergens commonly cling to bedding, mattresses, upholstered furniture, carpets, and curtains. Dust mites don't drink water but instead absorb it from the air with glands on their forelegs.
Mold grows on organic materials like wood, plywood, drywall, carpeting, and leather that have a relative humidity at the surface of over 70%. Mold produces airborne spores by the millions that float on air currents. It most often grows indoors in places where condensation occurs.
Pollen Pollen is an allergen that comes from trees and grasses outside. It affects many people in the spring and summer months as flowers and plants are blooming. Pollen can easily find its way into your home through clothes, shoes, hair, and most importantly, any air leaking into your home.
Pests This may come as a surprise to you, but rodents and cockroaches can give off severe allergens. These small rodents can easily come in through small gaps and cracks in your home and leave potent urine and droppings during their stay.

Improving Indoor Air Quality to Reduce Allergies & Asthma

One way to improve your indoor air quality is to remove old, dirty insulation. Just like any other part of your home, insulation doesn't last forever. If you don't remember when it was installed, it's highly probable that it's not doing its job anymore. It may have deteriorated, become wet, or wind-washed, making it an inadequate thermal barrier. Over the years, contaminants such as bacteria, pollen, animal droppings, and other pollutants collect within the insulation. It can be nauseating to consider how many particles of contaminated airflow through your family's home due to this unclean insulation. Getting rid of old, filthy insulation is the first step in reducing allergy and asthma symptoms.

Once all the insufficient, dirty insulation is removed, air sealing and insulating will help to fill all of the nooks and crannies in your home. Most houses have excessive air exchange with the outdoors through small cracks and gaps in their foundation, floors, and walls. These gaps allow any air from the outdoors, whether it be humid, cold, or pollen infused, inside your home. These small openings are also gateways for rodents and other pests to make their way in. Air sealing with spray foam will fill these voids and keep pollen, allergens, and pests from invading your space. Another benefit of air sealing is that it will prevent hot and humid air infiltration during the summer months. This lowers the humidity indoors, making dust mites dry out and die, and decreases the chances of mold growth. Not only does air sealing and insulation dramatically improve your home's indoor air quality, but it also aids in making your home more comfortable year-round and reduces your monthly energy bills.

Make sure your home is properly air sealed and protected from the outdoor elements. To improve your home's health and comfort for the spring, and the entire year, contact us or call [[[phone]]]. Schedule your FREE home evaluation today!

Rim Joist Insulation Benefits

2022-03-27T00:00:00.05Z

What is a rim joist?

In a building or home, joists are the primary structure of the floor frame of a house and are supported on the ends by the foundation of the house. Rim joists are located at the top of your basement walls. They usually look like wooden squares going around the perimeter of the basement and their main purpose is to support the weight of the floor resting on the joists. In an unfinished basement or crawl space, you can see the exposed face of the rim joist between each floor joist, just above the foundation wall.

Why do rim joists need insulation?

Rim joists are a source of considerable heat loss in the cold months but while heated air escapes through them, cold outside air is also drawn in due to the stack effect or air leaks in the attic. As warm air generated by your furnace rises through your home and escapes through the attic, more cold air is pulled in through leaks in the rim joists. This leaves your home feeling cold and drafty and this ongoing cycle leads to high heating costs.

Sealing the attic is a good first step to stop the stack effect, but the job isn't truly complete until the basement leaks are fixed as well.

Benefits of rim joist insulation:

Lower energy bills - Keep conditioned air inside where you want it and maintain a comfortable home easier at a lower expense
Improved comfort- More consistent indoor temperatures year-round, warmer floors, and fewer drafts
Healthier environment- Better moisture control and indoor air quality, less energy consumption, and a lower carbon footprint

What materials do we use to insulate rim joists?

The professionals at Comfenergy typically use spray foam or foam board to insulate rim joists. Spray foam is one of the best insulation options because this two-part polyurethane foam expands to seal gaps and insulates the area effectively, stopping air leakage in one simple step. Spray foam requires an experienced installer, but the end results are worth it. Our SilverGlo foam board is another option. SilverGlo is infused with graphite (which increases the R-Value) and lined with a radiant silver barrier (which reflects heat back into the crawl space or basement). Once the board is cut to size and fit in place, spray foam seals gaps around the edges.

