Air Sealing
WHERE IS THE BEST PLACE TO START MAKING YOUR HOME MORE COMFORTABLE AND SAVE MONEY ON YOUR ENERGY BILLS?
Typically, the best place to start is in the attic. In the winter, the greatest heat loss is usually to the attic – and it’s not all about insulation. Although cellulose insulation far outperforms all other attic insulation on the market, and plays a very important part in keeping heat in the home, it alone does not make an attic energy efficient.
What is Air Sealing?
Air Sealing is the application of closed cell foam sealing off any cracks, crevices, or penetrations in the attic such as:
Light fixtures
Hardwired smoke detectors
Top plates
Holes drilled to run electrical wiring
Plumbing
Attic Hatches
Heating and cooling ducts
Air sealing prevents the transfer of heat and moisture from the living space into the attic.
ASK THE EXPERTS : THE SCIENCE
Air Sealing is about identifying thermal and pressure boundaries in your home. These are specific points where one side is the warm interior and the other side is the cold outside. Between these two distinctly different environments is where the thermal and pressure boundaries should be located.
The thermal boundary is located where the insulation meets the drywall. The insulation should be in full direct contact with the drywall. These thermal and pressure boundaries need to align. This means the insulation must be touching the drywall ceiling or it will cause an insulation void and greatly reduce the R-value of the insulation. This is why batt insulation doesn’t work well in the attic.
The pressure boundary is the drywall on the ceiling. This keeps the warm air, not the heat, from flowing up into the attic and the cold air from flowing down into the home. Typically, the attic has the greatest air leakage potential in the home. Air can flow into and out of an attic through all the cracks and holes in the attic floor every time an outside door is opened or closed. The home is momentarily pressurized or depressurized pushing air into or pulling air out of the attic. This is also where a lot of the dust in the home comes from. When you turn on your bath fan, range hood or clothes dryer a good amount of the air that is drawn into the home from the ventilation fans comes from the attic because this is where the biggest leaks are. This is why air sealing your attic floor is so important.
HOW DO I KNOW I NEED AIR SEALING
If your home experiences any of these problems, it might be a good candidate for our attic air sealing service:
Drafty rooms
Hot and cold rooms; uneven temperature between different levels of the home
High heating or cooling bills
Ice dams in the winter
Dry indoor air in winter
Dust (especially in rooms directly below the attic)
THE BENEFITS OF OUR AIR SEALING SERVICE
Air sealing prevents the transfer of heat and moisture from the living space into the attic. This not only helps reduce the load on your HVAC system, thereby decreasing cost and increasing the lifespan of your HVAC system. Air Sealing also prevents moisture from accumulating in your attic creating a breeding ground for mold and mildew. Reducing the amount of air that leaks in and out of your home is a cost-effective way to cut heating and cooling costs, improve durability, increase comfort, and create a healthier indoor environment.
EXPERIENCED AND PROFESSIONAL
Air Sealing is a labor intensive project and not something a DIYer should try to tackle on their own. Insulation needs to be moved and then replaced around all points of entry. With over 20+ years of experience in attic services, Attic Experts bring knowledge and dedication to quality to every project we perform. We are a licensed and insured, family owned and operated business, servicing the Tri-Cities and surrounding areas. As a Consumers Energy Preferred Contractor and Certified Mold Remediator, you can count on us. Let us conduct a FREE thorough inspection and detailed evaluation of your attic. We’re the one to call for exceptional attic insulation services!