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Is your home dirty and you don’t even know it?

Your kitchen is spotless, the bathroom is immaculate. Your floors? You could eat off them!

If that’s all been taken care of, what could you be missing?

It’s often said that the things we neglect the most are those we don’t see every day. Ask yourself: when is the last time you looked in your crawl space?

The area under your floors or roof could be the dirtiest place in your house. It’s dark and damp, which is a breeding ground for molds and bacteria. This is a danger to your home and family.

Cleaning up mold isn’t a DIY project. You need to hire someone who knows what they’re doing. Unfortunately, that’s going to cost you.

Issues with mold, odors, and water need a professional crawl space cleaning. Read on to learn when to do it and how to budget for it.

1. Your Insulation Is Insufficient

The insulation in your crawl space maybe worn down over time or was never adequately installed in the first place. Visually, you can determine any problems with your insulation by seeing if there are any cracks or defects in it.

Another way to check on this? Go over your electric bill! One clue is if there’s a spike in your heating and cooling utilities that doesn’t make sense.

Faulty insulation in your crawl space can be driving up your electrical bill. That’s because the heating system has to work harder to keep your home warm.

With sufficient insulation, your crawl space will be sealed tightly, just like your wallet.

2. The Ventilation System Is Faulty

The air you let out of your crawl space is just as important as the air you let in. Poor ventilation in the wintertime can result in frozen pipes. In the summer, the trapped humidity can make those pipes rusty.

Make sure to look for pools of moisture or possible blockages around all external vents. The last thing you want to invest in is new pipes!

3. Pest Infestations

Bats, rodents, and pests love to settle down in a dark, undisturbed area. That’s why crawl spaces are ideal homes for them. But, you don’t want uninvited guests in your home, do you?

Signs of rodents, bats, or insects can include noises in the walls, foul odors, and excrement piles. While none of those things are pleasant, the damage these pests can do to your insulation and walls is what you want to avoid the most.

Call a professional to evict these unwanted guests ASAP.

4. Mold Is Taking Over

Mold is the biggest threat that a dirty crawl space poses to your home. Some molds can lead to dangerous health issues in people and pets. To determine if you have any mold, look for visible patches and smell for musty odors.

If mold is spotted, it’s better to be safe than sorry and assume that it can cause you harm. You must get professionals to remove these hazards.

Though it may be a large financial cost, it pales in comparison to the value of you or your family’s health.

5. It’s Time for a Cleaning if It’s Been Awhile

Maybe you haven’t noticed any problems with rodents or an unusually high heating bill. But, just because a dirty crawl space hasn’t caused problems yet, doesn’t mean you have to wait until something happens.

If you’ve never gotten your crawl space cleaned or it’s been years, it’s time to schedule one!

It’s always easier to prevent a mold or rodent problem than to fix it later. Catching it early is also helpful. With homeowner problems like those, it’s likely that it’s been going on for a while before you noticed.

Keeping up with annual cleanings will allow you to find issues before they do real damage.

6. What Price Do You Need to Budget For?

For just a cleaning, professionals will charge you based on the size of your space. The condition it’s in will also be a factor.

A straightforward job won’t cost too much. But, if the pros find a lot of problems that need to be fixed, that’s when it starts adding up.

If it’s a rodent problem, that’s one of the easier issues to deal with. That will be on the low end price-wise.

When it comes to mold, that will charge you a little extra. It’s hard to deal with mold and it’s more dangerous. If that’s your problem, you’ll get another estimate for that cost depending on how much there is.

Water damage can be the most expensive issue to fix. That can run you in the thousands. Additionally, if there’s water damage, there’s probably mold and ruined insulation as well.

7. Spend Money Now to Save Later

Budget for a cleaning as you would any other home costs like the electric bill and seasonal landscaping. Commit to it as being a necessary annual expense that you plan ahead for.

It’s a lot easier to find the money for maintenance cleaning. You can be in control over when to do it. For example, if you know you’re getting a bonus at work in a month, you can wait until then to schedule.

When you let it go until there’s a big problem, that’s when you get in trouble.

Find extreme mold in December? It won’t matter that money is tight from buying holiday gifts. It has to get fixed right away.

Keep up with maintenance now, and your future self will thank you.

Don’t Put Off a Crawl Space Cleaning

Nobody wants to spend money on something they hardly ever even see. But, putting off a crawl space cleaning isn’t the answer. When it gets out of hand, you’ll just end up spending more money later.

Is it time for your crawl space to get some attention? Then contact us to get a free service cleaning estimate.

