Spray Foam on Attic Rafters in Smithfield, VA
Challenge
Homes like this one in Smithfield, VA often experience uneven temperatures throughout their home, struggle to make some rooms comfortable in the coldest and hottest months of the year, and have high energy bills. This homeowner reached out to our team looking for options to insulate the attic. They were specifically interested in Spray Foam Insulation.
This attic, like many others, houses the HVAC equipment including ductwork. This leaves the ductwork subject to the extreme temperatures of the attic, making the home harder to heat and cool. Additionally, when there is little insulation on the floor of the attic, that heat transfers to the ceiling and then radiates into the rooms below making them hotter and even harder to cool down. It is a cycle that never ends because what’s too hot to be comfortable in the summer, becomes freezing in the winter, making square footage of your home that you paid for, too uncomfortable to use!
Solution
While we also discussed the option of air sealing and insulating the attic from the floor with blown-in cellulose insulation, the homeowner determined they wanted to insulate from the rafters, sealing the attic and protecting the equipment and storage items in the space.
It is important when encapsulating the attic to know that you need to still be able to control moisture and humidity. In some cases, this can be done by the natural leaks in the ductwork, in others, a dehumidifier is required to regulate the humidity and protect the home and equipment. In this case, a dehumidifier was not necessary as the natural leakage from the ductwork and the air handler would be able to regulate the space sufficiently.
To encapsulate this attic, we first blocked the soffit vents and sealed over a small hole that connected the main attic to the front room over garage attic space. At this time, the homeowner didn’t want to insulate the space over the garage. Once the space was sealed. We applied 3-inches of closed-cell spray foam on the rafters, creating both an air barrier and a vapor retarder.
Insulating from the rafters extends the thermal envelope of the home all the way up the roof. This also means less air is leaking out of the top of the home and less heat radiating down into the home. The homeowners are left with an attic space that is more protected and can be used for storage without worrying about damage to items such as melting or mildewing. In addition, less heat is escaping, and their HVAC lines are less susceptible to the elements leaving them with more comfortable rooms and even temperatures in the home as well as lower energy bills.
If you are experiencing uneven temperatures in your home, give our team a call for a free home evaluation and estimate. Our experienced Home Performance Advisors will discuss your concerns with you, do a thorough inspection of your home, discuss their findings, and work with you to find the right solution for your home.
