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Insulating a Cape Cod

2021-07-15T00:00:00.05Z

If you own an older Cape Cod home, you have my sympathy. If you’re the type of homeowner who regularly tackles DIY projects, you’ve probably spent weeks chasing air leaks with a foam gun, lying on your back in a cramped attic. And there's a good chance that, in spite of your efforts, your house still suffers from ice dams and air leaks.

A Cape Cod is a story-and-a-half design. Most Capes have second-floor bedrooms featuring 4-foot kneewalls and two sections of sloped ceiling. The sloped ceiling sections usually rise to meet a narrow horizontal ceiling in the center of the house. Most Capes have triangular attics behind the second-floor kneewalls and a tiny third-floor attic that is too cramped to stand up in.

What’s wrong with a Cape?

The basic problem with a Cape is that most examples have a poorly defined thermal boundary.

Should the triangular attics behind the kneewalls be considered indoor space or outdoor space? From a building science perspective, the answer is clear — these attics should be inside the home’s thermal boundary. However, most builders don’t have the foggiest idea where the thermal boundary in a Cape belongs. That’s why builders and homeowners are always scratching their heads when they contemplate where to put the insulation in a Cape.

If you squeeze behind the kneewall in a Cape, you never know what you’ll see. You might see a space with no insulation at all — or perhaps just some thin insulation between the kneewall studs. You might see a space with insulation on the floor, but not along the roof slope. You might see a space with insulation everywhere — on the floor, between the studs of the kneewall, and following the roof slope — with all of the insulation in terrible shape. You will almost never see any attempts at air sealing work.

Most Capes are lightly framed. It’s not unusual to see 2x6 (or even 2x4) rafters. Light framing only complicates insulation decisions, since there is rarely enough room between the rafters to install code-minimum levels of insulation. Because it’s hard to insulate the area behind a kneewall, almost all Capes leak a lot of heat at the eaves — a recipe for ice dams.

The right way to insulate it

The triangular attic behind a kneewall needs to be within the home’s conditioned space. That means that the insulation needs to follow the roof line. Unfortunately, it’s really hard to retrofit insulation along the roof line of an older Cape. To do this work, you need to have access three areas: (1) the cramped attics behind the kneewalls, (2) the rafter bays behind the sloped ceilings that are probably finished with plaster or drywall, and (3) the tiny third-floor attic. Working in all of these areas is difficult.

I highly recommend contacting a professional insulation company when trying to insulate a Cape Cod home. Home Environment Solutions has the experience and the know how to get the job done right. Call today!

Home Environment Solutions servies Pittbsurg Pennsylvania , Bethel Park, Dormont, Saint Clairsville Ohio, Wheeling West Virginia and the surrounding areas.

How can I save the Earth?

2020-04-22T00:00:00.05Z

Happy Earth Day!

There are many things we do every day which impact Mother Earth. One of which is using electricity and fuel that we rely on to heat and cool our homes. Obviously, these things are needed. But how can we use them and also be responsible? The best option is less use. You want your home to be comfortable and efficient, but you also do not want to keep the heat off in the cold winter months or not run your air conditioner when it is hot.

So what can you do? Easy! www.energy.gov tells us to “Have your home properly insulated”. You want to start in the attic, but also, don’t forget the floors above garages and crawlspaces. In our area, it is recommended to have an R-value of 49 to 60. That translates to a minimum of 14 inches and up to 20 inches of insulation. But it doesn’t stop there. You may have the right amount of insulation, but you have air leaks. This is like throwing money out of the roof and your heated or cooled air is going right out with it. This is causing your energy bills to rise and constantly running your unit.

Most people touch their walls and notice how cold they are and assume the walls need to be insulated before anything. On the contrary, per www.energy.gov “If your attic has enough insulation and proper air sealing and your home still feels drafty…chances are you then need to add insulation to the exterior walls. This is more expensive…”

At Home Environment Solutions, we understand and follow the science of stack effect and how we can correct your issues. We will make your home more Comfortable, Healthy, and Efficient. The one thing we all have in common is the earth we live on. Positive change can and will affect all of us. As Jane Goodall once said, “You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.”

Home Environment Solutions Works to Solve Mold, Frost, & Water Damage!

2018-02-05T00:00:00.05Z

What is causing mold, water damage, or frost on the underside of your roof in the attic?

Warm air rising from a heated home will leak into the attic through small openings or gaps in the ceiling by natural convective forces. This is called the “Stack Effect”, the taller the home, the greater the effect. The stack effect is often increased when there is air leakage into the basement.

Here’s how it happens:

Cold air leaks in through gaps in and around rim joist, foundation walls and basement windows. This causes higher amounts of heated air to rise into the attic.

The highest amount of pressure in the home in winter is the ceiling because of the rising heat. This heated air contains relative humidity (moisture). When moisture hits the cold underside of the roof plywood and rafters, it causes condensation. This will freeze and form frost when the temperature is cold enough. When the weather warms up outside, the frost melts and drips into the insulation below.

