K & S Contracting specializes in foundation repair for homeowners across Saskatchewan, in addition, they also offer general contracting services to Saskatoon and the surrounding area. In their latest Trusted Saskatoon contractor tip, K & S Contracting Trusted Saskatoon General Contractors and foundation specialists, discuss vermiculite insulation.

Vermiculite Insulation - What Is It?

What Is The Risk?

 

Asbestos minerals tend to separate into microscopic particles that become airborne and are easily inhaled. People exposed to asbestos in the workplace have developed several types of life-threatening diseases, including lung cancer. Workers in and around the Libby mine developed serious health problems. 

 

Like any hazards, length and intensity of exposure are major factors in the risk of asbestos-related respiratory illness. To assess the risk of asbestos exposure at a house, a sample of the vermiculite would need to be analyzed by a lab. Since most of the vermiculite used in Canada was taken from the Libby mine, the odds are quite good that there is asbestos in the vermiculite in Canadian attics.

 

The good news is that we don’t live in our attics. In addition, as long as it is undisturbed, neither the asbestos fibres bound up in the vermiculite chunks nor the dust will be released into the air. According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health in the U.S., “Most people who get asbestos-related diseases have been exposed to high levels of asbestos for a long time.” Lastly, most of the time the air in your house flows from the house into the attic, rather than into the house from the attic.

 

The bottom line is, like most household products that may contain asbestos, and there are many, doing nothing is often the best approach. Naturally, the risk of exposure increases with the amount of time spent in the attic.

Our Recommendations

If the attic or walls of a house contain vermiculite insulation, leave it alone. Avoid disturbing the material. Do not sweep it or vacuum it up. Do not store belongings in the attic.

If work is planned that involves these areas, for example installing pot-lights in a room below the attic, send a sample of the vermiculite to a private lab. Send several samples, and use a lab specializing in asbestos analysis. If it is found to contain asbestos, or if you just assume it does, precautions should be taken. The safest approach would be to have the insulation in the affected areas removed by a qualified environmental contractor.

For smaller jobs, it may be sufficient to isolate work areas with temporary barriers or enclosures to avoid spreading fibres, use disposable protective clothing, and use proper respiratory protection. An important note – disposable respirators or dust masks are not appropriate for asbestos. Again, it is best to consult a qualified contractor.

For more information about K&S Contracting, view their listing in the Contractors section on Trusted Saskatoon.

K & S Contracting is a Trusted Saskatoon General Contractor and foundation specialist. 

Being a Trusted Business on the Trusted Saskatoon Directory of Excellence comes with a lot of responsibility - no other directory,  advertising medium, or 'watchdog organization' puts businesses through the process we do before we promote and endorse them. 

Why Choose a Business On the Trusted Saskatoon Directory? 

All of the Trusted Saskatoon partners have to pass a unique verification process, they are then annually contracted to uphold our 5 Trusted Guarantees. The partners then become part of a local community of Saskatoon and area businesses who we promote with a strong local marketing campaign. We also have a Trusted MYSTERY SHOPPER PROGRAM. This is where we find and engage with normal everyday people, just like you, who are looking for products and services in Saskatoon and area. We approach individuals we can see are looking for a local business and we ask them to mystery shop Trusted Saskatoon Partners. Those that agree to be Trusted mystery shoppers go about their usual business, except at the end they fill out a report to tell us about the experience. We then share it with you! The Trusted Saskatoon Team are thrilled to share our latest mystery shop report about Scott Roofing! 

Wood FX Contracting is a Saskatoon family owned and operated with over 18 years experience. Their carpenters and renovation team consist of hardworking individuals ready to tackle your interior home renovations - big or small! They are on-site daily ensuring client satisfaction. In this article, they explain what the Janka Hardness Scale is. Wood FX are Trusted Saskatoon Carpenter and Renovation Pros!

The Janka Hardness Scale

 Is Your Roof Leaking or Is It Condensation?

