Sterling, CT's Reliable Insulation & Radon Mitigation Company

This homeowner in Sterling, CT reached out to us hoping we could help with their insulation, as it was inefficient. When our Home Comfort Specialist arrived at the home, he noted that the basement insulation specifically was not up to par, and there was no insulation in the rim joist. 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 order to seal and insulate it. Two part expanding spray foam was 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 Sterling, CT called us hoping that we would be able to help her with her insulation issues. The lack of proper insulation was causing freezing pipes. Our Home Comfort Specialist came out to the home and noted that in the main section of the home, there was 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” to 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. In this solution, we dense pack the cathedral ceiling with TruSoft™ cellulose insulation. The soffit vent is blocked with a continuous board. The gutter and fascia board are removed and a TruSoft™ cellulose insulation is “dense packed” into the rafter bays through a long fill pipe inserted deep into the ceiling/roof. Dense packing fills all air spaces, compresses existing batt insulation, and stops air leakage. The ridge vent remains and functions not as an air vent, but a vapor vent. The fascia board and gutter are reinstalled. Result - Room is warmer in winter, cooler in summer, less drafty, more comfortable, lower heating and cooling bills, easier to heat and cool.

This homeowner in Sterling, CT called us hoping that we would be able to help her with her insulation. Her pipes throughout the house had been freezing every winter, and the home had other problems as well. When our Home Comfort Specialist came out to the home, he noted that the insulation in the house was not up to par -- especially in the attic. Attic insulation in a home can get pretty nasty. Over many years it sits there collecting dirt, dust, pollen, bugs, rodent feces (from mice, squirrels, bats, etc.), bird droppings and nests and all kinds of undesirable things.

We had the perfect solution for this customer's insulation issues. However, before that, we had to remove all of the old insulation. The batt insulation was bagged and then the attic was vacuumed to remove pieces, parts and dust. Result - Now the attic is clean! It’s ready for proper air sealing and installation of clean, new, fresh cellulose insulation or one of our other strategies to make the home comfortable and energy efficient.