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A home energy audit is the essential first step in any weatherization project. A certified energy professional from Atlas will conduct a thorough inspection of your home — examining insulation levels, windows, doors, attics, basements, crawl spaces, HVAC systems, and ductwork — and uses diagnostic tools like a blower door test and infrared camera to pinpoint exactly where your home is losing energy. Rather than guessing, you get a prioritized list of improvements ranked by cost-effectiveness, so every dollar you invest delivers maximum return. The blower door test is the centerpiece of a good audit: a powerful fan temporarily mounted in a doorway depressurizes the home, forcing outside air in through every gap, crack, and penetration. The auditor measures air changes per hour (ACH) and uses the pressure difference to locate specific leaks — often in attics, basement rim joists, recessed lights, and around plumbing penetrations. The result is a clear action plan with estimated energy savings attached to each recommended improvement. In addition to assessing air flow, our auditor will also assess the air quality, looking at moisture and gas levels inside the home.  Atlas Home Performance is dedicated to providing you an energy efficient and healthy home!

Air sealing is often the single highest-return improvement in a home. Even a well-insulated home can lose enormous amounts of conditioned air through gaps around plumbing, wiring, recessed lights, attic hatches, attached garages and wall cavities — leaks that insulation alone cannot fix. National data consistently shows that 20–30% of a home's energy use is lost to air infiltration. Sealing these pathways before adding insulation is critical; doing it in reverse order is like wearing a sweater with the zipper open. Professional air sealing uses a combination of caulk, spray foam, weatherstripping, and rigid foam boards depending on the location and size of the gap. Large bypasses in the attic — around top plates, plumbing chases, and electrical boxes — are the highest priority because hot air rises and exits through these openings continuously. Once sealed, many homeowners notice an immediate improvement in comfort: fewer drafts, more even temperatures room to room, and quieter interiors as outside noise is also reduced.

One of the most important principles in building science is: "build tight, ventilate right." Sealing a home to reduce air leakage is only beneficial if a controlled ventilation strategy is in place — otherwise, moisture, pollutants, and carbon dioxide can accumulate to unhealthy levels. A properly weatherized home uses mechanical ventilation, such as exhaust fans or a whole-house ventilation system, to bring in fresh air on a controlled schedule rather than relying on random air infiltration through cracks and gaps. Bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans should be rated to ENERGY STAR standards and sized appropriately for the space. Combustion safety is also critical — any fossil fuel appliances in a tight home must be properly vented and tested to ensure they don't back-draft carbon monoxide into living spaces. A comprehensive energy audit always includes combustion safety testing.

Not all insulation is the same, and choosing the right type for each location in your home matters significantly. The key metric is R-value — a measure of thermal resistance. The higher the R-value, the more effectively the material resists heat transfer. Common types of insulation include blown-in fiberglass or cellulose (ideal for attics and enclosed wall cavities), batts (Fiberglass for open stud bays and floor joists), spray foam (for air sealing and insulating in tight spaces), and rigid foam board (for basement walls and exterior applications). The right R-value for your home depends on where you live and which part of the home you're insulating. The DOE divides the country into climate zones, and the counties that Atlas Home Performance covers fall in Zone 5 — calling for R-49 to R-60 in attics, R-13 to R-21 in walls, and R-25 to R-30 in floors over unconditioned spaces like a crawlspace. The Home Energy Audit from a certified Atlas Home Performance auditor will match the right material to each application in your home.

The attic is the most impactful place to add insulation in most homes. Heat rises — in winter, the temperature difference between your living space and the outside is greatest at the ceiling, making the attic the primary exit point for heat you've paid to generate. In summer, a poorly insulated attic absorbs solar heat and radiates it downward into your home, forcing your air conditioner to work overtime. Adding attic insulation is consistently among the top recommendations from energy auditors for homes in the Northeast, and it delivers measurable reductions in both heating and cooling costs. Before insulating an attic, all air sealing work should be completed — otherwise you're trapping air leaks under the insulation where you can no longer reach them. Once air sealing is complete, blown-in cellulose or fiberglass is typically added to achieve the recommended R-49 to R-60 depth for climate Zone 5 which the northeast is a part of. Proper ventilation channels must be maintained at the eaves so the roof deck can breathe; blocking these can lead to moisture problems and, in winter, ice dams. A properly insulated and sealed attic will also contribute to a more uniform temperature throughout the home.

