Ice dams (and icicles) form when the snow melts, runs down your roof and refreezes near the edge. This only occurs when part of your roof warms to above 32 degrees F, warm enough to melt the snow, while the roof edge remains below freezing. This is often the result of a warm attic. In most homes, heat escapes through ceilings into the attic and warms the wood and shingles directly above it. Although the outdoor temperature is below freezing, the snow melts over the warmed section of roof. When the melted water runs down the roof, it hits the cold edge not warmed by the attic. There …
You’re probably aware that most attics and roofs are vented. Maybe you’ve seen a fan in the side of your attic under the eaves, or maybe you’re aware of the ridge cap at the peak of your roof. What you may not know, however, is that most homes don’t have enough attic ventilation, and that this lack of adequate ventilation can be raising your energy bills and doing damage to your home. Proper attic ventilation is an important part of overall roof maintenance. Attic ventilation is important to keep the air flowing through your attic, rather than simply letting it sit. Ventilation …
Foam board insulation is a great alternative to the very common fiberglass batt insulation that is in most of our homes. It has a higher R-Value per inch of thickness, it’s resistant to moisture and is easy to work with. Because of its resistance to moisture, foam board insulation is a great choice whenever and wherever there is a chance it could get wet, such as: an exterior foundation, inside a basement against the foundation, and on the outside of a house beneath a house wrap. Foam board insulation is more expensive than traditional batt insulation, so use it only when moisture …
Spray foam insulation, also known as foaming insulation or sprayed insulation, is a two-part liquid insulation that insulates and air seals wherever it is applied. The material comes in two large 55 gallon drums – an iso and a resin. These two liquids are kept separate until applied at the jobsite by a qualified, licensed spray foam installer. The two liquids travel up through a heated hose to the spray gun where they are combined to create the foam. The foam expands within seconds to fill the cavity surface. Depending on the type of sprayed-in foam insulation used, closed-cell or …
When it comes to insulating your home, there are two commonly used materials to do the job, fiberglass and cellulose. Both materials improve the energy efficiency of your home but do so in different ways. R-Value R-values refer to how well an insulation performs at blocking thermal transfer. The higher the R-value, the better the insulation performs. Fiberglass and cellulose have similar R-values, with ranges depending on how and where they are installed. Because fiberglass comes in batts or blown-in insulation and both materials can be loosely or densely installed, this can change …
MGT Insulation is now hiring for Crew members! Please apply with our online application, we look forward to hearing from you! Crew Job Description: Crew installs energy-efficiency measures to building structures using a variety of building science best practices to improve, safety, comfort, durability, indoor air quality, and energy efficiency. Crew gets the job done. Click the link below to begin your application! https://mgtinsulation.com/about/careers/ …
All the insulation in the world won’t help your home if your doors are leaking air. The good news is that it’s easy to test for and fix air leaks, and doing so can have a big impact. Not only will sealing air leaks cut heating and cooling costs, but it will also increase the comfort level of your home, improve durability, and create a healthier environment inside the home. At MGT Insulation, we use blower door testing to determine whether your house has air leaks, and to find where those leaks are coming from. This testing involves fitting an adjustable aluminum frame wrapped in …
Winter in Minnesota means snow and ice. This creates the beautiful winter landscape that many of us treasure, but it can also lead to roof and home damage caused by ice dams. So how can ice dams be treated – or better yet, prevented? First, let’s examine the cause of ice dams. When snow accumulates on a rooftop, it can begin melting almost instantaneously, due to the heat from the sun or from inside the building, or simply from warmer weather conditions. The melted snow runs down the roof and, often begins to cool once more. When it freezes, an ice dam begins to form. As winter …