Spray Foam Insulation in Worcester, MA

This homeowner in Worcester, MA called us hoping that we would be able to help him with his basement insulation. He was having issues with drafts on the first floor of his home. His bedroom was also very cold in the winter, and he believed that there were significant issues with his insulation. When our Home Comfort Specialist came out to the home, he noticed that the homeowner was in a multi-family home, and he did not have access to the basement. Our Home Comfort Specialist recommended dense packing the walls of his home. 

We were able to help this customer. We were able to go in and dense pack the walls with TruSoft™ cellulose. Siding is removed temporarily as necessary and 2 9/16” 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.

The building manager for a library in Worcester, MA reached out to us with concerns about their radon levels. The library had closed while radon testing was being completed. However, when they received their radon test results, they could not reopen. Radon levels varied in the building, however, they were as high as 19 pCi/L in some areas of the library. As there were public-facing areas above the EPA's radon action level of 4 pCi/L, the city and the library's staff kept the library closed. They needed a long-lasting solution as quickly as possible.

We were able to help them with the library. We were able to install a radon mitigation system in the building. Due to the time-sensitive nature of their issue, we were able to make some adjustments in order to get them in as soon as possible. We started the installation by finding the best place for the system to go. Once that was identified, we were able to begin building the system. We drilled holes in the concrete slab of the basement as well as in the wall where the exterior penetration would be. We then began building the pipes, securing them in the basement. We drilled a small hole in the pipe and added the manometer. (The manometer measures the pressure of the radon in the system. It is a visual indicator of if the system is functioning as intended.) We then went outside of the library in order to complete the mitigation system. We built out the pipe and installed the fan on the outside of the library. We then were able to go back inside, sealing all of the holes for the system as well as all of the cracks and gaps in the basement. Now, the library has an efficient mitigation system so that they can reopen to the public! 

The building manager for a library in Worcester, MA initially reached out to us with concerns about the building's radon levels. The library had closed due to radon testing, and their levels were so high that they were not permitted to reopen. The levels were as high as 19 pCi/L in some public-facing areas of the library. This is much higher than the EPA's radon action level of 4 pCi/L. They needed a mitigation solution as quickly as possible, and they needed their levels lowered as much as possible. We initially installed a radon mitigation system in the library. This got their levels very low. However, they wanted to get the levels as low as possible due to the amount of people that come to the library every day.

We were able to help them with this project! We installed an energy recovery ventilator (ERV) in the basement of the library. We anchored a mounting plate to the wall, and then mounted the ERV to the wall. We began connecting the ductwork between the ERV and the outside vents. The intake vent is strategically placed to ensure that the air being brought into the building is the best possible quality -- so it is located away from driveways, as well as anything else that might bring in bad air such as HVAC vents or dryer vents. ERV intake vents are placed at least 10 feet apart from any exhaust vents. We also installed ductwork that brings the old air into the system and pushes the fresh air out of the system. The ERV works by removing stale indoor air from their basement and venting it outside. The fresh outside air gets pulled into the building. While the ERV is running, the temperature and humidity are transferred between the different air streams. For example, as it was a warm spring day, the hot, humid air was being pre-cooled and dehumidified by the air conditioned interior air. In the winter, it would be the opposite -- the cold outside air was being warmed and humidified by the inside air prior to it entering the building. The ERV transfers the temperature and humidity, but does not transfer any larger particles or toxins, which makes it perfect for people who are concerned about their radon exposure. We combined this with a radon mitigation system in order to ensure their radon levels were as low as possible. ERVs are amazing -- able to reduce radon levels 50-75% on average! Now, the library has an efficient mitigation strategy so that they can stay open! 

This homeowner in Worcester, MA called us hoping that we would be able to help him. He had very high levels of radon in his home -- testing at 6.97 pCi/L --  and was concerned regarding his radon exposure. When our Home Comfort Specialist came out to the home, he noted that there was already a radon mitigation system installed. However, it was not functioning propertly, and the homeowner did not have any information regarding the company that installed the system. 

We were able to help this customer! We took out the old radon mitigation fan and replaced it with a new one. After ensuring that all of the cracks and gaps in the basement were sealed properly, we turned the system back on and it worked perfectly. Now, this homeowner is happy, and their radon mitigation system is functioning as intended.  

This homeowner in Worcester, MA called us hoping that we would be able to help her with her home. In her initial phone call, she stated that the basement used to have "pink insulation" (fiberglass), however, almost all of it has fallen down. They needed new insulation in the home. 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 Worcester, MA called us hoping that we would be able to help him with his basement. He needed new insulation, as he had a rodent problem. When our Home Comfort Specialist came out to the home he noted that there was fiberglass insulation in the rim joist. 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.

Home builders paid little attention to the energy efficiency or looks of basement windows, often choosing the cheapest option available. This leaves you with single pane glass windows with metal frames that let lots of cold air leak into your home. Single pane clear glass lets heat from your 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 your 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.  Your old windows and frames are removed. New Everlast™ basement window inserts are installed and sealed airtight. They feature 2 panes of high performance "Low E" glass, which lets visible light through, but blocks 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 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. 

Problem:

Homeowner reached out to us about their home being poorly insulated. The homeowner described to us how they would blast the AC all day but it really was not changing the overall temperature of the home. Our Team got out and did an evaluation on the home to see exactly what the problem would be.

Solution: 

Our team discovered that it was a problem with the attic. This attic had very poor insulation. It was all torn and not in the right spots to really insulate the home. We went into the Attic and took out all the old insulation. Than our team spray foamed all the piping to ensure that no energy is lost there. Than the team used SilverGlo on the roof deck and finished off the job Dense packing the Floor of the attic with TruSoft Cellulose.

These homeowners in Worcester, MA met us at the Worcester Home Show where they let us know that they were having issues with ice damming. Ice damming occurs when the inside conditioned space of the home is not sealed off from the attic, which is vented in order to keep the roof temperature regulated and circulate out moisture. Air that the homeowner pays to heat leaks up into the attic and subsequently heats the underside of the roof, so not only does the heating system have to work harder, but the roof gets warm enough to melt the bottom layer of snow that is touching it. This melted snow then runs down the roof and refreezes at the eaves. After enough melts and freezes here, a dam forms, making the water pool up behind it. Shingles on a roof are made so that water runs down them to the gutters, but when this pooling occurs, water gets in under the shingles and starts to leak into the home causing potentially severe water damage and mold issues.

In order to stop the ice damming, we needed to properly seal off the attic. We sealed around can lights, top plates, and electrical work, but one spot that seems a bit trickier is the pull down stairs. How do you seal something that has to be opened to access the space? We used our David Lewis Hatch cover, it is made of our graphite infused SilverGlo foam board and has a radiant barrier to help keep heat in the home in the winter and out of the home in the summer. The cover has a handle to make it easier to place and remove as you enter and exit the attic. Air leakage is stopped while maintaining ease of access to the attic.

Thanks to Dr. Energy Saver by Eco Energy Solutions, these homeowners no longer experience ice damming and their home is safer.