Residential Comfort & Energy EfficiencySaturday, August 15 2020
Why does Mold Form on Plywood?Typically, condensation in the attic starts due to a moisture issue created by introducing two completely different air masses. Here are the two possible reasons this problem is happening in your attic. 1. No air sealing at the attic floor to stop warm, conditioned air from escaping into the attic (warm air/ winter issue) coupled with a lack of adequate attic ventilation creating conditions that are right for condensation that adheres to the plywood and eventually forms mold. 2. In summer, a leaking AC HVAC duct in an attic and other HVAC-related inefficiencies can allow air to seep out and interact with the hot, humid attic air, mainly if the attic is not well vented. If you find this helpful, check out more info on my YouTube Channel @hometrustremodeling Warm Air Exfiltration - Winter IssueSigns that you have an attic moisture issue problem during cold months can sometimes be seen on the plywood.
Winter Problems - What to Look out ForFrozen droplets on the tips of nails and hurricane clips signify that warm, humid air is migrating from inside the home into the attic and settling in the wrong places. But, how is the warm, humid air getting into this attic? The usual suspects...can lights and top plates! Recessed light thermography taken at the attic floor reveals heat from inside the home escaping into the attic.
Top plates are also leaky spots if not appropriately air-sealed. Top plates in the attic will exist above the hallway, between rooms, and other areas separated by a wall.
Summer Condensation - How it Formed in This Attic
At first, when I got up in the attic, I could see the stains. It was apparent quickly that there was an issue beyond what I usually see. I have been in many attics and seen a lot of roof sheathing over the years. I was not exactly sure about this one at first. I have not had a mold case. Overall, is is pretty rare, at least in Maryland. At first, I considered the possible interaction of the cool conditioned air in the living space below and the warm, humid attic air. Maybe I could find a large opening or bypass where the air interacted, but why would be so high up? Then I turned around. I saw a huge HVAC supply duct lying completely undressed and the picture was getting clearer. Summer Moisture - 4 Things to Lookout ForHere is the recipe for mildew and mold growth on the plywood in warmer months: 1. HVAC Ducts *Second HVAC system located in the attic or crawl space. 2. HVAC System Size *The second HVAC system is improperly sized. 3. Poor thermostat location. *The thermostat is located in an area reported to be a "hot spot" on the floor so the machine was running longer. 4. Poor Ventilation *Improper baffle placement. A baffle is supposed to act as a channel for the open soffit intake below. The soffit opening is covered with insulation, not allowing good flow. Here is what it is supposed to look like. How to Remove Mold from Attic PlywoodAnswer: Control the humidity and the mold growth disappears.Here are the steps recommended to solve this issue in the long term. 1. Remove the insulation around the soffit/eave areas - the entire perimeter 2. Reinstall baffles at the eaves to promote the best possible organic attic ventilation. 3. Re-position the insulation so as not to cover the openings. 4. Seal the duct seams and tightly insulate the supply plenum (central AC duct) to eliminate leakage (lost energy) into the attic.
________________ Written by Eric Gans Do you have something going on around the house? Maybe my YouTube Channel can help. YouTube Channel @hometrustremodeling
I would like to hear your comments about this article. Feel free to post something below... Tuesday, July 28 2020
Duct leakage inside a home can account for as much as 30% of energy loss. But, how do you fix a problem that mostly lives behind walls and in hard to reach locations? Saturday, July 18 2020
Most homeowners that have a knee wall in their home don't know they have a knee wall in their home. This article discusses the different type of knee walls, the issues knee walls present in terms of comfort and energy efficiency and how to properly treat knee walls for peace of mind. Wednesday, July 15 2020
Check out this before and after crawl space encapsulation project with blocking and sealing open vents. Crawl Space Encapsulation Maryland - Smart Thinking
Imagine if that was a formula for everything in life. Work less and gain more! Saturday, July 11 2020
Hometrust Remodeling recently completed an insulation job in Laurel, MD 20723. The project consisted of the following measures:
For most insulation to be effective it is important to stop the flow of air by sealing up holes and cracks in as many accessible areas as possible. Insulating the accessible skylight kneewalls to R13 after sealing smaller crevices/cracks and adding sheathing (air barrier) over the insulation will maximize boundary effectiveness and reduce air communication between the living space and the attic (outside). Most of the largest leaks in homes occur where framing (such as floor joists or wall studs) span from an area inside conditioned space to an unconditioned or vented space, such as the attic,crawlspace, garage, or roof. Appropriate blocking is needed in these instances. Untreated recessed lights are invisible gateways for air to communicate between the inside (conditioned space) and outside (attic). Covering and sealing accessible recessed lights will eliminate this issue. Encapsulation, using open cell spray foam, was completed for this project so that the space below, including the HVAC unit in the garage attic, would become part of the overall "envelope". The garage is going to be converted to living space (in-law suite) so by encapsulating the area above the space, it will make it easy to complete the job once the work gets done and when the space is changed, the HVAC will also benefit from being enclosed inside the house rather than outside (garage attic). Monday, June 29 2020
Learn about some of the benefits a homeowner can get from having an air leakage test performed by a blower door system. Tuesday, May 26 2020
