Comfenergy Q&A

The procedure for removing attic insulation varies depending upon the type of insulation that is existing.

Fiberglass Batts are removed by literally walking/crawling around in the attic with 50 gallon trash bags.  The fiberglass batts are picked up off of the attic floor, folded up, and stuffed into trash bags.  Then these bags are carried out of the home, thrown into a truck, and eventually taken to the dump to be disposed of.

Blown (fiberglass, cellulose, or other) insulation is vacuumed out of the attic with a large gas powered vacuum machine.  A crew of 2-3 people is typically what is sent to perform vacuuming existing insulation from an attic. One or two people go into the attic with a long flexible hose that sucks the insulation through it.  The hose is connected to a "drop box" which allows large or heavy items to fall into the box instead of going through the vacuum which could damage it.  Then, one person sits in the truck and makes sure the old insulation goes into large cylindrical bags that are 5 ft. long and 4 ft. ion diameter. The bags are eventually taken to the dump and disposed of properly.

Radiant Barrier is a highly reflective sheet that is much like aluminum foil that is applied to the interior of your roof.  It is low maintenance and requires zero power to act as boundary between the outside air and the inside air, while also helping to reduce the naturally rising temperature of your attic due to the sun. 

Energy bills can be higher than wanted if your HVAC system is running often.  If your home doesn't hold in conditioned air, your HVAC system will create more conditioned air.  As this process repeats, your energy bills can increase.  This can also cause added stress on your HVAC system, increasing the potential for wear and tear or failure.  A home performance company can identify ways to retain conditioned air and allow your HVAC system to work less.  

There are many reasons why different rooms in the same house can be different temperatures.  Lack of air sealing, poor quality or inefficient insulation.  Windows with a bad seal or other uncontrolled airflow in and out of the home.  A home performance company can inspect and find the answer.  Comfenergy.  

Water spots on a ceiling could be the result of a plumbing leak or they can be due to "duct sweating".  Duct sweating is caused by condensation from and HVAC duct running through the walls or ceiling of your home. spray foam insulation can be used to seal and protect and HVAC duct and keep it from sweating.  

Attic insulation can collect dirt if there is poor air quality or uncontrolled air flow in or out of an attic. Outside air with dust and allergens can enter an attic space through open vents, gaps and cracks in the walls.  Insulation can act as a filter and trap the dirt, causing dark spots in the insulation.  Proper air seal and control of the air flow in and out of the attic can help.  A home performance company can identify ways to improve this. 

Garages are often unconditioned spaces with nothing to heat or cool them.  This means outdoor weather and temperatures can impact the temperature inside.  A cold or hot garage can influence the temperature of the room above.  Lack of air seal, poor quality or inefficient insulation can add to this problem.