There are basically 3 types of roof “leaks” which are detailed below. The solution to your roof moisture issues depends on what type of “leak” it is. If you notice excessive moisture during extreme temperature changes, and not when it rains, then the moisture probably isn’t a roof leak. The following information should help determine what issues you might be experiencing and what you can do to alleviate condensation.

• The first type is where water is leaking through the roof system while it is raining. This could include leaks due to damaged or deteriorated shingles, improper installation of the shingles or poor/failed flashing details at penetrations and walls. It may even be due to damaged window sills, improper siding installations or severe wind driven rain. These are external leaks which can usually be inspected and repaired by a roofer

• The second type of “leak” is caused by ice dams. This is not workmanship related. The best way to prevent or reduce ice dams is to eliminate or reduce the amount of warm air that is escaping into the attic and melting snow on the roof to the point where it creates glacier-like ice build up. Another temporary solution is to remove the snow from the roof before it can turn into ice and penetrate the roof system.

• The third type of “leak” is caused by condensation or frost buildup in the attic. This is not workmanship related or an actual roof leak. To prevent frost & condensation from developing in your attic you must eliminate or reduce the amount of air leakage into the attic as well as improve insulation & ventilation to allow moist air to escape the roof.

What is Condensation?

Condensation comes from the moisture in the air and is caused by too much moisture in the air for a certain temperature. Condensation forms when warm, moist air touches a surface that is colder than the dew point of the warm air. As that air becomes colder and its temperature drops below its dew point, it must release excess moisture to reach its new, lower dew point. It releases moisture in the form of water, which appears on the colder surface.

There are many things in our homes that put moisture into the air. Normal breathing and perspiration add 3 pints of water to the air every day for each person in your home. In fact, every activity that uses water adds more moisture to the air including cooking, taking showers, dishwashing, and doing laundry. Condensation is more apt to occur in climates where the average temperature is 35º F or colder. Condensation is a common sign of inadequate insulation and/or ventilation.

Condensation in the Home - A Warning Sign

Condensation is usually first noticed on your windows and skylights because they are the most visible areas of your house. While it’s natural to blame the windows, you shouldn’t always. Window and skylight condensation is the result of excess humidity in your home. And the glass only provides a visible cold surface on which humidity can condense. This could be a sign that your excessive indoor humidity is causing damage elsewhere in places you cannot see, such as: your walls, ceilings, floors, and your attic roof. Excessive indoor humidity can cause blistering and peeling paint, warping and rotting wood, as well as the formation of mildew & mold.

During extremely cold temperatures, frost can build up on the underside of the roof sheeting (attic roof). Once the outdoor temperature rises, that frost melts and can mimic a leak. This “leak” can be excessive when the temperatures dramatically change, as is common during our Alaskan winters. Frost build up is most common above heat sources such as light fixtures, kitchen stoves, fireplaces, bathrooms, fans, and improperly vented exhaust fans. When the frost melts, this “leak” is most commonly found dripping out of those heat sources.

High ceiling beams and cathedral ceilings with water spots can be confused with an active leak, when in fact it is a result of condensation.

If you have ever noticed a lot of icicles hanging from the edge of your roof, chances are your house is leaking significant (and expensive) amounts of air and heat into the attic.

Controlling Indoor Humidity

Most new homes are now made tighter than ever. They are well insulated and no longer "breath" on their own. Both insulation and ventilation should be addressed to control condensation. Steps must be taken to ventilate the house, allowing moisture and humidity to escape. 

STEPS YOU CAN TAKE TO CONTROL THE HUMIDITY IN YOUR HOME INCLUDE:

• Bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans, as well as dryer vents, should never be discharged into the attic space, always discharge outside. You may have an
  adequately ventilated attic, but this won’t matter if the bathroom exhaust fan dumps warm moist air directly into the attic space. This will result in condensed water vapour freezing onto cold attic materials, which will eventually thaw creating wet attic materials resulting in damage in the attic and inside the home.

• Installing exhaust fans in the kitchen, bathrooms, and laundry rooms.

• Controlling or covering other sources of humidity (radiator water pans, fish tanks, large numbers of plants, etc.)

