Home Insulation Services Before & After Photos

Before: Old batt and loose insulation were no match for Delaware weather—drafty, inefficient, and outdated.
After: A fully sealed, properly insulated attic with 17” of TruSoft™ cellulose, SilverGlo™ decking, and smart upgrades. Comfort restored—again!

Homes built in the last century, without basements, were typically built above dirt-floor crawlspaces which were ventilated to the outside. The floors above were insulated by pushing fiberglass batts up against the underside of the floor deck. But there are many problems with this type construction, some of which worsen over the years. For example the fiberglass begins to succumb to the effects of gravity, eventually pulling away from the subfloor deck, leaving it directly exposed to outdoor temperatures. As you might imagine, when this happens the floors above become very cold in winter. But the problems don't stop there. Changes in temperature and humidity result in the eventual growth of mold, which eventually leads to rotting of the floor deck. But even worse, this mold travels through small openings in the floor deck and makes its way into wall cavities on the first floor, infecting them with dangerous mold, which can grow in those spaces, and go undetected for years. Occupants often do not realize the gradual development of allergies and respiratory issues often come from inside their homes. 

But years later we have a much better way of doing things. Its called "encapsulation". Lawson Homes Services specializes in the conversion of old traditional dirt floor crawlspaces, into modern, clean, well insulated crawlspaces. As you can see in the picture the crawlspace underneath this Wilmington, DE townhouse goes through a remarkable transition, from a musty creepy, moldy area, to a sparkling clean white space.  The ventilation to the outside was blocked off, and new insulation has been installed on the walls of the foundation so that now, the crawlspace will remain at the same temperature as the rooms in the house above it. 

NOTE: this crawlspace was extremely low. The fallen insulation is typically removed since with new insulation having been installed on the foundation walls, it is no longer necessary. However, this was left in place due to the tight working conditions. 

This attic in Wilmington, DE was sealed in sections of fiberglass insulation. This is not good for the home because air can still pass in between the sections of fiber glass insulation. When sealing your attic floor we recommend our TruSoft Cellulose. This insulation will not burn, get moldy, or attract pests and your house will be less drafty and more comfortable!

Our energy conservation specialists can not even count how many times they go in for inspections and just find that owners (or previous owners) have handled cold homes and high fuel/electric bills by simply adding more insulation.  That is what we found at this home where they had blow in loose fill fiberglass over batt insulation.  That is RARELY the right solution for the problem.

Often what is needed is air sealing.  Think of it like this.  Would you leave your window open when it was cold and throw on another sweater if you had the ability to close the window?  No, you would close the window first, and this is what we do when we air seal.  We close up all those open penetrations that are allowing conditioned air to escape FIRST. Then we insulate.

A customer in Wilmington, DE sought to improve their home's comfort throughout the year, focusing on making rooms warmer during the winter, cooler in the summer, and keeping floors warmer during colder months.

Challenges:

• Inconsistent temperatures in key rooms, making them too cold in the winter and too hot in the summer.
• Cold floors in winter, reducing overall comfort.

Our Solutions:

1. Attic Insulation and Air Sealing:
   • We removed and disposed of the existing insulation in the attic to prepare the space for fresh, high-performance insulation.
   • TiteShell™ recessed light fixture covers were installed to properly insulate around recessed lighting, preventing air leaks.
   • TruSoft™ stabilized cellulose insulation was blown into the attic floor, reaching an R60 value (17 inches), significantly improving the home’s thermal resistance.
   • A layer of 4-inch SilverGlo™ insulation was added along the attic deck, boosting insulation and energy efficiency.
   • The attic’s scuttle landing was enhanced with a SuperPlatform™ and insulation dams, ensuring complete insulation coverage.
   • To reduce air leaks around the attic entry, we installed a David Lewis™ attic pull-down stair hatch cover, providing a tight seal.
2. Floor and Rim Joist Sealing:
   • The attic floor was air-sealed using ZypFoam™, ensuring all gaps and penetrations were tightly sealed to eliminate drafts.
   • Rim joists were sealed and insulated with spray foam, improving the warmth of the floors and preventing heat loss in the winter.

Rebates and Savings: The customer took advantage of the Energize Delaware rebate program, allowing them to save money on these essential home upgrades while boosting their home’s energy efficiency.

Outcome: As a result, the home now enjoys year-round comfort, with rooms that are warmer in the winter, cooler in the summer, and floors that stay cozy during colder months. The energy efficiency improvements, combined with the cost savings from the Energize Delaware rebates, make this home not only more comfortable but also more affordable to maintain.

If you're looking for similar results, we can help make your home more comfortable and energy-efficient, too!