If you are ready to get your rim joists insulated or want to learn more, contact Comfenergy today! Call [[phone]] or visit us at www.comfenergy.com.

Are Cold Homes Unhealthy?

2022-02-06T00:00:00.05Z

Cold indoor temperatures can have a negative impact on our health and could lead to serious, if not fatal, health complications over time. When winter comes along, the World Health Organization recommends indoor temperatures of at least 64 degrees Fahrenheit, and it raises to 70 degrees for households that include infants, elderly members, or frail individuals. Whether due to inadequate insulation or an inefficient heating system, the data shows that living in a home under the recommended temperature of 64 degrees F (or below 18 degrees Celsius), can be detrimental.

Though the very young and the elderly are the most impacted by living in a cold home, prolonged exposure can aggravate existing conditions, such as asthma, arthritis, high blood pressure, and more. It can even create new problems within the body over time. Health conditions that can be worsened or caused by a cold living environment can include:

Asthma
Worsening Pulmonary Conditions
Respiratory Infections
Circulatory and Cardiovascular Problems
Heart Attacks and Strokes
Poor Sleep and Insomnia
Mental Health Issues such as Depression and Anxiety
And More...

Cold homes are typically caused by a lack of insulation and air sealing or have poor heating systems and low energy efficiency. While older homes may suffer more from these issues, some newer homes have the same problems. When homes are built, they are left with many gaps and cracks that allow air infiltration. They also allow the heat that you pay for to escape out of your home. The top places of heat loss are the attic, the rim joists, and the areas around the windows. Comfenergy can help! The first step is to schedule a free evaluation, which will provide us with an idea of what insulation services are needed to make your home more comfortable and energy-efficient.

Want to learn more or sign up for your free evaluation? Give us a call at [[phone]] or visit our website at www.comfenergy.com.

Common Causes of Poor Indoor Air Quality

2021-09-27T00:00:00.05Z

Causes of Unhealthy Air Quality and Allergies Indoors

Pests

Pests, including mice and cockroaches, are almost constantly leaving droppings of feces and urine wherever they go. Mice urine in particular can transmit hantavirus to humans - learn more about hantavirus from the CDC website here. Mice can live anywhere in the home, but attics are a common spot. The insulation provides warmth and rodents love to chew on it. If there are mice present in the attic, it's likely the insulation is contaminated with droppings and has been damaged. Damaged insulation cannot properly condition a space, therefore rooms under or above spaces with rodent infestations are prone to humid and hot conditions in the summer - conditions that are favorable for dust mites and mold.

Dust Mites

Dust mites are microscopic pests that thrive in humid conditions. They live in bedding, mattresses, furniture, carpets, curtains, and anything upholstered. Most every home has them and they go unnoticed, but their propensity for high humidity means that their population will explode if those conditions are met. Dust mites droppings cause allergy symptoms in humans and can exacerbate underlying respiratory issues. If dust mites are the culprit for in-home allergies, it's likely the real issue lies either in the attic or crawl space/basement - humid air is leaking in and cooled air is escaping from somewhere and until that is sealed or insulated, the conditions for dust mite growth will remain.

Mold

Like dust mites, mold thrives in warm, humid conditions. Mold spores, depending on the strain, can cause varying degrees of allergic reactions. Kitchens, bathrooms, and damp basements are common places due to their uses but attics, especially in the summer, are excellent homes as well. When these spores float around in the air due to excess mold growth, they can compromise the quality of the indoor air and cause allergic reactions such as sneezing, coughing, headaches, and a runny nose. The spores of some mold strains can actually cause neurological and cognitive problems if left unaddressed.

The common causes of indoor air quality problems and allergy symptoms are usually by-products of underlying building science problems. If these problems exist in your home, schedule a home inspection with Comfenergy. We diagnose the root cause of the problem and provide a permanent solution.

Here is the CDC's indoor air quality checklist.

Attic Insulation: Why Does It Matter?