• Installing a dehumidifier. Dehumidifiers are an inexpensive way to reduce the moisture in your home. Highly recommended in vaulted roofs with a loft.

• Opening fireplace damper.

• Ventilating the crawl space or basement: Install foundation vents or leave a basement window cracked in the fall or early winter to ventilate your basement or crawl space.

• Research shows keeping the attic air temperature below freezing when the outside air temperature is in the low 20s can reduce the occurrence of ice dams. Proper attic ventilation is key to keeping the attic cool, while adequate and properly installed insulation is key to keeping your house warm. It is critical to keep soffit vents free from obstructions to allow the natural flow of cool outside air into the attic space to replace the warmer attic air that rises and flows outside ridge and/or roof vents. This flow of air will keep the attic cool and free of moisture build-up.

• Adding additional roof vents, such as box vents, turbine vents and ridge vents will also allow the warm air to escape the attic space and reduce condensation issues.

The Trusted Saskatoon Directory Team are thrilled to brag about our latest Saskatoon partner in our Saskatoon Contractors, Exteriors & Roofers category. We would like to welcome and introduce you to Scott Roofing a Trusted Saskatoon Roofer. 

Scott Roofing has over 30 years years of experience in the Saskatoon roofing industry and they are the roofer of choice for many of Saskatoon's top contractors. Their extensive roofing experience, skills and knowledge means they have proven themselves to be a trustworthy business and they are known as a reliable roofing contractor for both builders and homeowners who value friendly service and honest advice. 

Scott Landru and his team at Scott Roofing have an impeccable reputation for high-quality, clean work and they believe that relationships really matter.

As part of the unique Trusted Saskatoon verification process, we contacted a long list of Scott Roofing clients. These included both residential and commercial roofing clients,  to hear their opinion about the quality of workmanship and service Scott and his team provide. 

Wow,  we were impressed! Most of those surveyed rated them 10/10! 

"We have used Scott Roofing for two projects in the last twelve months. First we had our detached garage reshingled and then our home. I have to say that we have been VERY pleased with the service and workmanship. They have many years of experience and it truly shows in the care and attention they take. I would highly recommend Scott Roofing to anyone looking for great service and quality workmanship at competitive pricing." Sherry, Saskatoon

 

One of their clients wrote about their experience in a Google review that we found whilst doing our due diligence and checking Scott Roofings online reputation. We wanted to share,  as it includes a word of warning about what happens if you are unfortunate enough to have an experience with disreputable roofers. 

" I was not fortunate enough to have Scott Roofing replace my roof, I had the experience of using a less reputable company last year.
Today, however, a crew from Scott Roofing was diligently working across the street from my house. On my way home one of the team stopped me and asked to speak with me. He pointed out a potentially serious mistake in the work done to my roof that I wouldn't have been able to identify myself. He asked if it would be okay for him to quickly hop onto my roof and fix the issue because as a professional it was painful for him to see a homeowner with such obvious deficiencies left behind.
To me, this is the measure of true character in a person and a company. How does someone treat you when you have nothing to offer them? When there is no personal benefit to helping you out, how do they react? Every company will talk highly of their service and quality of work, today Scott Roofing skipped the talk and showed their integrity in their actions.
Today, however, a crew from Scott Roofing was diligently working across the street from my house. On my way home one of the team stopped me and asked to speak with me. He pointed out a potentially serious mistake in the work done to my roof that I wouldn't have been able to identify myself. He asked if it would be okay for him to quickly hop onto my roof and fix the issue, because as a professional it was painful for him to see a home owner with such obvious deficiencies left behind To me, this is the measure of true character in a person and a company. How does someone treat you when you have nothing to offer them? When there is no personal benefit to helping you out, how do they react? Every company will talk highly of their service and quality of work, today Scott Roofing skipped the talk and showed their integrity in their actions.These are the actions of the only roofing company I will use from now on, and the only company I'll be willing to recommend to friends and family."  Scott Jamison, Saskatoon.