Job Stories

During our free home evaluation in Point Pleasant, NJ, we found that the attic insulation was deteriorating and insufficient. The home’s ductwork was also leaking conditioned air into the attic, driving up energy bills. In addition, the attic lacked proper baffle vents, which has led to wood rot and potential growth along the roofline. These are all issues we can correct to improve comfort and reduce energy costs throughout the home.

During a free home evaluation in Atlantic Highlands, NJ, we uncovered several common issues that affect comfort and energy costs year-round. The homeowner was dealing with uneven temperatures and high energy bills, and thermal imaging revealed insulation gaps in the kneewall and attic. We also found an uninsulated return leaking conditioned air into the attic, poorly air-sealed top plates with large gaps, exposed metal ducts and trunk lines leaking air, inadequate insulation, and signs of rodent activity. These are problems many homeowners don’t realize exist, but they can significantly impact comfort, energy use, and indoor air quality. Our team addresses these hidden issues by properly air sealing and insulating the home to improve comfort, reduce energy bills, and create a healthier indoor environment.

We have a homeowner in West Windsor, NJ with mold growing on the roof rafters. Moisture in the attic has created indoor air quality issues for the owner. This owner did not have the proper attic ventilation such as vent baffles. We can see the lack of vent baffles where the old fiberglass insulation is blocking the soffits. The lack of proper attic ventilation can cause moisture to build in the attic creating mold. Our team treats the mold with Mold-X2 Cleaner which is a stain remover. After we treat the mold with Mold-X2 Cleaner we then spray Mold-X2 Botanicals to help prevent future mold growth and to eliminate the strong odor from the Cleaner. Mold treatment can help prevent the growth of mold but may not eliminate mold from forming again. This is why it is important to prevent moisture from turning into mold. This homeowner now has healthy air quality and an energy efficient home.

A homeowner in Manalapan Township, NJ wanted their home to feel more comfortable all year round. This homeowner was experiencing cold and drafty rooms during the winter. During the summer they would experience hot and stuffy rooms. Our team took no time finding issues in the attic and kneewall space that were making this owner’s house uncomfortable. By properly insulating the kneewall space with our knowledge and techniques we were able to make the adjoining room more comfortable. We used similar techniques to properly insulate the attic making the owner’s house more comfortable and energy efficient.

In Manalapan Township, NJ we removed the old fiberglass insulation and air sealed the attic. Next our team of experts built retaining dams to contain the cellulose insulation. This homeowner also had their AC handler replaced and we encapsulated any other remaining ducts needed. Finally as shown in the image, we blew-in our TruSoft cellulose insulation. This homeowner now has a more comfortable and energy efficient home.

We're currently in Manchester Township, NJ, inspecting a homeowner's ductwork. During our complimentary inspection, we discovered a supply handler leaking conditioned air into the attic. It's puzzling why anyone would choose to pay more for energy bills while enduring discomfort in their own home. This is where we step in. Depending on the situation, we offer various solutions such as air sealing or replacing the supply handler. We offer a range of options, from sealing the seams with mastic tape to using ZypFoam sealant. Additionally, the supply handler can be encapsulated with spray foam, but our preferred choice is SilverGlo rigid foam boards. These boards come with a radiant barrier that helps cool down the conditioned air during hot summers; ensuring homeowners get the comfort they're paying for.

During my job site visit to confirm installation details, I (Dave the Owner) met the homeowner Dennis. As we walked through the project he commented that the 2nd floor, which consisted of 3 bedrooms and a bathroom, felt notably better, and the work wasn’t even 100% complete yet. One of the common issues with this type of home, is that the upper level is cold and drafty in the winter and much hotter in the summer. To the point where they typically would install window air conditioners to help. This is a Levitt built home from the 1970’s. This is a two story home on a slab foundation, with one Heating and cooling system located in a garage utility room. The problem is that the home has large under insulated attic flats, vertical walls on the 2nd floor between the unconditioned attic space and the bedrooms, (called knee walls), a large sky light well and the main heating and cooling return duct is 100% in the attic space. The duct is not insulated properly and has many small holes where it pulls in either very hot air in summer, very cold air in the winter and nasty fiberglass particulate every time it runs. The combination of these issues created a uncomfortable home that cost too much to heat and cool year round. These types of issues should be addressed by professionals who understand how buildings work. Improper air sealing or insulation can create ventilation, moisture and combustion appliance problems if not done correctly.

In Freehold, NJ we have a homeowner with poorly insulated ductwork. Attics can reach over 140 degrees during the summer and with that heat these poorly insulated ducts will heat up. These large gaps in the insulation leak the attics hot air back into the conditioned rooms. We can also see the flexible trunks poorly connected to the supply duct. This will also create hot attic air to leak back into the ducts warming the cool air you paid for. To resolve this issue we encapsulated the ductwork by using our SilverGlo insulation panels which have a radiant barrier to help reflect the heat away from the ducts. This homeowner now has a more comfortable and energy efficient home.

This home was well built in 1961. It is a 2 story on a slab with an attached garage. We diagnosed what may be contributing to comfort concerns, using a blower door, air leakage detector (smoke) and a Thermal imaging camera. What we found was the the attics where underinsulated, the building was losing a great deal of the heated and cooled air through exceesive air leakage and air ducts in a lower attic where not insulated well and not sealed.  The customer moved forward with a comprehensive project that included, thorough air sealing, insulating 2 attic flats to R-60, maintaining proper ventilation and sealing and insulating AC ducts in the attic. The results,  overall airleakage was reduced by 31%. The excessive air leakage was reduced 54%, the customer noticed improved comfort right away. Also reported the house was much quieter.  In addition to the improved comfort, the products we used are safe for humans, reduce dust and improve indoor air quality.  We test in and out on every job to quantify results. This project qualifed the the NJ Clean energy program, recieved a cash back incentive and long term 0% funding. This project generates more savings annually than the cost the program funding actually paying for itself in energy savings.      

In Marlboro, NJ a homeowner was having moisture and insulation issues in the attic. Looking at the old fiberglass insulation we found dust and dirt all over the insulation. This is a sign that the attic is not properly air sealed. The adjoining wall is also poorly insulated and needs to be addressed. We also have condensation built up on the roof sheathing and rafters. If we look closely we can see rusty nails in the roof sheathing and stained moisture droplets on the floor of the attic or in the insulation. By properly ventilating the attic we can help alleviate moisture build up. Condensation or moisture build up can also cause dry rot and mold. As we can see this owner has mold on their roof raters and sheathing. Once our crew treats the moisture issues, we will then use our orange ZypFoam sealant to air seal the attic. Next we installed retaining walls to help contain our TruSoft cellulose insulation. We install our SilverGlo foam insulation panels onto the adjacent wall then air seal the seams. Finally, our team will blow-in our TruSoft cellulose insulation.