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Thank you!

TH-cam is a tough game. Way harder than getting in attics LOL.

@@homeairleakagetest for sure. It's definitely a long game... Keep providing value!

Thank you for watching! Glad it helped!!

On top. You don't want to mess up the insulation too much so it works good for you and equally important, that would be a waste of time if you follow the trick in the video and at first, don't be afraid to go step by step and feel around before you press too hard. Another tip is to take the same path and follow your footsteps in the insulation. Best of luck!

Thank you so much. I’m glad it helped you!!

Yes! Remember to hook up the duct so it vents out. Here is another helpful link Installation: PANASONIC FV-0510VS1 WhisperValue DC Exhaust Fan th-cam.com/video/nUM2XsfHvNI/w-d-xo.html

@@homeairleakagetest Thank you. I am thinking of purchasing the Panasonic FV-0511VFL1 WhisperFit DC Retrofit Ventilation Fan with Light are you happy with CFM of the fan?

You can’t go wrong with a Panasonic

@@homeairleakagetest Ok thank you for the help.

I hear ya!!!

Try this vid th-cam.com/users/shortsJvikM5BJkRw?si=4KaUEFtEwb5im5MY

Hello! Thank you for your thoughtful comment! It sounds like you're dealing with the typical complexities of insulating a Cape Cod home, especially without soffit vents. Here’s my approach: Soffit vents or not, I would encapsulate the knee wall area if possible (budget, accessibility). Remove the old insulation before adding new. When you encapsulate the knee wall, the space behind the foam is part of your conditioned space (envelope), and the need to seal or insulate the knee wall, or the lower attic floor no longer exists. You do not need to worry about sealing between floors. The key to sealing a house is always finding the pathway to take that seals between the inside and outside of the house. Before encapsulating, the space below the knee wall attic floor touches the attic, but that is no longer the case once the area above is encapsulated (foam applied to the roof deck and the gable end wall). Sealing between would be a waste of resources for no gain. When the knee wall is part of the space, the air inside flows through your HVAC system. Even if you have a wall and a door closed to the encapsulated space, air will still flow through and find its way to the HVAC system for conditioning. Your skepticism about the attic’s temperature balance is valid. Even conditioned, you may notice some variance. Ensuring the insulation is installed correctly, and the airflow is controlled should minimize these differences. Hope this helps!

@@homeairleakagetest Thanks for the info! When you say encapsulating the knee wall--you mean just sealing it from the outside world sort of speak? Also---we live in Northern VA so the summers as you know get unbearably hot. Additionally--I am not so sure about the spray foam since from what I read contains a bunch of toxic materials, and we can't even be in the house from 24-72 hours after they spray it in, which is concerning since it is unknown what the long-term effects from this may be after breathing it in constantly. The companies said they don't recommend batting insulation anymore for the areas that touch the roof hence why they switched to spray foam; but could there be an approach where spray foam isn't used? Below are some pictures for our situation and the one company's plan of attack is the 4th image down. Links to pics below: Insulation Pic 1 - imgur.com/a/vrfyJHv Insulation Pic 2 - imgur.com/a/GFaDcS7 Insulation Pic 3 - imgur.com/a/j0i4evM Insulation Pic 4 - imgur.com/a/vGZdE1E Company's plan - imgur.com/a/KrqS5xs

@@agacom1 Yes, sealing the space from the outside is to encapsulate. I wouldn't believe the hype about spray foam. Yes, there is a short period that the foam off-gases, but it is a short-term inconvenience for a long-term gain. I like the company's plan and the only other thing you can do is seal the attic floor above the 1st floor, seal the knee wall and add insulation to both. Basically, change the pathway the seal and insulation takes to protect the living space. Whatever you decide to do, it will be way better compared to what you have based on the photos you shared. Good luck!

I totally agree!

A guy installing a toilet.

Not following you on this.

@@homeairleakagetest Simple: without support, the edges of blown insulation will be tapered. So maybe main ceiling area has R20 value, and perimeter walls at the top winds up near R3. Cold climate, that may result in condensation problems at the top of walls. Ever notice the majority of wall paper peeling begins near the ceiling most houses? That is evidence of the problem.

I understand what you are saying. Are you in the field installing baffles?

So happy to hear! You have made my day!! 🙂

@homeairleakagetest My daughter is 23 and just bought a little fixer upper in the Adirondacks in NY. It was built in 1930. Has a fairly new oil furnace, and she nearly fell over when she just had the tank filled - $2600. For context she's making $17.50/hr. We're doing as much as we can to help her with repairs and DIY upgrades, so this week I'm helping her try to get the attic sealed up and insulated better. This video will really help us!

That is amazing. The reason it is amazing is because I lived in a small rental for two years (after my divorce) and it had an oil furnace and I wish I knew then what I know now. If I had, I am guessing I would have had to fill that tank half as many times as I did during those uncertain years of my life. Good luck to your daughter and I wish for as few fill ups as possible for her!

Windows lose.

I understand. I loved 89 too. I was a sophomore at Laurel High School in Maryland.

Hello! So glad that you found the video to be helpful in some way! The way you can increase your blown insulation and not compromise your ventilation is to add baffles or extend baffles. Here is a video on what that looks like: at about 2:00 mins th-cam.com/video/kerYwtiOfEI/w-d-xo.html

Great idea EG! Next time I absolutely will be doing that!