Other potential causes of warm air leaking into the attic are improper or inadequate insulation and leaky ducts and HVAC systems in the attic. Bath fans and dryer vents that are not vented to the exterior of the home are major causes as well. Moisture and humidity cause mold, rot, and structural damage. Visual evidence can be one or all of the following:

Mold
Nails with frost or rust on them
Evidence of water dripping on your insulation
Wet insulation
Water stains or condensation on roof deck
Dark grey or black areas on fiberglass insulation.

These visual indicators can be the result of a long-term problem. Just because you don’t see frost any longer, doesn’t mean the leakage has stopped. It just means the roof isn’t cold enough for the moisture to freeze.

How does Home Environment Solutions eliminate this problem?

Home moisture problems are sometimes complex to solve. Have Home Environment Solutions fix the underlying causes! Our staff has been trained by Dr. Energy Saver. They have the largest home performance training center in the country. National certifications include:

Indoor Air Quality
Mold Remediation and Restoration
Air sealing and Insulating (attic, basement, rim joists, HVAC, ventilating to exterior)

The previous conventional method to combat attic moisture was to ensure enough ventilation would allow warm air leaking in, to escape through the vents before it condensed. It was found later that adding more insulation to the top of your ceilings without properly air sealing caused the attic temperature to drop—in fact, it increases the chance of condensation. Fiberglass insulation is a good air filter, but does very little to stop air movement. Adequate ventilation does not address the source of the lost heated air, it only minimizes the effects.

The real solution is to find where the moisture is coming from, air sealing it, and then installing a good thermal barrier. Comfort, efficiency and indoor air quality is dependent on keeping the air you paid for (heating or cooling) inside your home’s living space. Proper air sealing is as important as insulating the attic. The most common areas that need sealing are around openings, light boxes, recessed lighting, vents, chimneys and other protrusions through the ceiling in the home.

The control of air leakage is a critical step in preventing moisture problems. Here are some steps to help:

If the relative humidity of air in your home is too high, work to lower it.
Anything over 50% RH is a too much, 30-50% or so is good for humans and homes
Cooking, appliances, baths, showers, houseplants, and hanging wet clothing inside to dry can produce excessive moisture. Keep these at a minimum.
Do not vent gas or electric clothing dryers anywhere into the living space, attic, or crawl space of your home. The exhaust emits large amounts of water vapor in a short period of time. In addition to the excessive moisture, significant air pollution may result from combustion by-products, lint, residual detergent fabric softener, and bleach products.

Did you catch this problem too late? Have our Nationally Certified professional mold remediation team remove the mold and fix the underlying causes.

Attic mold must be removed, not just sprayed, encapsulated, or killed. Dead mold is sometimes just as allergenic as live mold. Once the mold is removed, the problems that caused it must be corrected or the mold will soon return.

What happens if the underlying problems are not eliminated? At the least, the cost of heating and cooling your home are increased while the comfort level is decreased. Worse cases can cause rot and structural damage to the home as well as mold contamination inside the living space, leaving the occupants inside at risk of an allergic response.

What are the advantages of having your home properly air sealed, insulated and ventilated?

Comfort (feel better throughout),
Efficiency (save money every month on utilities),
Better indoor air quality (reduced allergies, asthma, sickness reducing lost work and school days)
Added resale value to your home.

Call Home Environment Solutions at [phone] to schedule your free evaluation and estimate. We proudly serve Pittsburgh, Weirton, Washington, & Surrounding Areas!

www.HomeEnvironmentSolutions.com

Understanding Insulation

2017-11-09T00:00:00.05Z

Did you know, The Department of Energy recommends that a home’s attic insulation should provide between a R-38 and R-60 value? Without knowing the science behind insulation, you may suffer in a home that is under insulated, causing you home discomfort. But have no fear, this blog will give you an inside look of what our Home Environment Solutions experts have to say about understanding insulation in order to have a comfortable home!

Insulation works in two ways, reducing heat loss in cold weather and reducing heat gain in hot weather. Insulation is installed in a home to limit heat transfer. This means preventing the air you pay to heat from escaping during the winter and preventing hot, humid air from the outside from entering the home in the summer.

Listed below are some negative consequences that happen to a home that has poor working insulation…

Voids: Voids are areas of missing insulation. These can happen as a product of improper installation or be required by code. For example, an insulation void is required around a recessed "can" light that is not rated for insulation contact. Whatever the reason, insulation voids allow heat transfer by convection and radiation. Research has shown that just a 4% void in fiberglass batt insulation can result in a 50% reduction in insulation effectiveness.

Compression: Compression happens when fiberglass batt insulation is pushed down, which eliminates many of the tiny trapped air pockets that provide insulation value.

Air movement: Air passing through insulation diminishes insulation effectiveness because it deposits dirt in the air pockets of the insulation, reducing its ability to resist convective heat loss. To effectively slow heat transfer, the air pockets in insulation must be clean. This is why air sealing is essential before adding insulation.