Fall and winter are the times when your home will need to work overtime. This means that it’s about time to check on your attic insulation and make sure it’s up to par.

After all, a poor insulation leads to energy loss, which then leads to higher bills.

The insulation in your attic will degrade over time. If you’ve been noticing your energy consumption going up, it may be time to replace the insulation.

But first, there are important pointers you need to know before insulating an attic. Read on to make sure your attic is ready for insulation and how you can prepare it.

Clear Out Your Attic First

An attic serves an important purpose in the insulation and ventilation of the whole house, but for homeowners, it has another purpose in storage terms. It’s spacious, making it perfect as a room for storing old items.

If you’re planning to add an insulation for attic rooms, though, you must clean your attic first. Not only will it make working in the attic easier but it will also allow you to add an insulation to the floor.

You may have to add some insulating material to the floor. This is one of the cheapest ways of insulating the attic, so you also have to consider doing this.

To do this, you’ll have to remove the plywood to do a proper job. With this in mind, look for another spot in your house that can store your items in the meantime.

Assess the Condition of Your Attic

Next on your to-do list is to evaluate your attic to spot if there are any problems you need to address first. For example, the size of your rafters may not be up to the current building codes, or there are some compromised structures within your attic.

You may need the help of an architect or a builder to make sure. They’ll be able to see if there are things that need fixing and provide a solution for you.

This step is crucial; you don’t want your roof to fall on you when winter comes. The insulation will prevent the roof from warming, which then makes the snow above melt at a slower rate. For this reason, the snow load increases faster, putting your roof at risk of collapsing.

This will cost you money, but it’s still cheaper than when your roof collapses. It’s much less dangerous and inconvenient, too.

Check Your Current Attic Insulation

While evaluating the condition of your attic, you’ll also come across your current insulation. Check if it’s wet or damp; these are signs that you’re dealing with moisture issues, such as a roof leak.

This is also the time to throw away any bad insulation material – those that are moldy, stained, or compressed. If you see a loose grainy insulation with shiny flecks, this could be vermiculite, which might contain asbestos. You don’t want to remove this yourself as it poses a risk to your family and neighbors; it’s best to call a professional instead.

Seal Before Insulating an Attic

When you add insulation, you don’t want the heated or cooled air escape outside, do you? This renders the insulation useless, which is why you should make sure to seal all holes, gaps, and cracks.

Check around the attic windows, ducts, wires, exhaust fans, and chimneys. Use a spray foam, but for gaps 1/4″ or less, use caulk.

Still, remember that your attic needs some sort of ventilation. You may talk to a professional to assess your ventilation system.

Determine Your Target Insulation Level

The R-value specifies the insulation level, which measures the insulation’s thermal performance. The R-value differs per material and thickness, which is also something you should check when evaluating your current insulation.

The recommended R-value for your home depends on where you live and the climate. On hot climates, the minimum is R-30, whereas it’s R-38 for temperate climates and R-49 for cold climates. To know the recommended value for your state, check the U.S. Department of Energy website.

Choose the Right Insulation Type

After doing these steps, your attic should be ready for insulation. The only thing left to do is to choose what material you’re going to use. You’ll have to take into account the attic insulation cost and the R-values here.

Let’s discuss the 2 most common types used in insulating attics.

Batts and Rolls

Batts and rolls are great materials for a DIY insulation of the attic, and it’s somewhat inexpensive as well. As for installation, you fit these into studs, beams, and joists.

You have different material options for this type of insulation with varying R-value per inch:

• Fiberglass: 2.9 – 4.3
• Mineral Wool: 3.0 – 3.3
• Cellulose: 3.7 – 3.8
• Cotton: 3.7 – 3.8

Each material offers different advantages; for instance, fiberglass is cheaper, but cellulose won’t irritate the lungs or skin. Mineral wool is fire-resistant, and cotton is good for blocking sounds.

Loose-Fill and Blown-In

If you have spaces with irregular shapes, loose or blown-in insulation materials may be better for this job. They’re also great for filling around obstructions. The installation methods for this type is blowing it using a special equipment or pouring it in.

As with the batts and rolls, you have different material options as well:

• Fiberglass: 2.2 – 2.7
• Mineral Wool: 3.0 – 3.3
• Cellulose: 3.2 – 3.8

The fiberglass option is cheaper here as well, and it’s lighter than the other 2. Loose mineral wool is also still fire-resistant, but as you would expect, it costs more.

The most common out of the 3 is cellulose, but you have to make sure to not expose it to moisture. It’s susceptible to growing mold and rotting.