Hello, thank you for your contribution and for watching! I am not sure if the link I am about to post will show up in the comments. If not, let me know. I am also going to put it at the top of the description. I did post this blog with a lot of information about how much this stuff costs and what to look out for. www.hometrustremodeling.com/blog/view/11613

Fantastic!!

Hello! I didn’t. That was a difficult fix to perform on the spot. I informed the homeowner and provided video and photos.

Way to go! I hope you are able to get to the insulation soon. So happy to hear about stories like yours.

Yes. If customer is okay with it.

@@homeairleakagetest thanks for answering. Are there negative implications to that? I have soffit vents panels installed but when I crawled into my attic I realized there are no holes, no gaps, so air in not coming. I thought of removing soffit panel and drilling in a board and then installing the panel back. But then saw your video.

@@molinodeviento8598 this is a tough question to answer directly. Personally, I would remove the soffit panels, create the air intake, and install panels back with a way for the air to flow through better than if you put solid soffit back. If you have vented soffit already, then you should absolutely remove, create intake and reinstall. If the process of taking off and putting back is too much (maybe it is aluminum soffit), then going right through the soffit and the panel (presumably plywood) may be your best bet.

@@molinodeviento8598@ molinodeviento8598 The negative is the aesthetics. Also, if you are going through the trouble of creating intake, you might as well make sure that you get the best possible flow of air. I am not convinced that the round louvered covers can do that, but in some cases, it is better than nothing.

@@homeairleakagetest OK, makes sense. Thank you very much for the video and your answer!

Many thanks.

My house is already built and I don't like my attic.

I wouldn’t know how to do that. Lol

@@homeairleakagetest I know how to do it but I don't know if it is structurally sound.

Hi, and thanks for your question! On this one, we mainly air-sealed the attic and used a handheld to hit a small portion of the rim joist in the unfinished part of the basement. It is a combination of the house giving us a lot of opportunity and my excellent working relationship with the crew. I am on the job helping out and answering questions. I like to help them with the little annoying things like moving trash or putting the hose away. That way, they can focus on the job and getting results! Hey, if you want to check out some actual footage of the job, you can watch the related video.

Thank you for your contribution!! Thanks for watching. Glad this video helped you in some way. If you are getting air coming back inside near the motor/cover then I have found three reasons to date for this problem: 1. The duct connection to the fan is somehow preventing the damper from fully functioning and it needs to be adjusted. 2. One time the damper fell out and I put it back in upside down. 3. The duct is not tight, has a kink (as you indicated) or has an obstruction (usually at the end if it is not properly connected to a termination).

Thank you!!

Your question is a great one and it is a lot to unpack. First, the homeowner had me out to do an assessment because the living space adjacent to attic area that was improved was so hot she had to move her office downstairs during the summer. So, that alone should answer the question as to whether the insulation that was in place was actually working. Technically speaking, no the batts with foil back were not getting the job done. Insulation must always be comprised of two parts - and the part that is missing in most attics is the AIR BARRIER. The simplest way to think about all of this is that our goal should be to seal the inside of the house from the outside as much as possible. Once you seal a house up, the breathing part is more about us humans. We need fresh air and we can accomplish that through mechanical ventilation which is "controlled". As far as the breathing for sustainability of the structure of the house - the area that we encapsulated does not need to breathe. The structural members will actually last longer now that they are not exposed to the humid summer air, year after year. They are now part of the conditioned space. Don't get me wrong, attic ventilation is super important. But, that must be considered separately based on the scenario.

Hello! Thank you for stopping by! I do not work in VA. Try Home Energy Medics

Definitely. I have some footage. Anything in particular? Do you want to see it in action?

Thank you! Cost is going to depend on the total area you need insulated and labor. What I did do is paste two links in the description for what materials you would need to cost up and how much area they cover. If you choose to buy anything, I might make a few bucks from Amazon, but you can use the links and material and price guidance.

Amazing report! You are absolutely going to benefit from getting this done! I am eager to hear how things play out! Please check back in!

What what?

Well, there you go. That is one solution to the problem!

oooh, sorry! ...more comfortable this winter!

Nice work! So you opted for the recirculating version. I like mine to vent outside so I can get extra moisture out (summer mainly) or air out the kitchen if I burn something. I also find that in the summer, with the fan running on low while cooking, it does not get as hot in my kitchen.

single family

The were having trouble on the first floor, particularly in a room on the front of the home (adjacent to the overhang on the right when facing the house).

Hello, the silver pipe in the overhang is an HVAC supply duct.

living amongst physics at work - you were inside the STACK EFFECT

@homeairleakagetest I have always been a figure it out and Mcguyver kind of person. Many times, I gave that Alot of thought, airflow other than the obvious I never touched. Other than a curtain or keeping the door shut which had to be watched for the cats, liter being in the basement, was about it for solutions. Thanks

@@DownRange02 Exactly. Cuts like butter.

Hello! Thank you for stopping by! Looking solely at the air leakage modeling, when I calculate the projected savings before windows compared to with windows, it appears that the air sealing leads to approximately 10x more energy savings. Now, don't be misled here either. We are talking about energy savings of around $1000 with air sealing and $1100 with air sealing and windows. Comfort will be the bigger benefit as far as impact on your life.