Common questions. Straight answers.

$1.40 to $2.80 per square foot installed. A typical 1,500 sq ft attic going from R-19 to R-49 with air-sealing lands in the $2,500 to $4,500 range. We quote flat-rate after a free in-home estimate.

Open-cell spray foam runs $1.50 to $3 per board foot. Closed-cell runs $3 to $5.50 per board foot. A cathedral-ceiling job is typically $5,500 to $13,000 depending on assembly and depth. Spray foam costs more than cellulose but does insulation and air-seal in one application.

$1.50 to $3 per square foot for vacuum-extraction of damaged or contaminated attic insulation. A typical 1,500 sq ft attic with rodent contamination runs $2,500 to $4,500 for the removal alone, separate from the new insulation.

Yes. The federal 25C tax credit covers 30 percent of insulation costs up to $1,200 per year. HERO and PACE programs allow financing through your property tax bill. SDG&E periodically offers insulation rebates tied to whole-home programs. We document the work for any rebate paperwork.

California Title 24 sets R-30 minimum on roof alterations and R-38 on most full reinsulations. We usually recommend R-49 — the marginal cost from R-38 is small and the comfort difference is real. Inland and East County homes benefit most.

Depends on the assembly. Cellulose blown-in is the workhorse for vented attic floors. Closed-cell spray foam handles unvented roof decks, rim joists, and crawlspaces. Open-cell foam quiets cathedral ceilings. Batts work in open framing for new construction. We pick the method that fits your home, not the one we want to sell.

In most San Diego climate zones, no separate vapor barrier is required on attic floors. Crawlspaces always need a 10–20 mil vapor barrier on the dirt floor. Some wall assemblies in inland zones use faced batts (kraft paper retarder); we follow Title 24 prescriptive requirements for your specific assembly.

A typical attic top-up runs 4 to 8 hours for one crew. Spray foam jobs run 1 to 3 days depending on scope. Crawlspace work runs 1 to 3 days. Garage conversions run 1 to 2 days. We confirm the schedule before booking and arrive on time.

When the existing insulation is rodent-contaminated, water-damaged, smoke-damaged, or pre-1990 vermiculite (which may contain asbestos). Healthy old fiberglass or cellulose can usually be topped up with new material on top — no removal needed.

Yes. We treat rodent-contaminated insulation as biohazard, vacuum-extract it, sanitize the deck, and bag the waste for proper disposal. If there is an active infestation, you will need a pest contractor to seal entry points first — we can recommend one.

Pre-1990 vermiculite (gray, pebble-like loose-fill) may contain asbestos. We do not remove asbestos-containing material — that is a state-licensed abatement scope. We will identify it on the first visit and refer you to a licensed abatement contractor before reinsulating.

Insulation slows heat by trapping still air. Moving air bypasses insulation completely. We've measured 30–50 percent of total heat loss in older San Diego homes coming through air leaks rather than through the insulation. Sealing first is what makes new insulation actually work.

Top plates, recessed lights, attic hatches, plumbing chases, HVAC chases, rim joists, and around exterior penetrations. We caulk, foam, and gasket each one. A typical scope on a 1,800 sq ft home runs $400 to $1,200.

Not always. For most retrofits we find leaks visually plus a thermal camera on a cool morning. Blower-door tests make sense on whole-home performance contracts and Title 24 alteration projects. We tell you when it's worth the cost.

Depends on moisture. If the crawl is dry and well-vented, subfloor batts plus a vapor barrier on the ground is enough. If it stays damp, we move the insulation to the foundation walls and seal the vents — full encapsulation. We run a moisture meter on the first visit to make this call.

Yes. We deliver insulation specs your plan reviewer needs (R-13 walls, R-30 to R-38 ceiling, garage door panel kit, slab edge rigid foam, and air-sealing). We coordinate with your framer and drywall trades on schedule.

Yes. Dense-pack cellulose or injection foam goes through small drilled holes — usually two per stud bay from the interior or exterior. We patch and texture the holes and leave the wall paint-ready.