Spray Foam & Attic Insulation Experts in Southwick, MA

This homeowner in Southwick, MA called us hoping that we would be able to help her with her attic. The previous owner of her home had used subpar materials to attempt to re-insulate the home and rodent proof it. This was causing mold, which the homeowner needed removed immediately. 

We had the perfect solution for this customer. 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 Southwick, MA called us saying that he needed his basement re-insulated. Homes, especially older ones, were not built with proper insulation in the basement. This home was no exception. While they had insulation in the rim joist, it was fiberglass -- meaning air just blew around and through it. The homeowner also wanted it replaced because it was old and had an odor. 

In order to help this homeowner, we had to start with removing the old fiberglass from the homeowner's basement. This insulation is very bulky and takes up a tremendous amount of space in trucks and our dumpsters. But it’s necessary to have a healthy home in the end. Result - now the basement is ready to be fixed properly with other  solutions.

This homeowner in Southwick, MA called us hoping that we would be able to help her. She had inadequate attic insulation and stated that she was "tired of being cold and paying such a high electric bill". Since attics are vented, we should think of them thermally as outside in the winter. In summer because of the suns radiant heat, they are much worse than outside, reaching 130˚ on summer days. Clearly, we need to keep an absolute boundary between our living space and the attic so inside air doesn’t move to the attic in the heating season (convection), and heat doesn’t pass up through our ceilings in winter (conduction), and down from our ceilings in the hot summer (conduction, radiation). To reduce overall air leakage, the attic is the first priority because warm air rises to the top of the house and finds any and all holes to leak out into the cold vented attic and is lost. Holes, gaps and joints include between drywall and framing at the top of walls, around pipes, wires, electric boxes, fixtures, duct, penetrations, ceiling grilles and joints in framing. And the only reason cold air leaks in from the outside at the lower levels of the house, is that warm air leaked out of the top and created a suction at the bottom. Attics are dramatically under insulated compared to today’s standards. Result - cold drafty rooms downstairs, colder floors, house is harder to heat and keep comfortable, higher fuel and electric bills.

We had the perfect solution for this customer. Adding insulation in an attic without sealing all air leaks first should never be done, because it is just burying air leaks and making them impossible to seal later - and insulation DOES NOT STOP air leaks. That’s why, in this solution, we first carefully air seal the many various points where air from the home leaks up into the attic and is lost. Our premium TruSoft™ cellulose insulation is blown to the optimum R-value (typically R60). TruSoft™ will not burn, get moldy, or attract pests. Blown insulation fills all gaps and odd shaped voids, and by filling over framing members, “thermal bridging” is avoided. Results - a warmer, more comfortable, less drafty house that the homeowner notice everywhere - even downstairs! House is quieter. Fuel and electric bills are lower.

This homeowner in Southwick, MA called us hoping we would be able to help insulate her attic. However, she wanted to be able to store some items in her attic. In the winter, air that she paid to heat leaks up into the vented attic and is lost to the outside - which draws cold outside air in at the bottom of the home causing drafts. A poorly insulated attic floor allows heat from the living space to be lost to the outdoors through the vented attic. If the attic is needed for storage, then blowing 17” of loose fill insulation on the attic floor is not an option. If there are no ducts in the attic then foaming the roof (a “conditioned attic” may not be necessary or the best option for other reasons. Results - An uncomfortable drafty house that’s hard to heat and cool, and a dilemma as to how best to fix it.

The complete “Attic SuperDeck” is an innovative solution that air seals and insulates the top of the home while providing the maximum storage space possible. First, major air leaks and leaks along exterior walls are sealed with expanding polyurethane foam. Then foam blocking is installed between joist. If the ceiling joist cavities are not filled with insulation, TruSoft™ cellulose is used to fill them. Then soffit baffles are installed as necessary to keep loose insulation out of the soffits. Then wood dams are installed as shown to contain loose insulation installed on the outboard side of the SuperDeck. Then thick SilverGlo™ board foam is installed across the bulk of the attic floor and sealed to provide superior R-value. Finally, wood sheets are installed with special long screws to provide insulated storage decking. Results - a much warmer, more comfortable home, lower fuel and electric bills, home easier to heat and cool, lots of attic storage.

A scuttle hole is necessary to access your attic. The problem is they leak a LOT of air that you paid to heat from your home to the vented attic where it is lost. All this air leaving the top of the house is replaced with cold outside air entering at the lower levels of your home, causing drafts, cold floors and uncomfortable rooms that are hard to heat. In addition to these problems, your scuttle hole is a big area in your ceiling that is not insulated - and your attic can be 30˚F in the winter and a blazing 130˚F in the summer!  Result - cold, drafty rooms that are hard to heat, high overall home air leakage, and higher heating and cooling (fuel and electric) bills.

Fogarty's Home Services solution, Air Seal and Insulate Scuttle Cover.™  The scuttle cover is weather-stripped to stop air leakage. Then the cover is insulated with a SilverGlo™ foam insulation panel.  SilverGlo™ has graphite infused into the foam which bumps up the R value (insulation value) by 24% over standard EPS foam. In addition, it has a radiant barrier on top to reflect heat from a hot summer attic.  Result - a tighter, more comfortable, less drafty home you’ll notice. Rooms easier to heat and lower fuel and electric bills.