2021-08-09T00:00:00.05Z

Why is insulation so important? You are probably saying to yourself, “my house has the pink fluffy stuff in some spots of my attic…that should be enough, right?” This couldn’t be further from the truth! The same way that clothing acts as a barrier to keep your body warm during the winter, insulation protects your home to slow the flow of heat, in both the winter and the summer.

Having your home properly insulated will help improve the comfort level of your home, as well as reduce energy inefficiency, and save you money on your heating and cooling bills. Dr. Energy Saver's dealer in Northern Virginia, Comfenergy, specializes in energy-saving solutions to improve your home’s efficiency. They are trained professionals who will inspect your home’s energy systems and provide a customized plan for your specific needs.

Energy-saving solutions can lead to cost savings too. Properly insulated homes generally save energy dramatically within the first year. There are many insulation materials on the market today and Comfenergy uses quality materials that will measure their resistance to heat flow to ensure installation of the proper thickness of insulation for your home. Whatever type of insulation is right for your home, whether it’s spray foam, blown-in, fiberglass, cellulose, or injection foam insulation, an insulation specialist can make sure it’s installed correctly to ensure maximum energy savings and comfort.

Before installing insulation, the experts at Comfenergy will find the “voids” or air leakages in your home. Without air sealing first, insulation will not perform like it should. Injection foam insulation is specially formulated to insulate wall cavities and other enclosed spaces. It provides flow and fill characteristics, and can be used where there may not be insulation or where the existing insulation is not adequate for the space.

Upgrading your existing insulation in the attic is the most effective way to reduce your energy costs, since most of the energy in your home is lost through the attic. When homes are built, minimal insulation is installed. Just because your attic appears to be insulated, does not mean that it is properly insulated. A simple FREE home evaluation is all that you will need to begin saving energy and to stop sending your hard-earned money through the roof.

For the past decade, we’ve helped improve the energy efficiency of homes throughout Northern Virginia including Vienna, Ashburn, Great Falls and nearby. Contact us for a free insulation quote and see how we can help you!

What to Know About Knee Walls

2021-07-13T00:00:00.05Z

If insulating your attic is your latest home improvement project, you will likely see the term “knee wall” come up a few times. What is a knee wall, and why is it important when it comes to supporting your attic? Knee walls support the roof and rafters of the attic. Like way the human knee bends is similar to the structure of an attic knee wall. If the attic is framed with rafters and is unfinished, the room will have a triangular shape.

By definition, a knee wall is a short wall (under 3 feet) that is used to provide support to the rafters of the attic. Usually, they can be found in older homes where the top floor is an attic, but the space is usable, i.e. it’s been converted to a livable room. The knee wall blocks off the space that is too small, due to a sloping roof, to use for anything in the room.

While knee walls are an important part of the structure of the attic, they actually contribute to uncomfortable home conditions and lack of energy efficiency.

Issues with knee walls:

Knee walls tend to be overlooked as an insulation destination during construction. This means that the space behind the knee wall – the unfinished space that we don’t see – is actually letting unconditioned air into the seemingly finished and conditioned room. This can make your floors too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter. It also adds to your energy bills because you’re spending more to make your home comfortable and livable.

To see how much energy and air is being lost from your knee wall, schedule a home energy audit with Comfenergy. Our specialists are able to diagnose what kind of insulation solution or air sealing solution is best to keep your home performing at its best.

Ducts in the Attic- Worst Idea Ever!

2021-06-09T00:00:00.05Z

If you live in Northern Virginia, chances are good that you have ductwork running through your attic. This ductwork distributes your conditioned air throughout the house. In the summer, the sun mercilessly beats down and heats up the roof to 130 degrees or more! That heat radiates down into the attic where the ducts are located, and then also down through the ceiling.

Let's say it's a typical mid-July day in our area, and it's 92 degrees outside. Your attic would then be a sweltering 130-140 degrees. With it feeling like an oven outside, your AC would be running and working hard to try to keep your home cool and comfortable. Now suppose the air inside your duct work is 55-57 degrees and is running through that 140 degree attic with little to no insulation in between. That's an extreme temperature difference, which created a problem. The air that you are paying to cool with the air conditioning system, travels though the ducts which are located in the blistering hot attic, and gets heated again before it hits the rooms in your home. It makes no sense! On top of this, ducts have lots of joints, gaps, and holes, resulting in air leaks. These are not only air leaks into the attic when the air handler is off, but they are powered air leaks when it's on.

