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How to Inspect & Correct Building Insulation & Ventilation
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• Insulation & Heat Loss Inspection Guide; Insulation R-values, Types, & other characteristics
• Building ventilation and moisture problems, causes, cures: indoor air quality
• Attic, basement, & crawl space condensation - mold problems, mold solutions
• Fiberglass in buildings: hazards & remedies
• Mold growth problems on or in building insulation
• Ice dam causes and ice dam prevention
• Stain diagnosis in buildings; air leaks, thermal tracking or telegraphing
• Ventilation of building attics, crawl spaces, & other

This website discusses how to inspect, diagnose problems in, and install or repair building insulation & ventilation systems including heat loss, moisture, & interior stains. Our page top photos show inadequate attic insulation that was also a mold , rodent, and insect allergen reservoir in a building (above left) and frost in the attic at the roof eaves in a building lacking proper insulation and ventilation.

© Copyright 2009 Daniel Friedman, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use links at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

Guide to Inspection of Building Insulation & Ventilation Systems, insulation material identification, insulation R-values, insulation characteristics

The websites and articles listed here provide in-depth discussions of how to identify various types of insulation and building ventilation systems, including where insulation or ventilation defects occur and what is their effect on buildings, and we discuss various indoor air quality issues involving building insulation such as asbestos and fiberglass particle contamination, mold in insulation, and building moisture and condensation where insulation and ventilation have not been properly installed.

Insulation products are used in a very wide range of building products and building locations besides attic, ceiling, and wall insulation. Some kinds of insulation can be tricky to identify and may have special concerns which are discussed in these articles.

Links at page left organize our articles on building insulation inspection, hazards, and insulation properties. Additional insulation articles are listed just below.

