Yes, it is related to home automation!
The recent snow storms may have revealed that your house is susceptible to ice dam formation. We know that ice dams form because the roof above your living areas is warmer than at the edges. Snow melts above the warmer portion, flowing down the roof and then freezing when it reaches the colder edge. This occurs above the soffits, resulting in a mound of ice. And then the water flow simply backs up, getting between the shingles, and into the attic and/or walls and is very costly to fix. The preventative solutions to this are straight forward and include ventilating from the soffits to the ridge lines, sealing the living areas into the attic, investing in sealed lighting fixtures, adding more and better insulation, etc.
So what does this have to do with Home System Solutions, you might ask? When a contractor enters your attic to drill holes and run wires for your system, care must be taken to ensure that the insulation is NOT compressed and displaced by leaving a footpath through it. Holes must not be left unsealed. Wire should not be laying on insulation and compressing it.
Insulation should be nice and fluffy, with no areas that are compressed.
See that packed down path in the middle? This is not what we want to see in an attic.
At HSS, it’s never “someone else’s problem.” When we need to enter attic spaces, we take special care to rake out and fluff any insulation that gets disturbed in the course of our work. We suspend our wire runs overhead and seal any holes when we have finished running the wires. This prevents hot spots and the lowering of the R-value of your homes insulation. While we are working, if we see existing issues that should be addressed, we will diligently bring it to your attention so we can assist you in finding a resolution. We bring this conscientious, detail oriented approach to everything we do in your home.
As we’ve discovered this winter, ice dams can be a real problem here in Bend. Your A/V Contractor should take the time to ensure that preventative steps are a standard part of their practice to make this less likely to happen.
Home System Solutions takes pride in being Central Oregon’s leader in smart home automation, theater and entertainment. Contact us to visit our Bend showroom or get an initial consultation. Email us or call 541-610-7915 for more information