Now you know why your attic is the worst possible place to locate ducts. The air that you paid to heat or cool and expect to reach your rooms, is either lost into the attic through air leaks, or is subject to the extreme opposite air temperature of the attic. This results in your heating and cooling system working harder and for longer as it tries to keep up, costing you more money and shortening the life of your HVAC equipment.

Comfenergy provides complete solutions for all of your ductwork problems. If you are interested in duct encapsulation and sealing, duct insulation, or duct cleaning for your home, call us today for an estimate! Make your home more comfortable, stop wasting energy, and save money.

Ductwork in an attic, insulated with spray foam.

Duct Insulation During Summer Months

2021-06-07T00:00:00.05Z

The Case for Insulating Duct Work:

Summer is approaching, and Comfenergy will soon be receiving calls for insulating ducts in a home. There are two reasons we insulated ducts, and they differ by location of the ducts within the home. Here is the business case for Insulating your Duct Work:

1) Energy Conservation: Often referred to as the Fifth Fuel source (behind Coal, Hydrocarbons, Nuclear and Renewables), many home owners are motivated to insulate their ducts in order to conserve energy. A corollary to this is that improved comfort results from the effort to save energy. (see my blog about energy conservation ). The ducts most impacted are those that reside outside of the building envelope. In our area, this means “Ducts in the Attic”. We sometimes find uninsulated metal duct work in unconditioned (read hot as heck) attics. Think about the logic of this situation. Machine makes cold air, and then pushes it through hot metal duct work on it’s way to the targeted room it is trying to cool. By the time it gets there it is not that cool anymore. Even when the ducts are insulated, they generally have (R6) insulation, a very low level of thermal resistance. Encapsulating these ducts can more than double the insulation value and serve to air seal small gaps that allow air to escape from within the duct to the unconditioned attic space (wasted energy). For a little more insight on this, watch this video clip from Dr. Energy Saver: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcj0sC91tYI&t=7s

2) Reduce the Probability of Condensation: Ducts that are within a home (often times on the lowest level of the home) sometimes experience condensation issues during the hot humid days of our Mid-Atlantic summers. This can be true even if the ducts are wrapped in fiberglass insulation. This has become an issue for many homeowners in our area who have recently changed their HVAC system (the reasons why can be explained to you by a Comfenergy Consultant, but are beyond the scope of this article). Encapsulating the duct work with spray foam serves the purpose of increasing the external temperature of the ducts to a level above the dew point of hot humid air that can leak into the effected area of the basement from the outdoor environment. Fiberglass insulation systems often leave enough of an air gap between the cold steel and the warm moist air to create a condensation issue. Spray polyurethane insulation is essentially glued onto the surface of the ducts in a manner that eliminates all air gaps.

Insulating your ducts with spray foam is a great idea. It conserves energy, improves comfort and reduces the probability of having condensation issues that can create mold in your home.

Call Comfenergy and we will help you determine if this solution will work in your home to accomplish your goals.

What You Need To Know: Radiant Barriers

2021-05-18T00:00:00.05Z

There are three ways that energy transfers from a hot attic to a room that you would like to keep cool. Convection, Conduction and Radiation. Radiant barriers address the third of these energy transfer methods. I will lay out the case for how to retrofit an attic to make rooms below it cooler, and show where radiant Barriers fit into that strategy.

When retrofitting your home for increased comfort and decreased energy consumption, focusing on improvements in the attic is your number one priority. Without going into a great deal of detail this results from the “Stack Effect”, temperature and pressure differentials that are always the highest on this plane of your property. Perfecting the air barrier between your unconditioned attic and conditioned rooms below is priority number one. This reduces transfer of energy through Convection, or direct air transfer between conditioned and unconditioned space.

