Attic, spray foam and home insulation

What's covered

• Attic InsulationThe attic is usually the easiest and best-value place to add insulation, because heat rises and most attics are open and reachable. Existing insulation is checked for depth, gaps, moisture and old vermiculite, then topped up with blown-in material to the depth your climate calls for. Baffles at the eaves keep the soffit vents open, and the hatch gets insulated and weatherstripped too.
• Spray Foam InsulationSpray foam insulates and air seals in one step, which makes it a strong choice for rim joists, basement walls, cathedral ceilings, knee walls and additions. Closed-cell foam is dense, acts as a vapour barrier and suits below-grade walls. Open-cell foam is lighter and costs less per inch but needs separate vapour control in cold climates. Nobody can stay in the house while it is sprayed and for a curing period afterward, and the quote should say how long.
• Blown-In InsulationLoose-fill cellulose or fibreglass is blown through a hose into the attic, where it fills around wires, pipes and framing better than batts do. In older houses with empty walls, cellulose can be dense-packed through small holes drilled from outside or inside, then the holes are plugged and patched. It is a common way to insulate existing walls without opening them up.
• Air SealingA lot of the heat a house loses escapes through air leaks rather than through the insulation: gaps around plumbing stacks, wiring holes, chimneys, pot lights, top plates and the attic hatch. A blower door test before and after shows how much leakage was cut, and many rebate programs ask for one.
• Basement InsulationBare concrete basement walls lose a lot of heat, and the rim joist along the top of the wall is often the leakiest spot in the house. Rigid foam board or spray foam against the concrete keeps the wall warm and controls condensation, and is the usual base before framing and drywall. Any water or dampness problem has to be fixed first, so the insulation does not trap moisture against the wall.
• Crawl Space InsulationA cold crawl space means cold floors above it and pipes at risk of freezing. In most cold climates, insulating the crawl space walls and rim joists and covering the ground with a sealed vapour barrier works better than stuffing batts between the floor joists. Vents, standing water and drainage are dealt with first so the space stays dry.
• Wall InsulationWhen walls are open during a renovation, mineral wool or fibreglass batts, or spray foam, can go in with a proper vapour barrier before the drywall goes back up. Closed exterior walls in older houses can often be dense-packed instead. The quote should state the material, the R-value for each wall, and how the vapour barrier and any inspection will be handled.
• Old Insulation RemovalInsulation that is wet, packed down, soiled by rodents or full of debris does not work well and should come out before new material goes in. It is vacuumed into bags outside the house, then the attic is air sealed and insulated again. Old vermiculite, the grey-brown pebble kind, can contain asbestos and must be tested and handled by a qualified abatement contractor before anyone disturbs it.

How the work is handled

• Air Sealing FirstGaps around pipes, wires, pot lights and the attic hatch are sealed before new insulation goes in, so the insulation can do its job.
• The Right Material for the SpotBlown-in for open attics, spray foam for rim joists and below-grade walls, batts or dense-pack for walls. Each part of the house gets what suits it.
• Built for Your ClimateTarget R-values, vapour control and ventilation depend on where you live. Local specialists work to the conditions in your area.
• Ventilation Kept OpenBaffles at the eaves and clear soffit vents, so the attic stays dry and the roof deck stays cold in winter.
• Homes and Small BuildingsHouses, duplexes, triplexes, small apartment buildings and small commercial properties.
• Form Only, Your PaceSend the details when it suits you. Nobody calls you before you ask for a quote.

Every written quote covers

• Areas to be insulated
• Material and target R-value per area
• Air sealing included or not
• Ventilation and baffles
• Old insulation removal, if needed

Cities