This home in Wilmington was built in 1967 when things were done very differently. Building contractors have learned a lot in the half century since then. It takes a lot of work to bring an old home up to the new standards. With energy costs constantly rising, and health awareness of modern medicine, it's not just a luxury, its a must.
Solution
Old-school ventilated crawlspaces, damp, moldy, and stinky, are out. Encapsulated crawlspaces, clean, white, and dry, are in.
Old thin fiberglass batt insulation often provides insulation protection of no more than R6. Cellulose insulation blown to a depth of 17-inches provide insulation protection of R60. Not only that, but dirty old insulation is first removed and the attic floor swept bare so the cracks and penetrations left over from the original construction that allow air to leak out of the home are sealed shut. Attic pull-down stairs are retrofitted with air-tight insulated hatch covers.
Radon gas is a killer. One in fourteen homes has levels of radon accumulating inside that exceed accepted standards. The solution is to install a radon mitigation system which pumps the radon gas out from under cement slabs and vents it safely away into the atmosphere outside.
The infrared camera doesn't lie. It shows us just how bad the energy leaks through the typical attic pull-down stairs. Typically they are uninsulated and have no air sealing at all. The installation of a David Lewis Hatch Cover does both jobs in one.
The insulation used to be nice and pink but has been blackened by air coming up through the hollow wall cavities from the rooms below, carrying with it damp dirty air. The air seeps through these tiny cracks left behind from the original construction of the home. The solution is to remove the insulation form the attic and seal these cracks with Zyp™ expanding foam.
Air leaks are typically the biggest source of energy loss in the home. And it's not only the building shell that leaks, but the HVAC duct work. These leaks are particularly bad because conditioned air is forced through the duct work and out through the leaks under pressure. Sealing the ductwork from the inside out with AeroSeal™ is the best solution to leaky ducts money can buy.
Lighting fixtures mounted in the ceiling provide an easy path for conditioned air in the living spaces to be forced up into the attic. The solution is to cover the fixture with this special heat and fire resistant can and then seal it tight to the attic floor with Zyp expanding foam.
Insulating homes where top story living space shares a wall with an attic is particularly tricky business. Here a worker is installing SilverGlo™, which serves three purposes; insulation, air sealing, and reflective radiant barrier which reflects heat away from the wall.
This wise homeowner made good decisions, including the installation of a radon gas mitigation system. This helps insure occupants will not be breathing in radioactive dust particles caused by the disintegration of radon gas.
In the old days they simply put some insulation up against the floor then vented outside air into the crawlspace beneath the house. We now know this construction practice was a big mistake. Encapsulating the crawlspace like this makes for warm dry floors and protects the underside of the floor structure from mold and rot.
