Click on a photo to enlarge.
This Williamsburg, VA homeowner opted to have their attic insulated from the rafters with closed cell spray foam insulation. This solution is ideal for attics that house HVAC equipment, are used for storage, or that the homeowner would like to convert to a finished space. Insulating from the rafters extends the thermal barrier of the home and helps control attic temperatures.
The old crawl space door has warped and doesn't fit neatly over the access, making it easy for small critters and pests to find their way in.
An interior friction fit door that offers an R-10 of insulation was installed behind the new Crawl space door. The new door will not rust, rot, warp or fade, and meets most HOA requirements.
Moisture has been wreaking havoc in this crawl space for years resulting in damage to the fiberglass insulation, mold/mildew growth on the floor joists, and poor indoor air quality.
All of the old and damaged materials have been cleaned out, mold and mildew were treated with antimicrobial, all vents were sealed, a heavy-duty vapor barrier installed, Spray Foam insulation was applied to the crawl space walls, a friction fit crawl space door is installed, the rim band and sill plate are sealed, and a dehumidifier is installed to control the relative humidity in the crawl space and help prevent future microbial growth.
This Williamsburg homeowner had concerns about moisture damage in their crawl space and wanted to install an encapsulation system to help protect their home's foundation. The encapsulation system will help to control the relative humidity under the home, preventing moisture damage to the wood substructure such as microbial growth and wood rot. Further, it will also help with musty odors and humidity that had been finding their way into the home, reduce energy bills, and help with cold floors in the winter.
This homeowner has been experiencing high energy bills and uncomfortable rooms throughout their home. They had our advisor assess their whole home for areas to help address these concerns. In the attic we found that the existing blown in fiberglass barely filled the floor joists in some areas, and offered little resistance to heat transfer between the attic and living space. A lack of air sealing along top plates and utility penetrations also allowed conditioned air to escape into the unconditioned attic.
The solution was to remove the existing insulation allowing us to access all of the top plates and utility penetrations for air sealing then blow in a new blanket of R-49 Cellulose. This will help the homeowner reduce conditioned air loss and heat transfer between the attic and their living space. That means lower energy bills and more comfortable rooms!