Moisture: When insulation is exposed to moisture, R-value is decreased because the air pockets that are supposed to provide resistance to heat transfer are now filled with water!

What Questions Should I Ask An Insulation Contractor

2017-10-09T00:00:00.05Z

Installing or replacing insulation can lower your energy bills and make your home a more comfortable place in which to live. Once you've decided to hire a professional to insulate your home, take the time to choose the right one by keeping the following questions in mind.

What kind of experience or credentials does the contractor have?

Do your research, check credentials and google reviews before hiring an insulation contractor. A good insulation contractor will have a webpage with lots of pictures of previous work performed, reviews from previous customers and a list of credentials and certifications.

What are my insulation needs?

An insulation contractor can evaluate the type of insulation in your home and see whether its doing its job efficiently. In some cases, you may have to put new insulation in some trouble areas of the house. On the other hand, there may be a need to completely re-insulate the entire house. A trustworthy, honest insulation contractor will give you a candid answer on your house's insulation needs. If you don't have good insulation, you could be losing a lot of money because of the energy waste.

What insulation is best for my home?

This is a crucial question because every home has different needs. There are many different types of insulation products available today. An insulation contractor will know the details and intricacies of each insulation type.

Why Should I Encapsulate My Crawl Space?

2017-06-05T00:00:00.05Z

Why You Should Encapsulate Your Crawl Space

If you look into your crawlspace, you may notice stagnant water, moldy insulation, sagging insulation or a bad smell.

Your crawlspace could be wet for several reasons:

Cracks in the foundation or walls allow water and moisture to enter your crawlspace.
Improper ventilation can allow moisture in.
Poor drainage systems also allow moisture and water in.
Poor maintenance and not sealing the dirt floor is another common reason your crawlspace is wet or damp.

Moisture in your crawl space will cause the growth of mold which leads to unwanted smells. If left untreated the mold will cause rot and structural damage to your home.

Vents in your crawl space often fail when the air flow is impeded when the vents get blocked by plants or other object outside the vent. When this occurs, water that collects around the home or drips down the exterior walls can enter your crawlspace creating moisture problems.

40% or more of your homes air comes from your crawlspace. Air in your crawlspace seeps up into your home through the floors, and around heating and air ducts. The air quality of your crawlspace can have a negative impact on your home if there is excess moisture and mold. Common health issues caused by poor crawlspace air include headaches, fevers, and respiratory problems.

Its All About the Vapor Barrier

According to the EPA, a vapor barrier will keep your home drier and is especially recommended for older homes to control dampness. In areas where humidity is an issue, your crawlspace likely has moisture and a vapor barrier will help keep the moisture down because it will prevent moisture from escaping from the soil. Installed correctly and spread uniformly across the soil and the walls of your crawlspace, the vapor barrier creates a barrier between moisture and your home. Most homes with crawlspaces have ductwork running underneath their home, and many have their HVAC systems located there. It is important to keep moisture at a minimum to prevent metal from rusting and corroding. Many crawlspaces also have wiring. Water and electricity do not mix well. Accumulation of excess moisture is a potential fire hazard and could create an unsafe environment for anyone that enters the crawlspace.

Since excess moisture in your crawlspace can enter your home through the floor boards, keeping the moisture to a minimum will also help maintain moisture levels in your home.In addition to a damp free home, a vapor barrier will also reduce your utility bills because your air conditioner will operate more efficiently.The risk of excess dampness and moisture in your home is mold. If your crawlspace is wet and that moisture enters your home, you will not only have mold problems in the crawlspace but your home.

Clean Storage

Your crawlspace is an area of your home that you can potentially use for storage. In order to ensure that your crawlspace is a safe and clean environment, a vapor barrier will reduce moisture and also keep the area clean and less inhabitable for rodents and insects. The most important role that a vapor barrier plays is keeping the moisture in the soil. At the same time, it will help maintain a cleaner and safer environment for you, should you choose to use it for storage or other uses.

Why is there so much dust in my home?

2016-12-06T00:00:00.05Z

Why is there so much dust in my home?

Have you ever looked around your home and thought… I just cleaned! How is it so dusty in here? I am here to let you know, you are not the only homeowner to have this problem.

Poor attic insulation, seals, voids, duct leaks, pressure imbalances and recessed lighting are all causes of excessive dust in the home. By inspecting the attic and performing a blower door test, we can determine if your home has been invaded by the pesky dust that is visually unappealing and can cause allergies.

When air leaks out, it causes air to leak in. This is called the “stack affect”. The air that leaks out takes our heat, comfort, and money with it. The air that leaks in is cold in the winter and hot and humid in the summer, and has dust in it making us uncomfortable. In the winter months, once we heat the new air, it rises and leaks out of the top of the house again and outside air leaks in to replace it. This is a cycle that never ends.

For a free evaluation of your home and to see how efficient your home can be, give us a call. We can help you create a healthy, comfortable, efficient home.

Home Environment Solutions [[phone]] or [[phone]]