Case Studies

Our Charleston HVAC Team Takes on a Variety of Home Comfort Challenges

The main thing that sets Dodrill Comfort & Energy Solutions apart from other HVAC service companies is that we do more than just heating and cooling. Our focus is on whole-home comfort solutions that are not just limited to repairing your heater or replacing your AC. We take the time to figure out the exact source of your comfort problem and recommend solutions that are not just effective but also eco-friendly and gives homeowners energy savings. Below are some of the cases we’ve had before. Read through them to see how thorough and meticulous our processes are when solving your comfort problems at home.

Fewer Drafts, Lower Utility Bills and Even Temperatures Throughout Home in Milton, WV!

Challenge

This family in Milton, WV was suffering from extreme temperature fluctuations throughout their home. They especially noticed their home staying cooler than they thought it should be during the winter months.

Dodrill Comfort & Energy Solutions’ BPI Certified Energy Management Consultant, John, conducted a complete whole home comfort and energy audit, utilizing a blower door to identify air leakage in the home, a thermal imaging camera to differentiate temperature differences on solid surfaces and a micromanometer that measures pressure in one room relative to another room via the duct system when the air handler is running. All of these tools are essential in creating a customized comfort and energy report for each individual homeowner’s home.

Our consultant also visually inspected areas like the attic for R-values and the crawl space for leakage and moisture. After all of the testing and visual inspections were finalized, our BPI Energy Management Consultant recommended that the attic be air sealed and insulated

Solution

Our install crew air sealed and insulated the attic assembly by closing all accessible penetrations and top plates using expanding polyurethane foam and blowing in TruSoft cellulose insulation increasing the overall R-value of the attic.

Our install crew added an insulated walkway for access and storage throughout the attic. They did this by installing a layer of 4” SilverGlo along the attic deck that they covered with a 3/8” board and installed vertical insulation and retention dams to hold in blown in insulation.

The final product: A sufficiently insulated, air sealed attic which resulted in fewer drafts, lower utility bills and even temperatures throughout various rooms in the home.

Lower Humidity Throughout the Home, Much Warmer Floors, Fewer Drafts & Even Temperatures Between Levels of Home in Barboursville, WV!

Challenge:

This family in Barboursville, WV was experiencing seasonal temperature fluctuations throughout their home, especially in rooms that bordered the knee walls; huge drafts between levels of the home, the floors in their home seemed cold during the winter, air poured out of their fire place and their heat pump seemed to run continuously. They knew they had some challenges that needed to be addressed immediately.

Dodrill Comfort & Energy Solutions’ BPI Certified Energy Management Consultant, John, conducted a complete whole home comfort and energy audit, utilizing a blower door to identify air leakage in the home, a thermal imaging camera to differentiate temperature differences on solid surfaces and a micromanometer that measures pressure in one room relative to another room via the duct system when the air handler is running. All of these tools are essential in creating a customized comfort and energy report for each individual homeowner’s home.

Our consultant also visually inspected areas like the attic for R-values and the crawl space for leakage and moisture. After all of the testing and visual inspections were finalized, our BPI Energy Management Consultant recommended the attic be insulated and air sealed and the crawl space be encapsulated in order to make the home more energy efficient, reduce temperature fluctuations, make the floors warmer and reduce moisture in the crawlspace.

Solution:

Our install crew air sealed and insulated the attic assembly by closing all accessible penetrations and top plates using expanding polyurethane foam and blowing in TruSoft cellulose insulation increasing the R-value from an R-19 to the Department of Energy’s recommended R-value for the geographical zone – R-60. They also air sealed and insulated the roof assembly.

Our install crew added an insulated walkway for access and storage throughout the attic. They did this by installing a layer of 4” SilverGlo along the attic deck that they covered with a 3/8” board and installed vertical insulation and retention dams to hold in blown in insulation.

Further, our crew installed a ‘David Lewis’ scuttle hatch cover to provide insulation over the attic opening and to air seal the opening. The cover is made with 4” SilverGlo EPS foam board insulation.

To address the moisture challenges and to make the floors warmer, our installers air sealed and insulated exposed cantilever with SilverGlo EPS insulation board and expanding foam by removing and then reinstalling existing soffit board. In-order to reduce heat loss and infiltration of cold air, our installers air sealed and insulated the Rim Joist with a combination of SilverGlo EPS insulation board with radiant barriers and air sealed using expanding foam to seal each rim joist bay.

Next, our install crew installed a SmartDrain Sump Pump System in the crawl space to control water and excessive moisture. Finally, we air sealed and insulated the crawl space to make it a fully conditioned encapsulated area using dimple drainage matting and 2” SilverGlo on side walls to seal air leakage.

The final product: a fully conditioned, encapsulated CleanSpace crawl space and an air sealed, insulated attic which resulted in lower humidity throughout the home, much warmer floors, fewer drafts and even temperatures between levels of the home.

Attic Insulation & Air Sealing in Scott Depot, WV

See how we help this family even out the temperature in their home as well as help them to reduce energy bills.

