the foam is on the roofline, and has been redone due to being sprayed on fiberglass batts...right? were the fg batts on attic floor...I know we don't put batts on roofline. IF the batts were on the floor..when roofline was re-sprayed...did they move the batts? was the roof to attic floor seal made??..seems I asked this in your other thread. pics of eaves/soffit where roof meets attic floor from inside the attic would help. (again) as for the skylights..was the foam installed around them at the roofline & did they continue the foam on the back side of the sheetrock? a simple blower door test would show how much air leakage wasn't sealed in the attic. testing first with attic hatch closed to determine a baseline, and then with hatch opened. the difference would be attic leakage. the blower door test depressurizes the house to show how much air leakage the house has. it is a good idea to air seal the house..you won't get it too tight. it will also cut down on those Entergy bills, if you do the air sealing. call entergy, there is a giveaway program for n.o. get your free audit...and while they are testing open the attic hatch & find out how much the attic leaks. don't expect much from the person doing the test... they get paid by your utility provider. I test foam jobs often. instead of just measuring the leakage, I mark the leakage spots with spray paint for foam co to come back & actually make the seal they claim to achieve. once you've addressed the moisture issues, then getting RH to 50% will be the next goal. you may be able to with a stand alone dehumidifier... what size is the hvac system..a/c with gas furnace? and what size is the house? you have bigger issues than return air at this point. answers are needed. best of luck.

well Dave, I see that the contractor posted his findings so I wouldn't worry too much about upsetting or offending anyone. it isn't unusual for there to be conflicting opinions, but the fact is that you and he are the only ones who have seen the ductwork. his discription of your return air setup is suspect. I see he is advising you to wait out the summer to do any duct/return modifications. if you can, do. it is awfully hot to be modifying ductwork this time of year. a rushed job isn't a good job. better someone take the time to properly install and seal ducts. it kinda bothered me that no mention of duct or return sealing was mentioned. of course the discussion is pretty technical. but I find that leaky ducts/returns are often overlooked. when you talk about the kids rooms and the 3-4 temp difference, you mention west facing windows. how many & what approx size are in each room? what type of windows do you have? single pane, double pane? metal frames, vinyl frames? clear glass or low-e glass? if the temp difference is due to the west windows..and it would be here in my area, then there are a couple of things you could try. block the afternoon sun from the exterior for a day or two and see if this evens out the 3-4 degree temp difference. wouldn't have to look great, or be permanent, just stop the solar gain. if you can keep the heat from entering the house, then the a/c doesn't have the added load to temper. exterior shading is the best route. rather than interior shades & curtains. beat the heat before it gets inside. if this works then invest in solar screens. yes they are darker than normal screens, but they will minimize heat gain. if windows are double paned..you can't install window tints as it will increase heat between panes and blow the seal. awnings and bahama shutters are other options but to me..at this point solar screens would be more cost effective. right now you have more time than solutions, so give it a try. don't worry about riling those guys up..they live for that stuff. Shophound & the guys have a good handle on things, so let them talk themselves around. I have to admire your restraint & patience. you are aware that 1" pleated filters are very restrictive? for now I'd change to a less restrictive filter. at least then more air will return to the unit. hang in there. best of luck.

you can diy cellulose. but..sealing the openings from attic to living space below should be done first. hvac supply boxes where they penetrate the attic floor, cuts around bath fans, oversized cut for stove vent and recessed lights. all these openings allow attic air & insulation particles to enter your home. in sealing these areas you improve the air barrier at the attic floor. you would use mastic tape to seal the hvac supply boxes..from inside remove supply grill. use tape to seal sheetrock ceiling to the inside of the supply box's metal lip. hopefully your hvac company mastic sealed the ductwork, but take a look and see. most do not address the sealing of the supply boxes to attic floor. most existing homes have duct leakage of about 30%. air that you pay to heat and cool that never makes it into the house. recessed cans..ice chest method in attic or air tight insert from inside. get brand name & model number to shop online for air tight inserts. bath fans cuts can be big..I use the mastic tape here also. sometimes the stove vent can be sealed with caulk..but mastic tape may be used here also. I use hardcast brand mastic tape, from hvac supply. mastic sealing the ductwork (esp in the attic) is also a good savings. you can use a paint on mastic that is applied with a brush. duct takeoffs @ supply plenum are usually big leakage areas. keep in mind that cellulose is ground newspaper. it creates a fine dust that enters thru all the cracks in the attic. thus the reasons for improving the air barrier. insulation doesn't work when air is moving through it. you will see a savings & improved comfort in adding insulation. more so if you do the work above prior to insulating. I don't understand why the need for closing off the soffits..can you explain a little better? do you have ridge vent & soffits? in an vented attic there needs to be a way for cool air to enter (soffits) and exit (ridge vent). also you should install baffels to keep insulation out of soffits and provide a pathway for air. can you describe the type of ventilation you have? soffit.ridge vent gable end soffit & passive vents (whirly birds that may just be a La description) I can't imagine life without high humidity! it is a killer in my hot humid climate. makes for some long hot hot summers. best of luck

I never use foam to air seal. seen too many 'sealed' holes that aren't sealed with foam. it just expands too rapidly to get where it needs to go, and as it expands so big...you can't see the original hole to make sure it is sealed. use caulk, doesn't have to be silicone. my go to caulk is Dap's brand Alex Plus with 35 year life. water clean up, smooth caulk. I prefer the clear over the white, I've used white that was too dry, maybe old...but enough to make me not purchase it anymore. there are quite a few holes in the housing of the bath fan. but they are best left alone. close it up too much & it will shut off (safety feature) from overheating. bath fans have UL ratings, and are designed to have insulation around and on them. take the cover off inside & verify that the fan is UL rated. the real reason I'm suggesting that you take the cover off from inside is this. the oversized cut in the sheetrock. this is where you'll get bits of cellulose & its fine 'dust' entering the house. I use Hardcast brand #1402 mastic tape to seal ceiling penetrations. the tape sticks well to multiple surfaces, is strong & last long term. if you have a hvac supply house, check with them for the mastic tape. it is pricy, but is worth every penny. I use it in many applications. here are a couple of pics. the first one shows why caulking these openings doesn't work long term. the second a supply box mastic seal at box to ceiling, done from inside the house. best of luck