Use links just below or at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

• ACOUSTICAL SEALANTS - use of sealants or tapes to seal polyethylene vapor barrier lap joints
• AIR BYPASS LEAKS - how dark stains on building walls, ceilings, and insulation can show up thermal bypass leaks and heat loss
• AIR LEAK DETECTION TOOLS - how to find and fix air and heat leaks on buildings, an expert guide to weatherization
• AIR LEAK MINIMIZATION - how to retrofit a building to tighten a leaky house
• AIR SEALING STRATEGIES - different strategies for sealing a leaky building to save energy
• Asbestos pipe insulation in buildings how to identify asbestos pipe insulation, how to inspect and report its condition
• BASEMENT MOLD includes examples of moldy fiberglass insulation found in basements
• BLOWER DOORS & AIR INFILTRATION - how to measure air leaks, equivalent leakage area (ELA), and air changes per hour (ACH) in a building
• Brick "Insulation" in Building Walls how inspect, report, and repair this material
• BUCKLED FOUNDATIONS due to INSULATION? - does insulating the foundation lead to frost damage or collapse?
• CATHEDRAL CEILING INSULATION - how to properly insulate and ventilate cathedral ceilings and enclosed roof cavities
• Convective Loops & Thermal Bypass Leaks - how air movement in interior partitions steals heat from buildings
• CRAWLSPACE MOLD includes additional examples of moldy fiberglass insulation found in crawl spaces
• ENERGY SAVINGS RETROFIT OPTIONS includes ultra lightweight concrete insulation, insulating forms for concrete foundations
• Foam Insulation Spray Product Guide: If you are having trouble determining what type of foam insulation product has been installed in a building, see How to Make a Sure Distinction Among UFFI, Icynene, and Latex Foam Insulations for detailed on the identification of these products in the field.
• HEAT LOSS CALCULATIONS, Insulation Properties, Definitions of R, K, U values, Insulation Design
• HOUSEWRAP AIR & VAPOR BARRIERS - do we need to use house wrap products like Typar® and Tyvek®? How should they be installed?
• How to Choose an Air Conditioner - BTU Chart useful when buying or replacing an air conditioner, this chart helps select the proper sized air conditioning unit
• How to Detect and Correct Attic Condensation & Prevent Ice Dam Leaks in Buildings
• How to Inspect Building Interiors and Building Insulation/Ventilation list of articles about building insulation inspection, defects, design, and ventilation requirements
• Insulation Materials as Indicators of Building Age various types of insulation were used in different eras of construction
• Indoor Air Quality Investigations: Fiberglass in Indoor Air, HVAC ducts, and Building Insulation
• INSULATION for GREENHOUSE or SOLARIUM - how to retrofit night time heat loss insulation and concrete floor slab insulation
• Insulation Identification Photographs - Fiberglass insulation photos, yellow, pink, green, white fiberglass identification in building attics, walls, ducts, other locations
• Insulation Identification Photographs - Cellulose insulation photos, Mineral wool insulation photos, rock wool insulation photos, cotton insulation photos, balsam wool insulation photos
• Insulation Identification Photographs - Vermiculite insulation photos
• Insulation Properties, Table of R-Values, density, moisture permeability, fire safety, aging effects on various insulation materials
• Insulation Values of Log Home Walls - discusses the insulation value of solid log wall homes compared with other structures, and it explains the principal errors people make when evaluating the cause of chilly log cabins.
• LP or Natural Gas Pressures & BTUH per Cubic Foot how to properly install, inspect, and test gas piping and gas installations
• "Moisture Problems: Causes and Cures. Understanding moisture problems can steer you free of trouble", Steve Bliss: Building it Right, Solar Age, March 1983 p. 37, 38. -- Adapted with permission, from original material to form this web page article.
• Mold in Fiberglass in Insulation hidden mold can be a serious contamination problem in fiberglass insulation that has been wet, even though mold is not visible
• Mold in Foam Insulation what is the risk of mold, rot, or other damage when solid foam or spray foam insulation is used in building cavities
• POLYISOCYANURATE FOAM INSULATION - any hazards associated with indoor use?
• POLYSTYRENE FOAM INSULATION - comparison of EPS and XEPS for foundation insulation
• Rated Cooling Capacity - How to Determine Air Conditioning Equipment Rated Cooling Capacity
• RADIANT BARRIERS - how do radiant heat barriers work in buildings, how should they be installed, how effective are radiant heat barriers, what about "radiant barrier insulation" products such as ALFOL™?
• Radiant Heat Floor Mistakes to Avoid case history of improper placement of slab insulation and radiant heat tubing - don't let your contractor ruin your costly in-floor heating system as ours did
• SOUND CONTROL in BUILDINGS - principles of sound transmission, soundproofing designs, materials, details
• STUCCO OVER FOAM INSULATION - choices of insulation and support for stucco over foam insulation over masonry walls
• Un-Vented Roof Solutions - How to Prevent Attic Condensation, Ice Dam Leaks, Roof Mold, & Roof Structural Damage in Buildings with Un-vented Roof Cavities
• VAPOR BARRIERS & CONDENSATION in BUILDINGS - causes of and problems from building condensation; where and why to install vapor barriers, how to install vapor barriers in buildings
• VAPOR BARRIERS & HOUSEWRAP - do we need to use house wrap products like Typar® and Tyvek®? How should they be installed?
• VENTILATION in BUILDINGS
    Air Bypass Leaks, Thermal Tracking
    ATTIC CONDENSATION CAUSE & CURE
    BATHROOM VENTILATION
    Blocked Soffit Intake Vents
    BRICK VENEER WALL INSULATION
    CATHEDRAL CEILING INSULATION
    CRAWL SPACE VENTING & Dryout Procedures
    BLOWER DOORS & AIR INFILTRATION
    HEAT LOSS: How to Calculate Heat Loss in a Building
    HOUSEWRAP AIR & VAPOR BARRIERS
    HUMIDITY LEVEL TARGET
    ICE DAM PREVENTION
    MOISTURE CONTROL in BUILDINGS
    Crawl Space Ventilation
    MOISTURE CALCULATIONS
    MOISTURE PROBLEMS: CAUSE & CURE
    ROOF VENTILATION SPECIFICATIONS
    ROOF VENTING ENERGY SAVING DETAILS
    ROOF VENTING NEEDED?
    Soffit Ventilation
    WHOLE HOUSE VENTILATION Strategies - in depth article on methods to ventilate homes,types, concepts, design
  
• Vermiculite Building Insulation & Asbestos
• Whole House Ventilation Strategies, including Guide to Sizing House Ventilation, Whole House Ventilation Table, Installation of Whole House Ventilation, Exhaust-Only Ventilation, Single-Port Exhaust Venting,, Multiport Exhaust Venting, Ventilating Heat-Pump Systems,, Supply-Only Ventilation, Forced-Air Supply Ventilation and Multiport Supply Ventilation