Insulate Your Attic Now

These are pretty much all you need to know before insulating an attic. The next step is to learn how to insulate attic spaces, which is useful information if you plan to do it yourself.

You can also visit us and discover some of our other blogs and guides for additional help. If you need expert help, don’t hesitate to contact us now. We’ll provide you with the best attic solutions.

Do you suspect that you have bats living in your home’s attic? Or do you think you might have birds, squirrels, mice, or other pests causing problems in the space?

If so, you shouldn’t ignore bats in the attic or anything else for that matter for a single second. That could cause even more issues for you and wreak havoc on your entire home before long.

Instead, you should take steps to get rid of whatever is living up in your attic and prevent the pests from coming back. You should also assess any damage that was done and get it fixed right away.

Here are the specific steps you should take to rid your home of bats, birds, squirrels, mice, and more.

Figure Out Exactly What You Have in Your Attic

Before you can rid your home of whatever pests have found their way up into your attic space, you’ll need to identify the specific types of pests that are plaguing your home.

In some cases, you might be able to do this simply by keeping an eye and ear out for signs. For example, you might see squirrels scurry into your attic through a hole in your roof or birds making their way in and out through a broken vent.

In other instances, you might need to hire someone to climb up in your attic to take a look at what’s going on. It can be dangerous to try and evaluate a pest problem on your own.

Use your best judgment to find out what kind of pests you’re dealing with. It’ll allow you to move on to the next steps.

Determine How the Pests Are Accessing the Attic Space

Once you know what kind of pests are in your attic, determine how they’re getting there.

As we just mentioned, they could be getting into your attic through a hole in your roof or a broken vent. But they could also be entering your home from a much lower point and climbing in between your walls to access your attic.

If you aren’t able to find the pests’ entry point, it’s going to be tough to get rid of them once and for all. Search high and low until you find where the pests are coming from.

Hire Professionals to Remove the Pests Safely

While you’re in the process of trying to see where pests are coming into your home, you should get in touch with a company capable of providing you with top-notch rodent solutions.

Ideally, the company should have years of experience in the pest control space. It’ll allow them to come into your home and remove pests in no time.

Removing pests from a home can be a quick job if you have just two or three birds in your attic. But it could also be a more advanced project if there is a large rodent infestation in your attic.

A pest control company can break the situation down and let you know exactly how bad it is. They can then get to work and continue working until all the pests are out of your attic.

Seal Your Attic

After all the bats or other pests are out of your attic, you’ll want to be sure to have your attic space completely sealed.

That means patching up any holes that could allow pests to get right back in and cause problems. It also means closing off the original entry point securely and ensuring the pests can’t get back in through it.

This is arguably the most important step you’ll take. If you don’t seal your attic the right way, you could have another pest problem on your hands in just a few days.

Clean Up Any Droppings and Repair Any Damage

In addition to sealing your attic, you’re also going to need to clean your attic completely. Pick up any droppings left behind by the pests and repair any damage that they managed to do to your roof, insulation, plumbing pipes, electrical wires, and more.

Even if you only have bats and other pests in your attic for a couple days, they can really do a lot of damage to it. Cleaning it up is important since droppings, urine, and more can pose a serious health threat.

A reliable rodent proofing company should be able to sanitize your attic. They should also be able to disinfect and deodorize it before leaving your home. Take a look at it to see that it’s completely clean before paying the professionals for their services.

Consider Replacing Your Attic Insulation

The insulation in your attic plays a very important role in it. It prevents warm air from escaping from your home and keeps your energy bills lower than they would be otherwise.

Pests can do damage to insulation by building nests in it and displacing it from where it should be. They can also leave droppings all over the insulation and make it filthy.

If you find that your attic insulation isn’t in good condition at all following a pest infestation, think about replacing the insulation. Pests like mice, squirrels, possums, and more are known to rip apart insulation and stop it from doing its job.

Just make sure you choose a reputable company to do your insulation replacement. You want a business that will use top-of-the-line insulation to bring your attic back to life.

Get Rid of Bats in the Attic as Quickly as You Can

Bats in the attic can make a mess and ruin your insulation. They can also create a huge health hazard if they leave too many droppings behind.

At the first sign of bats, mice, squirrels, birds, or any other living thing, reach out to a rodent control company for help. They’ll be able to come out to your home, inspect your attic, and come up with a solution for getting rid of them.

Contact us today to get a free estimate for rodent solutions, insulation replacement, and all of the other services we offer. We can get things back to normal in your attic as soon as possible.

