Frequently Asked Questions

It costs more per square foot than blown-in or batts, it is hard to remove once installed, and a bad install can smell or pull away. It can also hide roof or plumbing leaks. We use foam where it solves a real problem, follow the maker's lift thickness and ventilation rules, and fix leaks before we spray.

National guides list about $1.50 to $5.00 per square foot installed. HomeGuide puts a whole house at $8,000 to $20,000 and spray foam in a crawl space at $2,000 to $4,000. We give you a written price after measuring.

Many vented crawl spaces here get damp in summer, when humid outside air meets cooler surfaces. Sealing the vents, laying a heavy ground cover and insulating the walls with closed-cell foam can keep it drier. We check drainage and standing water first.

Kentucky's code lists R-38 for ceilings in new homes. For existing attics, the Department of Energy suggests R-60 if bare, or about R-49 added over 3 to 4 inches. In practice, many attics here have far less than either.

If you are insulating the roof deck so ductwork sits in a conditioned attic, open cell is common and costs less. Closed cell makes more sense where moisture or limited depth is a concern. On the attic floor, sealing plus blown-in is usually the better value.

Plan on staying out of the work area during spraying and for the re-entry time the manufacturer lists, often about a day. Crawl space and blown-in jobs are usually less disruptive. We tell you the timing before we schedule.

It can, especially when ductwork runs through the attic. Foaming the roofline keeps the ducts in cooler air. Sealing leaks also keeps humid outdoor air out, which makes the air conditioner's job easier.

Foam itself does not feed mold, but it can trap moisture if it covers a leak or a wet surface. That is why we fix water problems first and choose closed cell where moisture is a risk.

Foam on foundation walls can make it harder to see termite tubes. In crawl spaces we discuss leaving an inspection strip and coordinating with your pest control company.

Installed correctly and kept dry, it stays put for the life of the framing it is attached to. It does not settle or sag.

Most sealed crawl spaces need some way to remove moisture: a dehumidifier or a small supply of conditioned air. We recommend one based on your house.

Usually, if the smell comes from the crawl space. Air from below moves up into the house, so a drier crawl space often means fresher air upstairs.

Not until the water problem is handled. We can tell you what we see, but drainage or grading work may be needed first.

Most homes take one to three days, depending on size, cleanout and access.

Usually a combination of thin attic insulation, air leaks in the ceiling and ductwork in a hot attic. Sealing and adding depth, or foaming the roofline, often closes most of the gap.

HomeGuide lists an average attic job at $1,000 to $2,700. Roofline foam costs more. We quote yours after measuring.

Only if it is wet, moldy, contaminated or blocking sealing. Clean, dry insulation can usually stay.

It usually helps, especially in an under-insulated attic. How much depends on the house, the HVAC system and how you use it.

Yes. Dense-pack cellulose goes in through small holes. We patch them, and you paint over the patches if they are inside.

Brick veneer walls can often be filled from the inside or from the attic and crawl space plates. We look at each house.

For closed walls, injection foams exist, but dense-pack cellulose is the more common and often cheaper choice. Spray foam works best in open walls.

A typical house takes one to three days, depending on wall area and access.

Closed-cell foam on the steel is one of the most reliable fixes, because it keeps moist air off the cold panel.

Not usually. Foam needs to bond to the steel. Old blanket insulation usually has to come off first.

We generally use closed cell on steel because open cell lets moisture pass through to the cold panel.

Yes. We treat the living areas like a house and the shop areas like a metal building, and quote them separately.

Not if it is clean and dry. We usually seal around it and add more on top. Removal is for insulation that is wet, contaminated or in the way.

It should be done with protective equipment and containment. We bag it, clean the area and then reinsulate.

Most attic or crawl space removal and reinsulation jobs take one to two days.

Yes, but it is slow. Fixr lists foam removal at about $1.50 to $3 per square foot, up to about $5 if it has to be chipped off.