Camden County, NJ's Skilled Energy Audits, Heating & AC Repair

The homeowners, who had lived at the property for 25 years, had noticed a disparity in the conditioning of their living room. The front wall and window were cold and drafty in the winter. In addition, there was a musty smell coming from the duct system. It's a wonder that the house was being conditioned at all, as the existing heating and air conditioning equipment were "classics" from 1968.

The first step in addressing their concerns was a full replacement of both the furnace and air conditioner with modern, high-efficiency equipment. A 96% effecient variable speed furnace and 16 SEER two-stage condensor were chosen. To correct the drafts and conditioning issues, first the attic space was sealed against any air leaks. This included the decking laid down as a walkway. Following this, 6 inches of cellulose insulation were added, totalling a full foot of thermal barrier. The customer is expected to save a projected 25% on their utility bills, in addition to having a much more comfortable living room.

This job was a relatively straightforward attic insulation upgrade. To begin, the attic flat was sealed along the wall tops and penetrations, ensuring air wasn't leaking up through them. Next, an additional 7 inches of cellulose insulation were added, bringing the total insulation value above R-38. Finally, a sealed foam stair cover was installed to prevent air leaks through the pull-down stairs. In addition to the prescribed insulating work, a faulty bathroom fan was replaced and properly vented through the roof.

This customer contacted our company with multiple comfort issues. The finished basement, where the family spent most of their leisure time, was too warm in the summer and conversely too cold in the winter. It was also damp, requiring a dehumidifier to run in order to keep it dry. The second floor of the house, a Cape Cod construction, was poorly insulated and uncomfortable in the summer. In addition, the equipment was old and in need of an upgrade.

To correct the comfort issues in the basement, the outer rim joists were insulated with high-density foam, covered with R-15 fiberglass batt. The heating and air conditioning equipment were replaced with high-efficiency models. The water heater was replaced with a power-vented unit. Certain runs of ductwork were found to be damaged, and were replaced with insulated flexible duct, and sealed. The second floor attic and kneewall areas were air sealed with high-density foam. Damaged insulation in the kneewalls was removed, and both the attic and kneewalls were treated with 11 inches of cellulose insulation. In addition, the walls facing the conditioned space were filled with R-13 fiberglass batt and covered with one-inch foamboard, creating a thermal barrier against the heat of the kneewalls. A bath fan and dryer were properly vented, to modern safety codes.

This home was in desparate need of an insulation upgrade. The walls were balloon framed, and thus completely open from the basement through to the attic. No insulation was present in them, either. This left the house uncomfortable year-round, and understandably led to humungous energy bills. The problems continued in the attic, where the fiberglass insulation was installed upside-down, creating the risk of mold spreading on the paper backing. In addition to the safety issue, the insulation was also underperforming.

The first step in insulating the exterior walls was to seal off the open framing in the basement with high-density foam. This both prevented air from moving up through the walls, and prepared the framing for the next step. Two inch holes were drilled into the walls, allowing for the 4-inch framing to be completely dense packed with cellulose insulation. This no only provided a thermal barrier, but also prevented air from leaking up through electrical fixtures, as well as providing sound insulation. In the attic, first the entire flat was sealed with high-density foam. Next, the fiberglass batts were flipped right-side up and seated properly. Finally, an additional 9 inches of blown-in cellulose insulation was added.

This is a the story of the beautiful home with a big hole in the top.  This beautiful home in Berlin, NJ had it all!  Including, 3 beautiful rooms with vaulted and cathedral ceilings.  It was not so beautiful when the electric bill came.   It was so cold in the winter and impossible to cool in the summer.  These beautiful rooms had a hidden problem. See,  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" - 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 airflow '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 air flow whatsoever.  Ceilings with wood boards can leak lots of air you paid to heat.  A wood ceiling has gaps between each board where warm air that you paid to heat leaks right out of your home.  If you add up the size of each crack and put it together it's like having a big hole in the top of your home!  In the summer, the roofing heats up to 160 degrees and the roof heats radiates through the ceiling and heats up your room making it uncomfortable and hard to cool.

Fortunately This home had a smart homeowner, they called Alber Service Co. and they came to the rescue with Dense Packed ceiling cellulose Insulation.  They removed the gutter and fascia board and the 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. Some light dust may be expected inside during installation depending on how tight together the ceiling boards are.  This will not continue after the installation day. 

Now this beautiful home can live happily ever after with warmer rooms in the winter, cooler in the summer, less drafty and most of all lower heating and cooling bills!