Middletown, CT's Reliable Radon Testing & Radon Mitigation Company

This homeowner in Middletown, CT called us hoping that we would be able to help her with her attic. She had a mice and mold issue in her attic. The insulation was being chewed and pulled by the mice, causing the mold problem to be exacerbated. She needed the mold removed in order to protect her home.

We had the perfect solution for this homeowner. In this solution, we utilize our Mold-X2 Cleaner and Botanical solutions. Mold-X2 Cleaner effectively eliminates mold and mildew stains on contact. It is non-abrasive and non-flammable, and is sprayed on effected areas. Once Mold-X2 Cleaner is applied, mold disappears instantly, leaving wood surfaces looking nearly new. Mold-X2 Botanical, a plant-based disinfectant with a pleasant, temporary scent, is sprayed or fogged on surfaces, which prevents mold from growing back. Now the attic is ready for other solutions. Result - Mold eliminated, no odors or wood rot.

This homeowner in Middletown, CT called us hoping that we would be able to help him with his home. He needed some work done on it, and that meant that they were removing the basement insulation. In a basement, the “rim joist” is the perimeter of the floor framing system along the exterior of the house. The joints and gaps between all the framing members allow for a lot of air leakage into the house. The rim joist is seldom insulated and never air sealed. Basement ceiling insulation, especially fiberglass batts, doesn’t stop the flow of cold air into the home. Results - cold floors, drafty, uncomfortable rooms, cold basement/lower level, higher heating and cooling bills and more condensation in the basement or crawl space in the summer.

We had the perfect solution for this customer. In this solution, we spray foam the rim joist in the basement in order to seal and insulate it. Two part expanding spray foam is installed on the rim joist and over the sill plate to seal all air leaks from the outside and insulate this important area of the home. Our spray foam has a high insulation value per inch of R7, and because it expands, it seals all cracks and gaps and joints where air from the outside enters the home. Results - warmer floors, less drafts, more comfortable rooms, the house is easier to heat and costs less to heat, less summertime condensation on cold basement surfaces.

This homeowner in Middletown, CT called us hoping that we would be able to help her with her home. She was having comfort issues as well as mold and humidity issues in the same area of her home that had a cathedral ceiling.  In most areas of the United States, homes need R60 insulation in their attics - the equivalent of a 20” deep fiberglass batt. But cathedral ceilings only have the depth of the rafters (6”-11”) for insulation. Two factors relating to the optional vented roof design make the situation much worse. First, some of the rafter space is used for airflow (cold in winter) - which means even less space for insulation. Second, this air flow “wind washes” open faced fiberglass batts, reducing the R-value of batts that were designed and rated to be used in closed cavities with no airflow whatsoever. Result - the cathedral ceiling is dramatically under insulated. Air in the home that the homeowner paid to heat, hits the cold ceiling and descends, creating a “convective” loop making the room feel cold and drafty. In the summer, the roofing heats up to 160˚ and the roof heat radiates through the ceiling and heats up the room.

We had the perfect solution for this customer. The soffit vent is blocked with a continuous board which may need painting by the homeowner. The ridge vent is removed along with two courses of roof shingles and the roof sheathing (usually plywood) is cut back approximately 4”. A long fill tube is inserted to reach the bottom of the ceiling plane and TruSoft™ cellulose insulation is “dense packed” into each rafter bay. Dense packing fills all air spaces, compresses existing fiberglass batts, and stops air leakage. The plywood and roof shingles are re-installed. The ridge vent is re-installed and functions not as an air vent, but a vapor vent. Some touch-up (patching and painting) of the ceiling may be required by the homeowner if nails pop, which doesn’t always happen, but can happen if the drywall is not secured well. Result - Room is warmer in winter, cooler in summer, less drafty, more comfortable, lower heating and cooling bills, easier to heat and cool.

Many older homes have no insulation in the exterior walls. The problems this causes are obvious. Heat flows from more (inside) to less (outside in winter) right through the walls, and the opposite in summer. Nearly all walls leak air, insulated or not, causing drafts. The cold wall surface cools interior air which then sinks and travels across the floor and up the warmer interior wall, and across the ceiling back to the exterior wall. This is called a “convective loop” and makes rooms feel even draftier.

Siding is removed temporarily as necessary and small holes are drilled through the wall sheathing. A fill tube is inserted up (and down) into wall cavities to not only fill, but dense pack the wall cavities. Dense packing is a technique that packs the insulation in very tightly - so tightly that all irregular shaped cavities and crevices in the wall cavities are filled, and air will not penetrate the dense packed cellulose. It’s remarkable, and something that can’t be achieved with fiberglass - not even close! Dense packed cellulose stops air flow through the wall and insulates. TruSoft™ Cellulose is treated to be highly fire, mold and pest resistant. Holes are plugged and siding is put back. With wood siding, old nail holes and new nails may be noticeable on close inspection. Very small new nail heads will be visible on aluminum siding. (If specified, siding will not be removed but drilled and plugged instead).Result - A less drafty, warmer, quieter, more comfortable house, less dust/pollen, house not so dry in winter, lower fuel/electric bills, heating system runs less - less maintenance.