IL License Number: 104.017181
IL License Number: 104.017181
CASE STUDY – JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2026
Location: Hoffman Estates, IL – 4300 Lombardy Lane
Project Type: Attic ventilation correction + full insulation replacement | two-story subdivision home
Total Investment: $15,000 (Ventilation $5,000 + Insulation $10,000)
So when Carol heard clicking and dripping above the ceiling in January, she assumed the worst.
All of this combined created the real issue: Warm, moist air was constantly entering the attic, but it had nowhere to go. This is why the attic was too warm in winter, frost formed on multiple nails, and why the insulation was wet and compacted.
The disconnected bathroom vents were the most dramatic discovery, but they amplified the problem: they didn’t create it alone.
For 44 years, warm air rose into an attic that couldn’t breathe.
About seven years ago, Kent and Carol had invested in a professional bathroom remodel, during which a new exhaust fan was installed. They trusted the job was done properly, but the fan had never been connected to the exterior. It was blowing steam directly into the attic.
That mistake didn’t single-handedly cause the ventilation imbalance, but in an attic already functioning like a steamroom, it made everything worse. Kent couldn’t help but feel burned by that earlier contractor. How could something so basic be overlooked?
The entire $15,000 corrective project traced back not to one dramatic failure, but to multiple overlooked building-science fundamentals: one of which was that missed exhaust connection.
There was also concern about what had been happening unseen: hidden moisture, possible mold, long-term structural stress. Carol put it plainly: “How many years has this been happening? Being in the attic… it’s something you don’t really see… but this? You will feel it.”
Kent asked a powerful question: “I wonder how many other houses have this problem, and they don’t even know it?”
And, from our experience in early-1980s Northwest suburban homes, we can tell you: it’s more common that you’d think.
If you’d like to learn more about what to look for to ensure the safety of your own home during the cold months, visit Holda Construction’s 11-Step DIY Roof & Attic Inspection Guide. Here you’ll find helpful tips on problem areas to fix early, before the problem morphs into something bigger.
Kent’s mindset was practical: “If we’re doing the minimum, we might as well do the maximum.”
Old insulation: approx. R14
New insulation: R60
186 photos and videos documented the entire process in CompanyCam and were shared with the homeowners.
During inspection, we noticed sections of roof plywood weakened by long-term moisture.
We could have recommended immediate roof replacement, but didn’t.
Opening the roof now would have been, in Mariusz’s words, “Pandora’s box,” because it would require tearing apart a roof that still had usable life left. Instead, we advised addressing it at the natural re-roofing cycle in 5+ years.
That saved the Deeners tens of thousands today.
On the final walkthrough day, Kent climbed into the attic with us. The difference was immediate: “Man… this is like a breeze! Wow.”
As soon as his head cleared the opening: “I can feel the air moving.”
Before the work, the attic had felt warm, heavy, and stale. It carried the smell of trapped moisture — decades of condensation cycling through insulation and wood.
After ventilation correction, air sealing, and new R60 insulation, the space felt completely different.
We asked Kent what it smelled like now: “No smell. No odor. Fresh.”
That’s the sensory payoff of proper building science. Not just better numbers on paper or corrected vents, but clean air moving through a healthy attic.
Carol smiled and said: “I want to hear those little tick, tick in the air.”
Before:
After:
The formal contract prepared by Mariusz explicitly included a 5-year workmanship warranty stating that “Holda stands behind the work”. Furthermore, the contract clearly guaranteed that the attic ventilation system would be properly balanced and that both bathroom exhaust fans were successfully tested to verify airflow.
When asked about the project’s success, Kent summed it up to Mariusz in this way:
Kent did admit there was initial cost shock. “After a little cost shock, we are glad to get it done.”
But that’s honesty. And we respect that.
We walked away proud. And not just because the attic performs better, but because Kent and Carol feel peace.
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Coordinates scheduling, materials, permits, and day-to-day communications.
Leads the crew on site; directs daily work; manages walkthroughs and quality control.
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