“Attic cleaning” is a catch-all term used to describe a variety of services that improve your attic’s, and your home’s, normal functions. These functions include temperature control, moisture control, ventilation, and protection from outside elements.
Your home’s temperature, its climate, is regulated through an HVAC system, which also relies on the use of attic insulation to maintain that climate. Fiberglass or cellulose are the more traditional forms of insulation that are placed above your ceiling; however, spray foam insulation is a growing trend in new and older homes. Spray foam can be used to seal holes and gaps, but it also can be used to insulate the attic space. Because of its versatility and air-sealing qualities, spray foam is more and more commonly used by today’s professionals and requested by homeowners.
Once your attic is properly insulated, your HVAC system will work more efficiently, and your energy savings will increase slightly. If you want to increase energy efficiency and save even more, then duct insulation and sealing is the service for you. The ducts from your heating and cooling unit may leak air and lose energy before the air reaches your home’s rooms. Sealing leaks and insulating the ducts will let your HVAC system rest more.
For the best energy efficiency and savings, attic sealing is the way to go. This service may use spray foam, caulk, metal siding, rolls of other insulation, and other materials to ensure that your attic is as sealed as it can and should be. Of course, ventilation is necessary in an attic space, so gables may be screened but left open; however, the spaces around your ceiling and around the sides of your home and the roof will be sealed off to drafts and properly insulated. Attic sealing along with normal insulation and duct insulation and sealing may provide a lot of savings month after month and year over year. The amount of savings will depend on how inefficient your attic was before the services, but some efficiency will improve and savings will be seen.
Your attic also gets some extra protection once the above services are performed. After an attic is sealed, moisture and temperatures are better controlled which will help prevent mold growth; and pests will find it more difficult to gain entry into your attic.
However, if mildew and mold already exist in your attic, then professionals can clean and possibly remove it. Mold removal and remediation is a service that needs to be customized for each case, however, because porous materials are more difficult to clean than solid, smooth materials. This means that mold on wood or concrete bricks needs to be treated differently than mold on metal siding glass. Wood might need to be replaced if the mold is bad enough. An IICRC Certified Xtreme Control professional can decide the best course of action only after looking at your attic and its mold problem.
Similarly, if pests are already in your attic, then pest removal services are available to remove the pests and help keep them gone. Points of entry will be located and sealed, the pests or rodents will be removed, and any damage caused will be repaired. Rodents might chew into wiring and burrow into insulation which would need to be replaced.
So, now that you know attic cleaning is more than sweeping cobwebs off all your old toys and books stored up there, perhaps you recognize some services that sound right for your home. You can contact us today @ 416-938-0774 OR [email protected] and schedule an attic inspection. An evaluation and audit is just a click away, so why wait? You have nothing to lose and potentially a lot to save!
