May Energy Solutions | Insulation Services

INSULATION

Insulation slows the transfer of heat in and out of your home. Upgrading the insulation in your walls and attic to meet the current government recommendations is one of the most efficient ways to improve the comfort of your home and reduce your energy bills.

ATTICS

Insulation Removal – Our technicians will remove old insulation that has been damaged by roof leaks or contaminated by mold/animal infestation. If your roof has been replaced or repaired due to leaks, it is likely that some of the attic insulation has gotten wet which will degrade its performance. It can also promote mold growth that can be harmful to you and your family's health as well as your home. If you have had pests such as rats, mice or squirrels nesting in your attic, they can leave behind urine and feces that degrades the insulation and can be harmful to your family's health. May Energy Solutions uses a commercial grade vacuum system to remove the old contaminated insulation.

Insulation Installation – May Energy Solutions can add attic insulation to bring your home up to current recommended R-value insulation levels from U.S. Department of Energy and 2021 International Energy Conservation Code.

*Note: In the table at right , CI stands for "continuous insulation" that is applied to the exterior of the wall assembly just inside the cladding. Map and chart: www.energy.gov/energysaver/insulation

Blown-In Loose Fill Insulation – Prior to installing the insulation in the attic, insulation baffles are installed as needed. This ensures the blown-in insulation does not block air flow so the Attic Ventilation System can work properly. Our technicians use a commercial grade insulation blower to quickly and efficiently blow in loose fill insulation into the attic. Rulers are installed in the attic to verify the insulation is installed to the proper depth especially in hard to reach areas that can be easy to overlook.

Andrew May describes insulation job.

Cellulose blown into client's attic.

Customers can choose between cellulose and fiberglass for their attic insulation. See FAQ page for why May Energy Solutions prefers loose fill cellulose insulation.

Spray Foam Insulation – Another option for attics is spray foam insulation. While spray foam insulation is a more expensive option, it is also the best performing insulation system. Spray foam is typically applied to the roof deck of an attic. Since most homes in Texas have the HVAC system and ducts in the attic, this offers several advantages. It puts the system and the ducts inside the insulation envelope, so instead of operating in a 120 degree attic in the summer, with spray foam on the roof deck they are operating in an attic that is typically 80 degrees. This helps the system perform more efficiently, and prolongs the life of the system. In leaky, poorly insulated older homes, spray foam insulation can save up to 40% on heating and cooling costs.

Walls

May Energy Solutions can install insulation in walls of older homes with no existing insulation, provided the wall construction is compatible with sheet rock on the inside and plywood or other sheathing on the outside. Loose fill cellulose is blown in through holes drilled in the walls (a method called "dense packing"). Tightly packed cellulose fills the wall cavity and gaps around wires, pipes and electrical boxes. The dense packing prevents settling, provides resistance to air leakage, and great insulation performance.

For houses with siding, a strip or two of siding is removed and a 2 inch diameter hole is drilled into the exterior plywood sheathing in each stud cavity. After the insulation is blown in, the holes are filled with plugs and the siding is reinstalled.

For houses with a brick exterior, access to the wall cavity can be achieved in two different ways. The holes can be drilled in the interior drywall, which are then patched and textured to match the interior finish after the insulation is installed. This method makes for quicker insulation installation, but more finish work is required after and there are challenges to matching texture and paint. Holes can be drilled in the mortar between the brick to blow in the insulation, however these holes are small so the installation takes a bit longer. Afterwards the holes are sealed up with mortar.