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Sealing the insulation in this wall section was among the many improvements Lawson Home Services did in this Smyrna, DE home.
The problem here is the backside o0f this fiberglass insulation has no air sealing. As a result its ability to insulate is seriously compromised by an effect known as "wind washing" where small air currents drive right through the open fibers and allow transfer of the energy the insulation is intended to block. The solution is to install SilverGlo™ rigid foam insulation over top. The SilverGlo™ provides three levels of comfort and energy protection. First, the air flow is blocked, stopping the wind washing effect. Second, it provides an additional layer of insulation. And third, because it is shiny, it reflects radiant heat off the surface, which is very important when summer temperatures in the attic can reach 150 degrees.
The numerous leaks and cracks in the ductwork of this 1964 Colonial Style home in Claymont, DE did not escape the eagle-eye of Lawson Home Services Specialist, Troy Rowland. This home, built over half a century ago, had numerous issues, but this metal ductwork was particularly leaky. In fact it was so leaky it almost went completely off the scale of the equipment measuring it.
But this was no problem for our steadfast crew. They went to work and soon the numbers began falling. When the work was finished the duct leakage was about one-fifth the amount it was before the work began.
Good job Troy, for discovering those leaks to begin with, and thank you to the hard working crew for sealing them right up. We know this homeowner is going to be a lot more comfortable in the cold winters and hot humid summers to come in the following years.
Lawson Home Services has visited this Magnolia, DE home many times for annual follow up maintenance inspections since encapsulating the crawlspace and installing a Sedona SaniDry™ dehumidifier back in 2014. Lawson's annual maintenance service includes a thorough inspection to ensure all previously installed measures. are still functioning properly. Pumps and hoses are disassembled and cleaned, and replaced if needed.
During this visit Lawson's tech, John Carpenter, discovered a plumber had relocated the SaniDry™ within the crawlspace but failed to level the unit properly. Worse yet, the plumber had replaced the discharge line in such a way that could have completely caused the dehumidifier to stop doing its job. The discharge water was overflowing from the unit onto the floor of the crawlspace. John leveled the unit, cleaned it, removed the dirty condensate hose, and replaced it with a new one. Now the water from the dehumidifier is going where it belongs instead of back into the air from which it was removed.
A dirty dryer vent may not seem like a big deal, but in addition to being a fire hazard it runs up your gas or electric bill. The clothes dryer uses more energy than any other household appliance and works by evaporating the moisture off your clothes then blowing the moist air away. The faster the airstream the faster your clothes get dry, and the less it costs. So keeping dryer ductwork clean is important.
Lawson Home Services technician measured the speed of the airstream coming directly out of the dryer at 18 mph. But hooked up to the dirty duct the poor dryer couldn't even get the airstream up to 5 mph. But after a thorough clean-out the airstream was cruising along at 15 mph, a threefold improvement.
Ductwork gets dirty, just like anything else. This before and after picture of the ductwork in. georgetown, DE home shows just how nasty the ducts can get, and what they look like after Lawson Home Services' technician completes the clean out. They almost look brand new.
Look at the before picture. Would you want to be breathing air that passed by all that yuck, duct, allergens and microbial growth which can lead to the growth of unhealthy mold? Of course not. That's why you're going to the phone right now to schedule a Platinum Duct Cleaning Service by Lawson Home Services, the number one trusted name in Duct Cleaning, Home energy efficiency & comfort improvements, and radon mitigation on the Delmarva Peninsula.