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Technical Reviewers & References

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• Daniel Friedman - principal author/editor of the InspectAPedia^® Website
• InspectAPedia Bookstore lists recommended books, organized by topic & available for purchase. Most of our articles also include a list of recommended books for the specific article topic as well as other references, and information sources.
• Critique, contributions wanted: Contact Us to suggest corrections or additions to articles at this website, and if you wish, to receive online listing and credit as a contributor. Particular thanks are due to the many experts and also consumers who read and critique technical articles at InspectAPedia.com.
• Additional technical contributors & reference sources for this article are listed below.

Use links just below or at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

• "Active Solar Heating Systems", U.S. Department of Energy, including
  • "Radiant Heating Systems" U.S. DOE
  • "Absorption Heat Pumps & Coolers", U.S. DOE
  • "Solar Air Heating" U.S. DOE also referred to as "Ventilation Preheating" in which solar systems use air for absorbing and transferring solar energy or heat to a building
  • "Solar Liquid Heating" U.S. DOE, systems using liquid (typically water) in flat plate solar collectors to collect solar energy in the form of heat for transfer into a building for space heating or hot water heating. The term "solar liquid" is used for accuracy, rather than "solar water" because the water may contain an antifreeze or other chemical
• "Controlling Moisture in Log Homes" and the more general (but brief) DOE article series on moisture control:
  • "Moisture Control", U.S. DOE
  • "Moisture Control in Basements", U.S. DOE
  • "Crawl Space Moisture Control", U.S. DOE
  • "Slab-on-Grade Foundation Moisture and Air Leakage Control", U.S. DOE
  • "Moisture Control in Walls", U.S. DOE
• Ice Dam Leaks in building attics and roof cavities, how to inspect for evidence of leaks, identify causes, and correct bad attic ventilation, improper roof venting, and these causes of attic mold or roof structure damage
• "Minimizing Air Leakage in Log Homes"
• "Ventilation", U.S. DOE, describes the purpose of building ventilation and three basic ventilation strategies:
  • Natural house ventilation methods
  • Whole House Ventilation Methods, including exhaust ventilation methods, supply ventilation of buildings, balanced building ventilation, and energy recovery (heat exchanger) ventilation systems
  • Spot Ventilation in Buildings
• "Weather-Resistive Barriers", how to select and install housewrap and other types of weather resistive barriers, U.S. DOE
• "Vapor Barriers or Vapor Diffusion Retarders", U.S. DOE: how vapor barriers work, types of vapor diffusion barriers, installing vapor barriers
• Passive Solar Design Handbook Volume I, the Passive Solar Handbook Introduction to Passive Solar Concepts, in a version used by the U.S. Air Force - online version available at this link and from the USAF also at wbdg.org/ccb/AF/AFH/pshbk_v1.pdf
• Passive Solar Design Handbook Volume II, the Passive Solar Handbook Comprehensive Planning Guide, in a version used by the U.S. Air Force - online version available at this link and from the USAF also at wbdg.org/ccb/AF/AFH/pshbk_v2.pdf [This is a large PDF file that can take a while to load]
• Passive Solar Handbook Volume III, the Passive Solar Handbook Programming Guide, in a version used by the U.S. Air Force - online version available at this link and from the USAF also at wbdg.org/ccb/AF/AFH/pshbk_v3.pdf
• The Passive Solar Design and Construction Handbook, Steven Winter Associates (Author), Michael J. Crosbie (Editor), Wiley & Sons, ISBN 978-047118382 or 0471183083 is available at Amazon.com and via the The Passive Solar Design and Construction Handbook, Steven Winter Associates (Author), Michael J. Crosbie (Editor), Wiley & Sons, ISBN 978-047118382 or 0471183083 is available at Amazon.com and via the InspectAPedia Bookstore
• "Passive Solar Home Design", U.S. Department of Energy, describes using a home's windows, walls, and floors to collect and store solar energy for winter heating and also rejecting solar heat in warm weather.
• "Solar Water Heaters", U.S. Department of Energy article on solar domestic water heaters to generate domestic hot water in buildings, explains how solar water heaters work. Solar heat for swimming pools is also discussed.
  • "Heat Exchangers for Solar Water Heating Systems", U.S. DOE describes the types of solar water heater heat exchange methods between the sun and the building's hot water supply
  • "Heat-Transfer Fluids for Solar Water Heating Systems", U.S. DOE, describes the types of fluids selected to transfer heat between the solar collector and the hot water in storage tanks in a building. These include air, water, water with glycol antifreeze mixtures (needed when using solar hot water systems in freezing climates), hydrocarbon oils, and refrigerants or silicones for heat transfer.
  • "Solar Water Heating System Maintenance and Repair", U.S. DOE
  • "Solar Water Heating System Freeze Protection", U.S. DOE,using antifreeze mixture in solar water heaters (or other freeze-resistant heat transfer fluids), as well as piping to permit draining the solar collector and piping system.
  • "Scaling and Corrosion in Solar Water Heating Systems", U.S. DOE
  • www.energysavers.gov/your_home/water_heating/index.cfm/mytopic=12850 is the base U.S. DOE website for these article
• "Moisture Problems: Causes and Cures. Understanding moisture problems can steer you free of trouble", Steve Bliss: Building it Right, Solar Age, March 1983 p. 37, 38. -- Adapted with permission, from original material to form this web page article.

Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair

• Our recommended books about building design, inspection, and repair, and about indoor environment testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore.
• ASHRAE resource on dew point and wall condensation - see the ASHRAE Fundamentals Handbook, available in many libraries. The following three ASHRAE Handbooks are also available at the InspectAPedia bookstore in the third page of our Insulate-Ventilate section:
  • 2005 ASHRAE Handbook : Fundamentals : Inch-Pound Edition (2005 ASHRAE HANDBOOK : Fundamentals : I-P Edition) (Hardcover), Thomas H. Kuehn (Contributor), R. J. Couvillion (Contributor), John W. Coleman (Contributor), Narasipur Suryanarayana (Contributor), Zahid Ayub (Contributor), Robert Parsons (Author), ISBN-10: 1931862702 or ISBN-13: 978-1931862707
  • 2004 ASHRAE Handbook : Heating, Ventilating, and Air-Conditioning: Systems and Equipment : Inch-Pound Edition (2004 ASHRAE Handbook : HVAC Systems and Equipment : I-P Edition) (Hardcover)
    by American Society of Heating, ISBN-10: 1931862478 or ISBN-13: 978-1931862479
    "2004 ASHRAE Handbook - HVAC Systems and Equipment The 2004 ASHRAE HandbookHVAC Systems and Equipment discusses various common systems and the equipment (components or assemblies) that comprise them, and describes features and differences. This information helps system designers and operators in selecting and using equipment. Major sections include Air-Conditioning and Heating Systems (chapters on system analysis and selection, air distribution, in-room terminal systems, centralized and decentralized systems, heat pumps, panel heating and cooling, cogeneration and engine-driven systems, heat recovery, steam and hydronic systems, district systems, small forced-air systems, infrared radiant heating, and water heating); Air-Handling Equipment (chapters on duct construction, air distribution, fans, coils, evaporative air-coolers, humidifiers, mechanical and desiccant dehumidification, air cleaners, industrial gas cleaning and air pollution control); Heating Equipment (chapters on automatic fuel-burning equipment, boilers, furnaces, in-space heaters, chimneys and flue vent systems, unit heaters, makeup air units, radiators, and solar equipment); General Components (chapters on compressors, condensers, cooling towers, liquid coolers, liquid-chilling systems, centrifugal pumps, motors and drives, pipes and fittings, valves, heat exchangers, and energy recovery equipment); and Unitary Equipment (chapters on air conditioners and heat pumps, room air conditioners and packaged terminal equipment, and a new chapter on mechanical dehumidifiers and heat pipes)."
  • 1996 Ashrae Handbook Heating, Ventilating, and Air-Conditioning Systems and Equipment: Inch-Pound Edition (Hardcover), ISBN-10: 1883413346 or ISBN-13: 978-1883413347 ,
    "The 1996 HVAC Systems and Equipment Handbook is the result of ASHRAE's continuing effort to update, expand and reorganize the Handbook Series. Over a third of the book has been revised and augmented with new chapters on hydronic heating and cooling systems design; fans; unit ventilator; unit heaters; and makeup air units. Extensive changes have been added to chapters on panel heating and cooling; cogeneration systems and engine and turbine drives; applied heat pump and heat recovery systems; humidifiers; desiccant dehumidification and pressure drying equipment, air-heating coils; chimney, gas vent, fireplace systems; cooling towers; centrifugal pumps; and air-to-air energy recovery. Separate I-P and SI editions."
