Ski Resort Attic Restoration – Deming, WA

The Mount Baker Ski Resort contacted us because they knew they had rodent activity and were experiencing issues with their bathroom exhaust fans. During our comprehensive inspection of the 4,180-square-foot attic in the employee housing lodge, our estimator identified several underlying issues:

• Extensive mold growth in the attic
• Evidence of previous rodent activity
• No intake ventilation in the attic and only one exhaust vent
• Damaged insulation in the attic.

Northwest Crawl Space Services (NWCS) completed a full attic restoration in about four days, starting with attic cleaning and then replacing the existing attic insulation. Because of extensive mold growth in the attic, we performed a comprehensive treatment using two professional fungicide solutions, before applying a KILZ® primer to help prevent future mold growth. To address the underlying ventilation issues, we installed 30 soffit vents (15 on each side of the lodge) to provide proper intake ventilation and improve airflow throughout the attic. We also insulated the HVAC ductwork and rerouted the bathroom exhaust fans, so they vented properly outside instead of discharging moisture into the attic. These attic improvements helped to correct the lodge’s moisture and ventilation deficiencies, while creating a healthier, more energy-efficient attic.

Attic Services Performed

• Attic Cleaning: Removed all blown-in insulation, damaged fiberglass batt insulation, and attic debris, including wood scraps. Cleared out rodent and bird feces, nests, and any carcasses. Sanitized the area with a disinfectant solution.
• Attic and Bird Exclusion: Sealed all potential entry points to prevent rodents and birds from re-entering the attic. This involved inspecting roof vents, filling holes with steel wire and construction foam, and re-screening bird-block vents and soffits as needed.
• Attic Prescriptive Air Seal: Foamed and sealed all air leaks where plumbing, ducting, or electrical wiring penetrated the attic to improve energy efficiency and prevent drafts.
• Baffle Installation: Installed appropriately sized baffles to ensure proper airflow through attic ventilation areas. This also prevented blown-in insulation from blocking vents or falling through attic access points.
• Attic Insulation: Filled all attic cavities with blown-in fiberglass insulation using a blower machine, achieving a depth of R-49 or greater for optimal insulation performance.

• Rigid Duct Package: All joints, corners, and saddles were sealed with water-based mastic paste to prevent air leakage, then wrapped in R11 fiberglass insulation and secured with twine.

• Attic Advanced Mold Remediation:
  • Stage 1: Sprayed the entire wood matter in the attic with a fungicide solution like RMR 86 Pro. This solution is designed to kill mold on contact.
  • Stage 2: Sprayed and scrubbed the entire wood matter in the attic with another fungicide solution, such as RMR-141. This helps ensure any remaining mold spores are killed.
  • Stage 3: Applied KILZ® primer to the affected areas in the attic. KILZ® is a primer that helps to seal and prevent the recurrence of mold.
• Soffit Vent Installation: Thirty 6″ × 12″ openings were cut into the soffits for proper vent placement. Thirty galvanized soffit vents were then securely installed in the prepared openings and fastened with corrosion-resistant screws for long-term durability.