Priority number two is to address Convection by increasing the amount of insulation to reduce molecule to molecule transfer of energy between the conditioned and unconditioned space. In our region, we recommend insulating to R60 levels of thermal performance when designing a traditional attic.

In order to reduce “Heat Flux” during summer from the attic to the conditioned rooms below you also need to address the thermal gain caused by Radiant Energy. Radiant Energy is transferred through space. Think wave lengths of light that hit a surface heating it to intense temperatures. During the heat of Northern Virginia Summers, radiant energy heats roof decks to temperatures in excess of 145 degrees on the top to 130 degrees on the bottom. This is a large part of the reason that the temperatures in your attic can rise to 130 degrees during a summer day.

Studies have shown that radiant barriers can deflect some of this thermal energy back through the roof deck. In a study done by the Berkley National Laboratories, peak attic temperatures were reduced from 125.7 degrees F to 104.3 degrees F when radiant barriers were deployed. This 21 degree reduction in temperature reduces the load or potential for heat to transfer from the attic to the rooms below. Consider that insulation has an R value that represents the “Resistance to Heat Transfer”. The greater the Heat Differential the greater the work that needs to be done by the insulation. By “Bouncing” the radiant energy back into the atmosphere, and reducing the heat in the attic, you make the other insulating systems more effective.

This factor is particularly important when the attic has duct work contained within the space. Insulated ductwork generally carries an R value of 8 or less. The radiant energy heats the air in these ducts up to an extreme temperature, causing the Air Conditioner to have to work to overcome this temperature rise. A study done by Hagman and Modera in 1996 on the effects of radiant barriers found that they decrease the amount of time that HVAC systems have to work to overcome this heat gain by up to 30% in these circumstances.

Radiant Barriers are manage heat gain in attics during the summer in Northern Virginia. They are an important component when attempting to

Product Profile: EverLast Crawl Space Door

2021-03-18T00:00:00.05Z

You probably haven't given too much thought about your crawl space door, but it has a significant impact on your home. Typical crawl space doors are made from wood which can crack, warp, and deteriorate over time. They are also often loosely secured with hinges or screws, allowing insects, pests, and outside air to enter. Properly sealing your crawl space entryway is a crucial step to keeping hot, humid summer air and cold winter air out of your house.

The EverLast crawl space door is the solution to seal the entryway to your crawl space. EverLast crawl space doors from Comfenergy are made from ½-inch thick PVC plastic that is just about indestructible. They will never warp, crack, shrink or require maintenance or painting. Heavy duty weatherstripping that is included with each EverLast door ensure an airtight and waterproof seal. Because it is inorganic, it does not support mold growth. EverLast also creates a beautiful finished look to the exterior of your home. Several different colors and sizes are available.

The EverLast Crawl Space Door will do the job that wood doors can’t and are inexpensive and easy to install.

For a free, no-obligation estimate, call [[phone]] or fill out our online form.

Crawl Spaces and Cold Floors

2021-01-06T00:00:00.05Z

It's the winter season and many people experience cold floors, particularly above their crawl space, during this time. Crawl spaces are often under-insulated and are not sealed off from the outside, allowing air to flow through it. This air flow in the crawl space is what causes cold floors. Cold air infiltrates the structure through vents and gaps. The insulation that you might have under your floor isn't enough to prevent the cold air from getting through, which forces your heating systems to work harder, costing you money.

Comfenergy can eliminate cold floors by sealing and insulating your crawl space.

The first step towards warmer floors is insulation. We use spray foam and rigid foam board, both of which provide water resistance. This means they won't decay and lose effectiveness like fiberglass batts. Spray foam air seals as it insulates, eliminating small gaps and cracks. Rigid foam is designed for crawl space walls and also include a thermal barrier to prevent air you've paid to heat from escaping the home. Next, we seal the area with a polyurethane membrane to further eliminate outside air, excess moisture, and pest problems in the crawl space. This makes the crawl space part of the "conditioned" space -- the area you heat and cool.

Once this system is in place, you will notice dramatically warmer floors and lower utility costs. You will also gain the added bonus of another storage area! If you are interested in having your crawl space encapsulated, contact the experts at Comfenergy and schedule your free evaluation today.

