Spray Foam & Home Insulation Company in West Springfield, MA

This homeowner in West Springfield, MA called us hoping that we would be able to come to his home to evaluate his attic. He believed that he did not have enough attic insulation in his home. Additionally, he had some rodents in the home several months prior, and wanted to ensure that the situation would not reoccur. 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. 

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.

This homeowner in West Springfield, MA called us hoping that we would be able to help her. Their sunroom smelled like mold and they were not sure where the smell was coming from. When our Home Comfort Specialist arrived in the home, he was able to inspect and found where the moldy smell was coming from. Mold in an attic is not normal, not healthy, and a sign that there is another problem in the home causing the relative humidity in the attic to go above 75% so mold can grow on wood and insulation. We can surely fix the relative humidity problem with other solutions, but what about the mold that’s already there? Can it be eliminated with an effective treatment? Result - Mold all over the roof deck, odor and even rot.

We had the perfect solution for this customer. We utilized our Mold-X2 Cleaner and Mold-X2 Botanical solutions. Mold-X2 Cleaner effectively eliminates mold and mildew stains on contact. It is non-abrasive and non-flammable, and was 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, was sprayed on the surface, which prevents mold from growing back. Now the attic is ready for our other solutions. Result - Mold eliminated, no odors or wood rot.

This homeowner in West Springfield, MA called us hoping to get his windows replaced in his home. They were not energy efficient and just needed to be replaced. Usually, home builders paid little attention to the energy efficiency or looks of basement windows, often choosing the cheapest option available. This leaves the home with single pane glass windows with metal frames that let lots of cold air leak into the home. Single pane clear glass lets heat from the home escape by conduction through the cold glass. Metal is highly thermally conductive and a poor material for a window frame. And metal rusts in the damp environment near the ground. Perhaps the worst part is that these basement windows leak air - lots of it, because the house has lower air pressure at the bottom and sucks cold outside air into the home, causing a cold basement and cold floors above. And let’s face it, these windows are ugly. Results - cold basement, cold floors upstairs, drafts, higher fuel and electric bills, more condensation in the basement in the summertime, less comfortable home.

Luckily, Fogarty's Home Services had the perfect solution for this customer. The window sashes were removed and Everlast™ basement window inserts were installed and sealed airtight. They feature 2 panes of high performance “Low E” glass, which let’s visible light through but block most of the heat flow with a special metallic coating on the inside of both panes of glass. The sash features a vinyl frame - the perfect material for a window in the damp environment near the ground. The vinyl looks great and will never rust, rot or need paint. And the new efficient windows will look great! Results - warmer basement, warmer floors above the basement, less drafts, less condensation in summer, lower overall home air leakage, lower fuel and electric bills.

This homeowner in West Springfield, MA called us when water was coming in through his window wells. When our Home Comfort Specialist arrived at the home, he noticed that the current window wells attached to the home had ill-fitting covers. Therefore, water was getting in around them, which was causing the water in his basement. Open metal window wells let leaves and debris collect in them, blocking light to a basement. Rain gets in, and water from over flooding gutters cascades into the window wells. Weeds grow in the window wells since they have no bottom, and mud splashes up against your window glass. And let’s face it - they are ugly! Results - Constant maintenance, far less natural light to the basement, and they are ugly!

Luckily, Fogarty's Home Services had the perfect solution for this customer. We removed their old enclosures and installed SunHouse™ window enclosures. The SunHouse™ window enclosure is a bright color and has a bottom to reflect much more light into the basement. The bottom prevents weeds from growing and mud doesn’t splash against the windows. SunHouses™ have a sturdy matching clear cover to keep rain and leaves out, and it keeps the wind from blowing against the windows. Plus, a window drain system was installed as well -- meaning they are protected against window wells flooding! 

Building code requires that no combustible materials, including wood framing and insulation, be within 2” of a masonry chimney. This has left millions of homes with an airspace from the basement or crawl space right to the attic. Air that you paid to heat is continually leaking out of your home to the vented attic where it is lost. Results - a more drafty, uncomfortable house that’s harder to heat, higher fuel and electric bills.

Fogarty's Home Services Solution:  Chimney Wrap.  First the space between the wood framing and masonry is flashed with metal and then sealed airtight with special high temperature fire caulk. Then completely fireproof “Rock Wool” insulation panels are installed around the chimney so that TruSoft™ cellulose insulation may be blown against the chimney.  “Chimney Wrap” leaves no gaps in the insulation around your chimney, and seals one of the biggest air leaks in your home.

Results - Lower house air leakage, less heat loss, home is more comfortable and easier to heat - lower fuel bills.

The second floor of a Cape suffers from inadequate insulation, and air leaks from the soffits into poorly insulated kneewall spaces. This results in cold drafty rooms in winter that are harder than necessary to heat, and hot rooms in the summer as roof heat radiates in unchecked. Kneewall spaces are dusty and too cold or hot - unsuitable for clean storage.

First, our SilverGlo™ foam insulation panels are installed on the bottom of the joists in the kneewall spaces and the ceiling rafter bays are blocked and sealed with foam to stop air leakage. Then the roof slopes are sprayed with closed cell spray foam to stop air flow and insulate. This creates a super insulated kneewall. A thermal or ignition barrier coating is added when kneewalls have HVAC equipment or are used for storage. Finally, the flat ceiling is insulated with TruSoft™ cellulose insulation.

The result, rooms are comfortable all year and need much less heat and air conditioning. Drafts are eliminated as kneewall spaces are airtight and clean and suitable for storage. Summer roof heat is far less.

Steps from your basement to the outdoors are convenient, but the (metal) hatch doors that cover them are completely uninsulated and leak lots of air. Cold winter air gets sucked into your home continually in winter. In summer, warm humid hair enters the basement and causes condensation on cool floors, walls, and ducts. Results - Cold basement, cold floors on the first floor, drafts higher heating/fuel costs, condensation in summer, higher electric costs for A/C. Proper framing is installed and a new insulated exterior door with weather-stripping  and locking knob is installed. Now, "inside" the house is inside the door, and "outside" is outside the door, so it doesn't matter that the hatch door is uninsulated and leaks air. Results - Warmer basement and floors over the basement, drier basement in the summer, lower fuel and electric costs, less drafts, house is easier to heat, more security.

Problem:

This homeowner contacted us with a problem that floors being cold and drafty. We got over to the house to do our Free evaluation and discovered that air was leaking through the rim joists and the window in the basement.

Solution: 

We talked it over with the homeowner and came up with a plan to seal the rim joists with spray foam and to cover up the window with a foamax board, this will prevent any outside air from sneaking through the basement. The homeowner was extremely happy when they saw the finished product and loved how the floors were no longer cold.