I wanted to share an experience that I had when I moved into a townhouse in Laurel a few years ago. Prior to moving to North Laurel, I lived mostly in West Laurel, so I am not new to the area. What was a first time experience for me was July 2018. Whew! It was so hot! And so was the upstairs bedrooms all day and into the night and we were a bit concerned as it was our first summer in the new home and we like it cool when we sleep. At the time, I was about six months into being a home energy auditor. I was learning a lot, especially out in the field working with people in their homes all day. What I was realizing is that I am not alone. Lots of others are also hot upstairs in the summer. I wanted to share because here is what some people do and it does not solve their problem: 1. Replace HVAC System 2. Replace Windows Here is what we did (with a little insider info) and it came along with measurable results: Air sealed and insulated the attic and basement Now, the temperature throughout our townhouse is far more regulated. The upstairs is still a bit hotter during the hottest of days with full sun, but it cools down in the evenings and we can sleep. During the winter after getting the insulation work done, it was much easier to heat the house too. Anyways, I like to share that story with people I know because I see too many people trying to solve comfort with new AC or new windows and the only way to do it is with proper home assessment & correctly installed insulation. Hope you find a way to beat the Maryland summer heat!! Wednesday, May 06 2020
Key Purchasing Factors Should Be
Planning for Replacement Windows
Step 1 Figure out which windows in your home need to be replaced. Do you want to replace all of them or just certain ones? Step 3 Examine various window types and decide what style would best fit your home. Be sure to find the right windows to suit your needs and that are right for our region. Step 4 Do research and gather all the information you can. Familiarize yourself with the products and options available to you. This is a great opportunity to write down any questions you want answered. Step 5 Get in contact with several local replacement window distributors and dealers. Ask questions and receive price quotes. Step 6 Find out about the warranties and service support. Learn about the company itself and their qualifications. The credibility of the company is important. Step 7 Based upon window type, price, service and your impressions, select where you would like to make the purchase. Wednesday, April 01 2020
One of the keys to performing a good energy audit is to be consistent. Consistency, yields high quality results for the homeowner. Having a sound routine and being sure to go through that routine for each and every house will serve the most seasoned home energy auditors very well.
As I began the audit and started outside to take a look around I began to get the overall picture of the house now that I was inside and did a full tour throughout. I made my way around the side of the house to the kitchen area.
Two things stand out to me right away. One thing to note there is that the kitchen is at the back corner of the house above the garage. The kitchen window above the sink is the window that can be seen in this photo above the garage door. The general area is inside the red lines.
The second thing that is is less obvious and is something that will require additional investigation is the exhaust hood just above the grill to the right of the sunroom.
For the most part, and of course this is something I mentioned to the homeowner, the problem is never only one thing. There usually are several things working against you and the ideas is to wrestle the power away from as many of those problems that you can in, order of how much they cost, in order to make the problem less of a problem.
So, treating the ceiling of the garage with a proper pressure boundary in addition to the thermal boundary would be a significant part of a project that was going to seriously attack the kitchen being cold. But, in this case the example that I will demonstrate here can be seen in all types of houses and perhaps this might be the only source to your issue.
Let's get back to the exhaust hood on the back, above the grill and next to the sunroom.
At first glance, it might just blend in and some might not even make the connection that it leads to the kitchen and those that do, may not make the connection that it is not connected. What I mean here is that if you turn the vent fan on above you range and if it is blowing air out at you then it is a recirculating fan. Why is this important?
Often times when a kitchen is remodeled little thought is given to the kitchen exhaust requirements. Many times the connection with the preexisting fan is not used. To further the trajedy of not reinstalling proper ventilation, nothing is done to seal and insulate the void leaving a large thermal bypass in a highly traveled area of the house.
Here are a few shots of the kitchen for some more perspective.
Notice the area above the stove top. There is nothing there. Earlier I mentioned that the homeowner just purchased the house so this is the situation they inherited. The story for me was starting to take shape. The kitchen at one time had working exhaust and during the kitchen remodel it was eliminated, but the end result is a big offender when it comes to why the kitchen is not comfortable.
From the outside you can see that the depth of the exterior wall is roughly four inches and seeing the old wiring and the inside panel that this was a source of some of the problems in this kitchen. Thermal imaging confirmed it.
So keep this in mind if your kitchen is cold and drafty. It is possible this issue can exist if a microwave oven or range hood is in place with a new recirculating fan. The old exhaust hood is a gateway to the outside as seen in this example. A clue would be to look outside to see if there are any vent hoods not associated with any appliance.
So, how can you fix this yourself?
Here is how you do it. Find something solid, easy to cut to size and air tight. Sometimes heavy duty styrofoam furniture packaging will work. Another option is a piece of polyiso insulation foamboard from the hardware store, but check to see if you can find something around the house since you don't need much. Be sure to do the blocking part. You don't want to shoot a bunch of foam insulation in the hole and muck it all up in case you need it later or stuff fiberglass insulation in there because that will not work. Cut to size, place in the void and seal around the perimeter with spray foam. This will insulate and air seal at the same time and fix the thermal bypass in that location.
Friday, March 27 2020
This situation illustrates to a homeowner what the envelope of the house is, and how the thermal boundary around the envelope is so critical to comfort and efficiency. The best way to describe the building envelope is to say that it is the separation point between the inside of the home -where you live, sleep and pay for air to be conditioned and the outside which can be described in several terms. |