TerraBlock - A Patented Product That Sets Our Crawl Space Solutions Above The Rest

2020-12-16T00:00:00.05Z

TerraBlock is a durable crawl space floor insulation. It is custom fitted to each unique environment within a crawl space. It can be installed on rocky, dirt, or uneven floors, or it can be placed over drainage matting. TerraBlock provides a puncture resistant vapor barrier – it will not tear or break nor will it foster the conditions for mold, rot, or mildew to develop. It also adds cushioning to the floor of the crawl space, so it can be accessed in a more comfortable way and can now be a usable storage area! One of the most impactful effects of a TerraBlock is the thermal insulation it provides. Cold air from the crawl space won’t affect the floors above and it helps prevent your utility systems from freezing or cooling excessively during cold months. This makes the home more comfortable and energy efficient, all year round!

Many crawl spaces are insulated with fiberglass. Usually, this is installed on the ‘ceiling’ of the crawl space for the purpose of preventing cold air and drafts from escaping into the home. Many crawl spaces are also prone to moist conditions, high humidity, water damage, and the presence of pests. This bodes poorly for standard fiberglass insulation – it quickly absorbs moisture from the air, causing mold growth and for the insulation to get waterlogged and weighed down. Sometimes, this even causes the insulation to fall down completely. Mice and other critters like to chew through fiberglass insulation and make their nests in it. By comparison, TerraBlock is completely waterproof and pests can’t burrow into it to create nests.

TerraBlock is a patented Basement Systems product that our competitors do not offer. When combined with our crawl space wall insulation panels (SilverGlo), it is the premier solution system for creating an insulated and waterproofed crawl space. Our system includes a 25-year written warranty for long-term peace of mind and home health.

Interested in getting TerraBlock installed in your crawl space? Give us a call today. [[phone]].

Home Performance Company, Comfenergy, Wins #1 Dealer in the Country!

2019-09-23T10:50:13.05Z

Comfenergy, Northern Virginia's local home performance contractor, was announced as the winner of the #1 Dr. Energy Saver Dealer in the country award on September 19, 2019 at Contractor Nation's Premier Convention for Home Contractors.

Dr. Energy Saver, a network of Contractor Nation, provides complete home energy and comfort services, including insulation, air sealing, basement waterproofing, windows, doors, and energy audits. Comfenergy is proud to be a Dr. Energy Saver dealer and has worked hard to be the #1 dealer in the country.

“Comfenergy being recognized as the number one Dr. Energy Saver dealer in North America is an extremely significant accomplishment,” said Marc Tannenbaum, President of Dr. Energy Saver. “Comfenergy is one of over 80 contractors in our dealer network, and earning this award is evidence of their commitment to implementing proven systems and process that allow the Comfenergy team to deliver exceptional home energy retrofit services to their customers across northern Virginia. We’re very proud to have a company of Comfenergy’s caliber as our leading dealer.”

Every single employee in the Comfenergy family has had a huge impact on our success. Justin Dobson, one of the owners of Comfenergy, said "I'm really proud of the team that we've built and how much we've grown in a short amount of time. Having the greatest customers in the world doesn't hurt either. This wouldn't have been possible without the Northern Virginia homeowners who have put their trust and support in us." Comfenergy is committed to providing excellent service and products for our customers.

Learn more about Comfenergy by visiting https://www.comfenergy.com/

Interested parties can read more about Contractor Nation at https://www.contractornation.com/

Comfenergy Awarded Most Improved At 2016 Loudoun Dulles Green Business Challenge

2016-10-31T13:06:01.05Z

Comfenergy, a Home Performance Contractor located in Loudoun County, was recognized as the "Most Improved" participant at the 2016 award ceremony for the Loudoun Dulles Green Business Challenge.

Sara Haines, Team Leader for Comfenergy's Green Business Challenge entry, focused the company on several initiatives including: LED lighting projects, recycling projects and projects to reduce energy spent on climate control. Her efforts scored Comfenergy as a Platinum Level Participant in the Tenant Business Category. Comfenergy was one of four finalists in this category as well.