Walls and basements are often overlooked compared to attics, but they represent a significant source of heat loss — particularly in older homes built before modern energy codes. Exterior walls can be insulated by injecting dense-pack cellulose or blown-in fiberglass through small holes drilled between studs, a minimally invasive technique that doesn't require opening up the walls from inside. In new construction or during a gut renovation, rigid foam or batt insulation can be installed before drywall is applied, providing maximum coverage. Basements and crawl spaces deserve special attention because they sit at the intersection of your home's conditioned space and the cold ground. Uninsulated rim joists — the wood framing that sits on top of your foundation wall — are one of the most common sources of air leakage and heat loss in the entire house. Insulating and air sealing the rim joist with spray foam or rigid foam boards combined with caulk is a highly cost-effective improvement. For finished basements, insulating foundation walls with rigid foam creates a thermal break between the cold concrete and your living space.

Blown-in cellulose insulation is a loose-fill material made primarily from recycled paper that is treated with fire retardants (typically borates). It is installed using specialized equipment to fill attics and wall cavities, creating dense, gap-free coverage. Effectiveness: R-value: ~R-3.2 to R-3.8 per inch Performs well because it reduces air movement (dense coverage limits drafts) Particularly effective in older homes where cavities are irregular or under-insulated Where it's best used: Attics (top priority) – highest ROI upgrade Existing walls (dense-pack) – ideal for retrofits without major demolition Homes with drafts, uneven temperatures, or high heating bills Safety & Fire resistance Treated with borate fire retardants, making it naturally fire-resistant Does not easily ignite and helps slow flame spread Also resistant to pests and mold due to borate treatment Considered safe for indoor use when professionally installed A cost-effective, safe, and high-performing option—especially for attics and older homes needing full coverage.

Spray foam insulation is a liquid-applied material that expands into a rigid or semi-rigid foam, sealing air leaks while insulating at the same time. It comes in two types: open-cell (softer) and closed-cell (denser, higher performance). Effectiveness R-value: Open-cell: ~R-3.5 to R-3.8 per inch Closed-cell: ~R-6.0 to R-7.0 per inch (highest among common options) Acts as an insulation and an air barrier, making it one of the most effective solutions for energy efficiency Helps control moisture and humidity Where it's best used Basements & crawl spaces (moisture control + air sealing) Rim joists (major air leakage area) Wall cavities (especially during renovations)(walls need to be opened to install spray foam insulation) Homes with significant drafts or comfort issues Safety & Fire resistance Contains fire retardants. Once cured, it is stable and safe, but installation should always be done by trained professionals Closed-cell foam also adds structural strength and moisture resistance The highest-performing insulation option, ideal for air sealing and hard-to-insulate areas, with proper installation and code-compliant fire protection.

Fiberglass batt insulation consists of pre-cut panels made from fine glass fibers. It is one of the most common insulation types and is typically installed between studs, joists, and rafters. Effectiveness R-value: ~R-2.9 to R-3.8 per inch Performance depends heavily on proper installation. Less effective if it is compressed, there are gaps in any of surfaces it is touching, or if not paired with air sealing Compressed Where it's best used Open wall cavities (new construction or major renovations) Attics (in combination with other insulation) Areas where framing is regular and accessible Safety & Fire resistance Fiberglass is non-combustible and does not burn Does not require chemical fire retardants Can slow the spread of fire by acting as a barrier Safe when installed properly, though handling requires protective gear due to fiber irritation A reliable and budget-friendly option for standard applications—but performance depends on quality of installation.