We all glance at our ducts once a year when pulling out holiday stuff from the attic. The quick eyeball doesn’t tell us much, though. “Yep, there are my ducts,” you think.

But, those sheet metal pipes can hide some horrific secrets. In some cases, clear issues make enough noise to alert you to problems. Or, a rank smell becomes intolerable so you’re begging your ducts for mercy.

But, some critical issues can be invisible. They will get your attention soon enough. Skyrocketing energy costs or a constant dusty home are a few. Worse, undetected mold can cause your family to become ill.

If you see signs of trouble, you can mitigate some troubling effects. And, save money in the process.

Read on for seven signs you need air duct repair.

Visible Dust and Dirt Around Vents

Your heating and cooling system works the same way we breathe. Air circulates throughout the duct system, exiting through vents. The same air then intakes through the system to either cool or heat your rooms.

This happens several times a day. The dirt and debris from the system or your home filters out with the help of the removable filters you (hopefully) replace. It’s vital that soil does not reach the HVAC machinery.

It can break down inner workings, rendering it useless. If you see dust and dirt gathering around vents, this is a sure sign filtration is not working right. If after cleaning vents, the build-up occurs within a day or two, it’s time to get a duct checkup.

Sudden Increase of Energy Bills

Every energy bill spikes at certain times of the year. But, sudden increases for outside of those seasons are a sign of trouble. This tells you that your HVAC system is working harder than it should.

You can check filters, refrigerant levels, and make sure fans are spinning free. You can also check for clear tears or holes in the ducts. But not all gaps will be visible. Connections in the grid can wear down.

Simple moving of attic storage items can damage or move ductwork that’s unnoticeable. Without realizing it, you are cooling or heating your attic or basement along with your home.

This will double your costs. Important tip: never repair a duct with duct tape. That’s not what it’s for, and it doesn’t work. Call a professional.

Scary Sounds Mean You Need Air Duct Repair

The sound of crashing or bending metal in a car accident, for example, can haunt us forever. The noise is unmistakable, unsettling, and scary as hell. HVAC systems are heavy machinery, and duct systems are heavy metal.

When connections break, or holes occur, the resulting sounds can keep you up at night. Try turning your system on without the interior air handler (the big silver box inside the home).

If no sounds are coming from the outdoor unit, chances are good you have a duct repair in your future.

Frequent Filter Changes

Filters for AC units or furnaces should last a month or two. During peak usage, every 30 days is best. If you have pets, dust and dander can clog them up quicker.

But, if you change them in a regular pattern and notice they clog up faster than usual, your ducts may be at fault.

Excess dust and dirt are getting into the duct work. The worst thing to do at this point is nothing. It will get worse.

Excess Debris in HVAC Components

You have to open a few panels but check coils and the interior spaces of your units. If there are dust and dirt accumulations, it’s getting into your ducts.

And, here’s the thing about dust. It’s annoying and clogging up your system. But, it’s also a home for the most finicky of mold spores.

Once they move in, it takes a team of pro cleaners to evict them.

Signs of Infestations

HVAC professionals can fill volumes of books on what they find in duct systems. We hope they don’t choose pop-up books because the sights are as disgusting as you imagine.

The reason older homes have check-ups for radon gas is due to dead rats in duct systems. Small holes and tears in systems are an open door for insects, too.

Since we can’t see to every turn and twist in ductwork, critters can hide and multiply in the dark. But, they also have to emerge for food and water.

If you see fresh droppings or dead insects around ductwork, assume they have their way in there. Worse, if you notice a rancid smell emitting from your vents, it’s never good news.

It’s not only disgusting, but it’s also a health danger. Make an immediate call for a pro.

Visible Mold

If there’s mold in your home, the causes may vary. Water can find it’s way from rooftops or exterior doors into the wood of your home. This dampness is like a jacuzzi party for mold.

As long as there’s a place to stay, it will grow anywhere, including in your dirty ducts. It can hide in places we can’t see. But, if it is visible near your HVAC system, chances are the spores are blowing around your house. In summer, check outdoor units often for signs.

Make sure water from condensation has a clear exit. Standing water is one of mold’s favorite playgrounds. Don’t give it the chance to settle in. If you see signs of mold, air duct cleaning is vital.

Then, repairs will ensure the problem doesn’t happen again.

No one should have to face their attic alone. We’ve got help with cleaning, air duct repair, and pests. Contact us for a free estimate.

Have you been looking up at your attic hatch thinking it was time to shake the dust?

Has it been years since you’ve been inside that subtle space longer than the few seconds it takes to toss a box into its darkened depths?