The Green Business Challenge is sponsored by the Loudoun Chamber of Commerce, and is focused on helping businesses operate in a more sustainable way.

Online Calculator for Savings Resulting From Duct Sealing

2016-06-27T10:05:26.05Z

The online calculator makes it easy to see why aeroseal duct sealing is a big home energy saver.

Centerville, OH (PRWEB) May 26, 2016

Homeowners can now quickly estimate how much money they'll save each month by having the leaks in their home's ductwork effectively sealed with aeroseal. A new online calculator, now available on the newly unveiled Aeroseal website, makes estimating home energy cost savings fast and easy.

The Aeroseal homeowner energy savings calculator is simple to use. Users simply answer a few basic questions, such as the amount of their average monthly utility bill and where their home’s ductwork is located. In seconds, they receive an estimate of how much savings they can expect by aerosealing their ductwork.

“People are often amazed at how much energy they lose through leaks in their ductwork, and even more surprised by how much savings they can realize simply by having those leaks effectively sealed using aeroseal technology,” said Ken Summers, vice president of Comfort Institute, a home performance research, training and consumer protection organization. “The new calculator makes it easy to see why studies continue to show that effectively sealing the ductwork is often the single most effective thing homeowners can do to save energy.”

The new energy savings calculator is just one of several new features found on the recently redesigned Aeroseal website. The site also offers building owners a simple tool to help estimate the amount of leakage present in their buildings’ ductwork, as well as a new easy-to-use Aeroseal dealer locator that makes it simple to find licensed residential and commercial Aeroseal service providers in your neighborhood.

The first thing people will notice when visiting the newly designed website is that finding information they need is now easier then ever before. Starting with the site’s home page, users now have a choice between residential or commercial applications. Once that choice is made, they receive the tools and information specific to their specific needs.

“Whether you are a homeowner looking to improve the comfort of your home or an engineer looking for ways to improve the ventilation in your building, the new Aeroseal website makes it simple to find the information you need,” said Brian Smith, director of marketing for Aeroseal LLC. “As the use of aeroseal continues to grow, we knew we needed to provide the answers to all the questions people have about the technology and its use. We think the public will agree – this new website does the trick.”

Other features of the new Aeroseal website include an easy interface for mobile phones, tablets and other platforms, an improved format for learning about the use of Aeroseal and related case studies, a detailed FAQ (frequently asked questions) page and a comprehensive library of videos, photos, documents and other materials related to indoor comfort, energy savings and indoor air quality.

The new Aeroseal website is located at http://www.aeroseal.com. For more information, contact Aeroseal at (937) 428-9300.

Justin Dobson to speak at Loudoun Small Business Week

2016-05-06T15:43:17.05Z

"Falling Forward" is the topic on May 16th. Justin Dobson, co-owner of Comfenergy to speak in a Q&A panel about small business and falling forward.

Barbara Comstock Visits Small Business in Loudoun

2016-03-04T17:07:07.05Z

Barbara Comstock visits Comfenergy, a growing Home Performance Contractor in Sterling Va. in order to better understand the concerns of her constituency.

"It is not often that a member of congress stops by for an informal meeting at a company of our size" commented John LeVan, co-owner of Comfenergy. "We really appreciated that Congresswoman Comstock would take the time to learn more about our company" added partner Justin Dobson.

Comfenergy came to the attention of Comstock's office as a result of their success in growing the business rapidly while supporting the community. The young company has already racked up recognition from the Loudoun Chamber of Commerce where Dobson was recognized as the entrepreneur of the year in 2015, and the company was recognized as the service business of the year finalist in 2014 and 2015. Comfenergy has also been recognized by Leesburg Today's "Best of Loudoun" in 2015 and 2016, and was the nation’s 4th largest dealer of Dr. Energy Saver products in their second year of business.

Comfenergy is a 22 person firm in the nascent Home Performance Industry. Home Performance contractors seek to fix uncomfortable houses through a process of scientific testing and inspection combined with construction techniques that improve the building envelope. When your comfort issues are fixed you also reduce your energy consumption as an extra benefit.