The Challenge

This family in Scott Depot, WV was experiencing temperature fluctuations in their home and high electric and fuel bills because of their the under-insulated, leaky attic. They knew they had a challenge that they needed to address quickly.

Our Solution

After our BPI Certified Management Consultant, John, performed a comprehensive energy audit on their home, he recommended they air seal and insulate their attic in order to reduce energy bills and even-out temperature fluctuations in the home.

The process is as follows:

• Our install crew air sealed all accessible penetrations and top plates using expanding polyurethane foam. They then blew in additional attic insulation. They used TruSoft cellulose insulation to increase the R-value from R-19 to the Department of Energy’s recommended R-value for the geographical zone– -60.
• Our install crew also added an insulated walkway for access throughout the attic. They did this by installing a layer of 4″ SilverGlo along the attic deck that they covered with a board and installed vertical insulation and retention dams to hold in blown-in insulation.
• To reduce air leakage around lighting, our crew installed TiteShell recessed lighting fixture covers over the top of the can lights and sealed them with polyurethane foam around the edges and around any existing holes for electrical wires.
• Finally, we installed a ‘David Lewis’ scuttle hatch cover to provide insulation over the attic opening and to air seal the opening. The cover is made of 4″ SilverGlo EPS foam board insulation.

The home improvements in the attic resulted in a more comfortable, even-temperatured home that consumes less energy and meets the Department of Energy’s recommended R-value for the geographical climate zone.

Crawl Space Encapsulation in Milton, WV

For this residential property, our Charleston-based HVAC team was able to create a conditioned crawl space while reducing mold and moisture.

The Challenge

This homeowner in Milton, WV was experiencing water puddles and excessive moisture in her crawl space. Over time, excess moisture and water in a crawl space can lead to mold, dust mites, insects, and other pests. Additionally, it can cause damage to your home’s wood framing and degrade some forms of insulation, fiberglass in particular. It also can cause poor air quality and allergens from mold spores and dust mite droppings, which can affect some people’s health. This homeowner acknowledged she had a real challenge, so she called us for a solution.

Our Solution

Our BPI Certified Energy Management Consultant recommended a CleanSpace Crawl Space encapsulation.

We’ve provided a number of effective solutions, such as:

• To reduce heat loss and infiltration of cold air, our installers sealed and insulated the Rim Joist with SilverGlo EPS insulation board with reflective radiant barriers. Our installers used expanding foam to seal each rim joist bay as well.
• To manage and control water and excessive moisture, we installed a water control system using dimple drainage matting in-order to create an airspace to enable water to flow to the SmartSump System located at the lowest point in the crawl space.

The final product: a conditioned, fully encapsulated CleanSpace crawl space, which results in lower humidity in the home, much warmer floors upstairs, fewer drafts, a more comfortable home and lower fuel and electric bills. Problem solved!

Spray Foam Insulation in Branchland, WV

At Dodrill Comfort & Energy Solutions, we’ve helped countless residents have a comfortable workspace in their own homes. Read about one of our customers’ stories below and find out how we helped even out the temperature imbalance in his property.

The Challenge

This client was experiencing extreme temperature fluctuations during season changes in his solid metal three-car garage and workshop. During our Specialist’s initial evaluation, he recorded temperatures of an unbearable 104 degrees in the center of the dwelling during a 74- degree comfortable spring day.

Our Solution

Our Building Analyst Specialist recommended spray foam insulation in this Branchland, WV, home, which is the only insulation available that seals as well as it insulates.

We installed a 1″ layer of Spray Foam Insulation with an R-value of 20 per inch. Each inch of spray foam installed increases the R-value by 20, so a 2″ layer would have an R-value of 40, a 3″ layer an R-value of 60, and so on.

During our specialist’s post-project evaluation, he replicated the initial evaluation using the same thermostat in the center of the metal building and noted that the temperature was reduced by a phenomenal 25 degrees on an 80-degree day.

The client has since stated that the temperature stays comfortable and he doesn’t think he will need to install a heating and cooling system now because in the late spring, this entirely solid metal building, is maintaining a temperature that is considered comfortable in residential homes.

Closed Cell Foam Insulation in Walls of St. Albans, WV Home

Our Charleston-based HVAC experts know that different homes have their own unique comfort issues, which is why we customized the solutions we recommend based on the customer’s distinct situation. For this case, see why we opt to use closed cell foam insulation instead of the fiberglass insulation we often use to help even out the home’s temperature and reduce energy bills.

The Challenge

This homeowner was experiencing drafts and high utility bills. We identified lots of air leaks using our thermal imaging camera and realized there was a great need for some air sealing and better insulation. Fiberglass wall insulation in this St. Albans, WV home was not going to cut it anymore.

Our Solution

We installed closed cell foam insulation at 6.3 R-Value per inch of insulation. This solution air seals and insulates at the same time because the material expands to fill all gaps and spaces. It will not move or lose shape like Fiberglass, so the walls will remain well sealed and insulated. This polyurethane material is a very reliable wall insulation material. With just some spray foam insulation, this St. Albans, WV home will have more reasonable energy bills and less drafts.