Attic Insulation Before & After Photos

There are many steps to any attic project that we work on.  More than just "before" and "after", there is also in "between" and "in progress".  This Oakton VA home had rooms that were not always comfortable year round.  Our Home Performance Sales Pro Greg went out to visit the homeowners and perform a no cost home inspection after they called us about their rooms being too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter.  In addition to several other services, this client decided to have their old attic insulation removed so that we could air seal the cracks, gaps and openings in the attic that were allowing conditioned air to escape the rooms below, before we would then blow in Tru Soft cellulose insulation to cover the attic surface and properly insulate the space.    Here is what the attic looked like to start and what it looked like after we removed the old insulation and prepared to air seal.  

This home in Oakton Virginia had a living room that was too cold in the winter and upstairs rooms that we too hot in the summer. Our Certified Home Performance Sales Pro Jason was able to discover how to fix those comfort issues.  In addition to adding a radiant barrier to the attic ceiling, he realized the old insulation needed to be removed so that the attic flooring could be air sealed with Zyp Foam.  After everything was done, the conditioned air inside of the rooms below will now stay there, making the home more comfortable and with more even temperatures.  

We often find attics that need to have insulation upgrades but cannot support the new material without it potentially moving around the attic.  Blown insulation can fill up empty spaces in an attic but it if is not contained, it can shift when the home owner or service technicians need to access the attic for different reasons.  We often build out these type of support walls to create insulation damns, holding the material in place and allowing for clear access to navigate the attic in other areas.  The height and angle of the walls can allow for different levels of insulation to be blown in.  

This home in Fairfax VA had roof leaks that were allowing water and excessive moisture into the attic which resulted in the early stages of mildew and mold.  We developed a project to help fix the attic that involved several steps and coordinating around other services providers that would eventually fix the roof, remove and clean any mold and then paint the inside of the attic after we removed all of the existing insulation.  Once painted and ready for new insulation, we used Zyp Foam to air seal the attic floor before finally blowing insulation in to cover the surfaces and properly insulate the home.  

In addition to air sealing and insulation an attic, it can often be helpful to create a better landing area for someone to stand on when entering the space.  Creating a platform such as this one will help to keep insulation from falling into the hallway below and allows for a way to safely stand in the attic to look around or start to access any utilities or storage space.