Retrofit insulation in Big Spring TX - attic and walls done in the right order
Hot upstairs, drafty rooms and a high power bill in an older house? We seal the gaps, then add insulation where it's missing.
How do you add insulation to an older house in Big Spring?
Retrofit insulation in Big Spring, TX is insulation added to a house that's already standing, usually loose fill blown over the attic floor once the holes in that floor are sealed, so the ceiling finally holds back heat the way it should.
At B&S Big Spring Spray Foam Insulation, we do this work in Big Spring, Midland and the cities around them, mostly for houses that run hot upstairs, feel drafty or bring in a power bill that keeps climbing. We start with air sealing, closing the gaps in the attic floor so the new insulation isn't fighting a draft, and then fill the attic, the walls or both. Your price moves with the size of the attic, whether old insulation has to come out, how many gaps need sealing and whether the walls get done too, and the schedule mostly turns on anything that has to be fixed before we start. We check with the city's building office first and take care of any permit the job calls for, and your estimate puts a figure on your own house.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- Expect a reply within 1 business day.
Insulation work in attics and walls
How we handle retrofit insulation
Older homes often have little up top and nothing in the walls, so the first thing we do is help you decide whether to start with the attic, the walls or both. Before anything goes in, I look for what has to be fixed first, like old insulation that's been soaked or is full of droppings, because new material laid over it keeps the problem, and walls that show damp, since wall insulation should wait until any moisture problem is found and repaired. Then we seal the gaps around pipes, can lights and the hatch, put metal collars around hot flues and covers over can lights that aren't rated to touch insulation, and set baffles at the eaves so air keeps moving and the insulation stays out of the vents. Last, we blow in loose fill, insulation sent through a hose, and if new siding is in your plans, that's a good time to add wall insulation from the outside.
Attic insulation is where most retrofit jobs start, because the attic is usually where an older house is thinnest and easiest to reach. Spray foam insulation costs more and seals air while it insulates, but I'll usually steer you toward sealing the gaps and topping up loose fill instead, unless your ductwork runs through the attic, where foam earns its higher cost.
Why Big Spring homeowners call B&S Big Spring Spray Foam Insulation for retrofit work
The owner writes your estimate
I'm usually the one who comes out to look at the job and write the estimate, and a lead installer runs the crew on the work itself. You get your questions answered by the person who planned the job, as many times as you need to ask.
Sealing before filling since 2013
We've been in business since 2013, and I learned the trade hauling bags and running hose in hot attics before that. I'd rather tell you a job has to wait for a wet wall or a furnace that needs its air than cover the problem with insulation.
Licensed and fully insured
We're licensed and fully insured, and our promise is satisfaction guaranteed on every job. Big Spring also requires contractors to be registered with the city, so that's a fair question to put to anyone you're thinking about hiring.
On a retrofit, the order of the work matters more than the material, so it starts with a look at what's already in your attic and walls. Call (432) 263-5187 or ask for an estimate here.
Get a plan for your attic, walls or both
Send the form and we'll get back to you within one business day to set a time. I'll come out, look over your attic and walls and write up a free estimate, with no obligation.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- Expect a reply within 1 business day.
What happens after you call about retrofit insulation?
Call or send the form
We set up a time for me to come look at the job and answer anything you want to ask. Have the year your house was built handy, because in homes built before 1980, opening walls can bring lead safety rules into play depending on how much wall gets disturbed.
I check, then write it up
I go through the attic, crawl space and walls for anything that has to be fixed first, then walk you through your options. The estimate lays out what needs doing first, attic, walls or both, and what each choice costs, so you know what you're paying for.
Crew seals, insulates, cleans up
Once you say go, we check with the city office and line up the work in the right order. Our crew seals before it insulates, does the job and cleans up after.
Retrofit insulation questions from Big Spring
How much does attic insulation cost in Big Spring?
Across the US, insulating an attic usually costs about $4 to $7 per square foot, and that's the going range for the work, not a quote from us. The size of your attic and the prep it needs before the insulation goes in decide where you land, and the estimate I write at your house gives you your own figure.
Do I need a permit to add insulation in Big Spring TX?
Ask the city before you start, because Big Spring's permit list names roofs, siding and remodels but doesn't mention insulation. The city asks owners to contact its Building Inspection Department before any project to see whether permits are required, which can save time and money. The city's Building Official can approve some minor repairs without a permit when they meet the codes, but that's the city's call, and we make that check before we start.
Can my existing walls be insulated without tearing them out?
Yes, usually by drill and fill, where small holes go in near the top of each wall space and insulation gets blown in through them. The holes can go on the inside or the outside of the wall, so you choose which side gets opened, and we'll talk through which makes more sense for your house.
Why should you seal the attic before adding insulation?
Because insulation slows heat but doesn't stop air, so open holes in the attic floor keep leaking right through it. Sealing them with sealant, spray foam or rigid blocking saves energy, lowers your bills and helps keep moisture problems out of the attic.
What causes the upstairs of an older house to stay hot?
Usually it's a thin or patchy layer of attic insulation, since many older homes have little or none up there. Gaps around can lights, pipes and the hatch make it worse, and so does insulation that's deep in the middle and thin at the edges, because blown insulation should lie evenly and cover the whole ceiling all the way to its edges.
How do I insulate an old house that might have knob and tube wiring?
Find out what wiring you have first, because the electrical code doesn't allow insulation on or around knob and tube wiring. I look at the wiring when I come out for the estimate, before we plan any attic or wall work.
Insulation in other cities we serve
Work that goes with retrofit insulation
Spray foam insulation
When ducts run through the attic, foam can seal air and insulate in the same step, which can be worth its higher cost on that kind of house.
Attic insulation
Most older houses are thinnest overhead, so a full attic job with the gaps sealed and fill spread evenly is often where a retrofit starts.