If so, it might be time for an attic cleaning. With this 10-step guide, we’ll help you turn the monumental task into a chore you can manage.

Top 10 Tips for Easy Attic Cleaning

Make sure you follow our checklist in order! We have listed our steps chronologically in order to help you make the process as efficient as possible.

Step One: Remove Everything

An empty room is the easiest to clean. Before you start pulling out brooms, dusters, and other pieces of your cleaning arsenal, remove the contents of your attic.

This will allow you to clean and inspect every inch of the room, as well as help you sort through items you don’t need anymore.

2. Wipe Away Every Inch of Dust

Whether it’s been months or years since you’ve cleaned your attic space, you’re likely to find an admirable collection of dust. You’ll want to dust every inch, from your windows and frames to any wooden beams, baseboards, walls, and other surfaces.

If the area is really dusty, wear a mask to prevent inhalation. An electrostatically charged duster works best for jobs like this. If it gets too dirty, clean it off before continuing.

Make sure you cover everything, including light fixtures, fans, and hard to reach areas.

3. Vacuum, Then Sweep

When you have a layer of dust and debris on the floor, a broom will stir up more than it cleans. Instead, start with a vacuum. Pick up any large debris that it can’t tackle, then suck up what you can from one end of the room to the other.

Keep in mind the type of vacuum you use matters. If you have a high-efficiency bag or canister with a filter, these will work best. Vacuums can capture the dust mites, dead insects, and allergens that settle in quiet attics.

For tight corners and awkwardly shaped areas, use hoses and other vacuum extensions. Be thorough, then follow up with a broom to sweep up any remaining dust and debris.

4. Inspect Your Insulation

Once the attic is clean, you’ll want to inspect your insulation. If your insulation has fallen below the floor joists, you need to add more. If you can’t see the floor joists above the insulation, they are likely below them which is a sign of healthy insulation.

Insulation should be evenly distributed. No gaps or shallows areas should show.

If your insulation shows signs of dampness, mold, or mildew, then you will want to replace it. A good portion of the air in your home circulates through this area. You don’t want these substances getting into the air within your home.

5. Look for Moisture and Mold

Your insulation isn’t the only place your attic may be harboring unhealthy mold. Give your empty attic a close and careful inspection.

Mold can come in a variety of colors, from gray and black to brown, orange, green, or white. If your attic smells musty, it’s likely growing there.

If you have mold in your home, the best thing to do is call an attic cleaning service. You don’t want to risk it lingering or growing out of control, especially if you have any form of asthma or allergies. Left to thrive, mold can cause respiratory problems.

6. Take a Few Preventative Measures

While you’re checking every nook and cranny, make a point to identify any sealant issues. If you have a draft coming through a window or open space, it can increase your heating and air bill while making it harder for your unit to do its job.

Pests are also a problem that will need addressing. If you notice signs of rodents, such as excrement or chewed boxes, call in the expert to get rid of the problem.

7. Sort Your Belongings

While you still have everything outside of your attic, now is a good time to sort through it. Get rid of the things you haven’t used in years and sort through the items you still intend to store.

Keep these items organized in plastic storage boxes to prevent exposure to the elements. It will also make it easier to store, allowing you to optimize on space.

8. Donate What You Don’t Need

Do you have a pile of things left over that you realize you don’t need? Perfect! Take the time to donate them to your local charity’s drop-off location. These good deeds are tax deductible.

Plus, it feels good to recycle your old items and give them a new purpose for someone else.

9. Replace Things in an Orderly Fashion

As you go to put your newly organized items back into your attic for storage, be mindful of where you put them. Place your more frequently used items in easy-to-access areas.

By keeping your attic space organized, you make it easier to sort, retrieve, and clean.

10. Make Cleaning the Attic Part of Your Routine

Cleaning the attic shouldn’t be a massive undertaking dared every few years. Instead, make it a point to clean it twice a year. This will help you keep the dust and debris under control.

It also helps you keep your home in good shape. When you clean and inspect your attic bi-annually, you maintain its integrity. This will help prevent major repairs in the future, such as damages caused by pests, mold, and mildew.

Need Help Repairing Your Attic?

One of the most challenging aspects of attic cleaning is when we uncover bigger projects lying beneath the dust and knickknacks. If you are cleaning your attic only to realize your insulation needs repairing or you have rodents scurrying around upstairs, pass the task on to the professionals.

Here at Attic Solutions, we deliver exceptional home improvement services to help you create a properly sealed, clean, and insulated attic space. If you live in the San Francisco Bay area and want a free estimate, contact us today.