Dave Hoh's Home Comfort & Energy Experts Before & After Photos

This homeowner in Howell, NJ, was dealing with an uncomfortable and energy-inefficient home due to poor insulation in the basement. The porous cinder block walls and exposed rim joists were allowing outside air to seep in, making the entire home less comfortable. To address this, we installed Foamax insulation boards directly onto the cinder block walls, providing effective insulation and reducing air infiltration. Additionally, we spray foamed the exposed rim joists to seal off any remaining air leaks. These straightforward solutions can significantly improve your home's comfort and energy efficiency.

This sump pump in Farmingdale, NJ was held together by duct tape and was no longer triggering itself when it needed to pump out water of the pit in this crawlspace. By installing a brand new SmartSump we were able to ensure that the water pooling below the crawlspace will not affect the foundation and will be pumped out of the house. Paired along with a full crawlspace encapsulation this customer has nothing to worry about with moisture affecting their home or their indoor air quality.

In Farmingdale, NJ, a homeowner's rim joists in the basement were poorly insulated and exposed, allowing outside air to leak into the house. Air sealing the rim joists is crucial because, in the winter, outside air can enter and cause cold floors. Depending on the seasons, fluctuating temperatures can infiltrate the basement or crawl space, creating drafts and uncomfortable rooms. These temperature fluctuations can also lead to moisture buildup in the crawl space and basement, resulting in indoor air quality issues. By simply spray foaming the rim joists, we can make the home more comfortable and energy-efficient by maintaining a thermal barrier between the outside and inside of the house.

Here in Holmdel, NJ, we removed the old fiberglass insulation because fiberglass does not stop the air flow, and does next to nothing to air seal and insulate. The floor of the upper level, the ceiling of the lower level and kneewall are all cold in the winter and hot in the summer. Installing our SilverGlo foam insulation onto the attic walls increases the R-value by 24% compared to regular EPS foam. Our SilverGlo also acts as a radiant barrier on both sides to reflect heat out of the summer and house heat back in during the winter. We also sealed the seams of our SilverGlo foam insulation with orange ZypFoam sealant to ensure the best protection from hot or cold air and unwanted moisture.

The before image shows old fiberglass insulation and unwanted air being ventilated through the insulation by leaving dirt or dust particles onto the insulation. The older fiberglass insulation does nothing to stop cold and hot air from penetrating the rooms below or next to the kneewall.

The after image shows the completed SilverGlo foam insulation installed onto the kneewall. The image is still in the process of installing the Blown-in TruSoft Cellulose insulation. We can also see we used the orange ZypFoam sealant to seal the seams.

Our customer in Holmdel, NJ contacted us to help solve comfort issues in their hot home. The homeowner purchased their home during the cooler months and realized that the air conditioning did not adequately cool the home in the summer months. The first thing they did was upgrade their AC system to newer high efficiency equipment (with a local HVAC contractor). That did not make any difference!

Upon our evaluation we discovered dilapidated insulation with little to no insulating value as well as an original air duct system in the attic with significant air leaks, crushed ducts and a poor insulation.

Before pictures show old ineffective fiberglass, ductwork and an attic in overall poor shape. The after pictures show a fully mastic sealed and encapsulated duct system, full access to HVAC and R-60 TruSoft cellulose insulation. These upgrades design to last the life of the home.