  • Principles of Heating, Ventilating, And Air Conditioning: A textbook with Design Data Based on 2005 AShrae Handbook - Fundamentals (Hardcover), Harry J., Jr. Sauer (Author), Ronald H. Howell, ISBN-10: 1931862923 or ISBN-13: 978-1931862929
  • 1993 ASHRAE Handbook Fundamentals (Hardcover), ISBN-10: 0910110964 or ISBN-13: 978-0910110969
• Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction, by Steven Bliss. John Wiley & Sons, 2006. ISBN-10: 0471648361, ISBN-13: 978-0471648369, Hardcover: 320 pages, available from Wiley.com and also at Amazon.com. See our book review of this publication.
• Energy Savers: Whole House Systems Approach to Energy Efficient Home Design - U.S. Department of Energy
• "Energy Savers: Whole-House Supply Ventilation Systems", U.S. Department of Energy energysavers.gov/your_home/insulation_airsealing/index.cfm/mytopic=11880?print
• "Energy Savers: Whole-House Exhaust Ventilation Systems", U.S. Department of Energy energysavers.gov/your_home/insulation_airsealing/index.cfm/mytopic=11870
• "Energy Savers: Ventilation", U.S. Department of Energy
• "Energy Savers: Natural Ventilation", U.S. Department of Energy
• "Energy Savers: Energy Recovery Ventilation Systems", U.S. Department of Energy energysavers.gov/your_home/insulation_airsealing/index.cfm/mytopic=11900
• "Energy Savers: Detecting Air Leaks", U.S. Department of Energy
• "Energy Savers: Air Sealing", U.S. Department of Energy
• "Insulation: Adding Insulation to an Existing Home," U.S. Department of Energy - tips on how to do your own check for the presence of absence of insulation in a home
• Insulation: Selecting Insulation for New Home Construction, U.S. Department of Energy - "Your state and local building codes probably include minimum insulation requirements, but to build an energy-efficient home, you may need or want to exceed them. For maximum energy efficiency, you should also consider the interaction between the insulation and other building components. This is called the whole-house systems design approach."
• Insulation Types, table of common building insulation properties from U.S. DOE. Readers should see INSULATION R-Values & Properties our own table of insulation properties that includes links to articles describing each insulation material in more detail.
• The National Institute of Standards and Technology, NIST (nee National Bureau of Standards NBS) is a US government agency - see www.nist.gov
  • "A Parametric Study of Wall Moisture Contents Using a Revised Variable Indoor Relative Humidity Version of the "Moist" Transient Heat and Moisture Transfer Model", George Tsongas, Doug Burch, Carolyn Roos, Malcom Cunningham; this paper describes software and the prediction of wall moisture contents. - PDF Document from NIST
• Ice Dam Leaks in building attics and roof cavities, how to inspect for evidence of leaks, identify causes, and correct bad attic ventilation, improper roof venting, and these causes of attic mold or roof structure damage
• Mobile Home Inspections common defects unique to factory built housing, inspection methods
• Mold Cleanup, How to clean or remove mold in buildings
• Mold Resistant Drywall is mold-resistant or "mold proof" Sheetrock^R from US Gypsum or Georgia Pacific worth it?
• Mold Prevention: Avoiding Mold Problems in Buildings by Using Mold-resistant Construction Products & Practices
• Mold Information Center: What to Do About Mold, mold action plan, valid and invalid test methods, mold remediation
• Rot, fungus, termites, carpenter ants, powder post beetles, & other wood destroying organisms
• Stairways: A Checklist for Stair, Railing, Landing Safety Inspections
• Links to our list of additional information sources: Interior Defects in Buildings
• ...

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