There are a number of choices when it comes to choosing a material to insulate your home. They all keep your home warm during the winter and cool during the summer, but some just work better than others. However, just like most products, the better working insulation materials cost more money. If you want to choose the absolute best insulator, your first and only option is spray foam insulation.
What is spray foam insulation, and how does it work?
A spray foam insulation contractor in Petaluma, CA is probably the only person who really needs to know what spray foam insulation is actually made of and how it works, but here’s the gist of it. Spray foam insulation is made of two materials: polyurethane and isocyanate. When those two are combined, the resulting chemical reaction causes them to expand and harden. A spray foam insulation contractor applies those two materials in a desired area using a spray foam gun. The two materials create a protective barrier that efficiently insulates the area.
There are two different types of spray foam insulation: closed-cell and open-cell foam. While they’re both excellent insulators, closed-cell works a little better, but is also a little more expensive.
Some of the primary benefits of spray foam insulation include:
It has noise dampening effects: Since open-cell insulation is denser, it acts as an effective sound barrier. This comes in handy when you’re trying to drown out the noise from your loud neighbors!
It sticks to everything it touches: Once a spray foam insulation contractor in Petaluma, CA applies the foam, you can rest assured that it’s going to effectively cover the entire area. Every nook and cranny is going to be coated with the highest-quality insulator.
It’s proven to be the best insulator: All insulation materials are given a rating by the government, called an R-value. An insulator’s R-value rates how well the material can trap air inside your home and prevent air from getting out. The higher the R-value, the better the product. Spray foam has an R-value of 6, the highest on the market.
It blocks moisture and deters mold: Small holes and cracks in your walls let in more than just air. Moisture can get into your house and wreak havoc! Since spray foam sticks to everything it touches, it effectively fills all of those tiny cracks and holes not covered by traditional insulation materials. The foam will absorb any water that does happen to get into your house, so there’s no risk of mold growth.
Like any product, spray foam insulation does have some potential downsides. The extent to which you’ll consider the following factors may depend on your budget and other needs:
It’s costly: Spray foam insulation is the most expensive insulator on the market. However, it is also the best. Over time, its benefits far outweigh its cost.
It must be installed by a professional: Due to the technical nature of its application, installing spray foam insulation isn’t a DIY project.
It’s not great for the environment: As you may have been able to guess, polyurethane and isocyanate aren’t natural materials. Their production has some negative effects on the environment.
When you’re ready to keep your home nice and toasty this winter, and cool all summer long, get in touch with a spray foam insulation contractor in Petaluma, CA for professional assistance. Give Ace Insulation Inc. a call to schedule spray foam insulation installation!
When you’re remodeling or building a home, attic insulation might be the last thing you’re thinking about. After all, how much time will you spend in your attic compared to your kitchen or living room? Even though you won’t be up in your attic too often, you need to put some thought into what kind of insulation material will go inside the attic walls. There’s a lot to know about attic insulation in Petaluma, CA before you make a decision, and hopefully the following information will make your choice easier.
What kinds of insulation are there?
We install both fiberglass and spray foam insulation. They both work to trap air in your home that would normally seep through the walls and raise your monthly utility bills. Fiberglass is the most popular choice for insulation, but spray foam is gaining market share each year.
Why do you need attic insulation?
It’s probably safe to say that one of the reasons people buy a home is to save money. Homeowners can claim dozens of deductions on their taxes each year, and save money each month on utility bills, compared to people who rent apartments (especially in older buildings). Having the proper insulation is a major factor in saving money each month on electric bills. It’s estimated that homeowners who have good insulation save 30 to 50 percent on their heating and air conditioning bills on a monthly basis.
What kind of attic insulation should you buy?
The choice is ultimately up to you when it comes to attic insulation in Petaluma, CA. While fiberglass is less expensive than spray foam, it tends to be of lower quality, which means it won’t trap in hot and cool air as well as spray foam. Fiberglass insulation is particularly less effective in colder temperatures. Spray foam insulation also has a longer lifespan than fiberglass. Fiberglass insulation usually needs to be replaced after 25 years, whereas spray foam can actually keep working for 80 years.
Why hire a professional?
Although fiberglass insulation installation seems like it’d be pretty easy, it can be dangerous for those who don’t know what they’re doing. Due to the fact that fiberglass is made out of shards of glass, it tends to irritate the skin unless you’re extremely careful and wear long sleeves, pants and protective gloves. Inexperienced folks often also tend to miss areas that need insulation, making the whole process less effective. Meanwhile, our professionals wear all of the right gear, and know exactly where to install the insulation for maximum efficiency.
On the other end of the spectrum, due to the highly technical nature of the process, spray foam insulation requires the help of a professional. Ace Insulation Inc. has been in business since 2011, so you can count on us to provide perfect spray foam insulation installation at highly competitive rates.
Contact us today to schedule an appointment with one of our insulation installation professionals and enjoy greater savings on your monthly energy bills for years to come!
Fiberglass has become one of the most popular production materials on the planet. It’s used in everything from boat hulls and car bodies to stoplights and sports equipment. However, one of its most common uses is hidden inside the walls of your home. It’s estimated that fiberglass is used for insulation in 85 percent of houses across the country. Nowadays, there are numerous materials that are used for insulation, but fiberglass remains the most popular for a variety of reasons.
What is fiberglass insulation?
Fiberglass insulation is made from glass fibers that are woven in a method similar to how cotton candy is made, eventually resulting a wool-like material. It can be installed in a few different ways to insulate the walls of your home. It can come in precut and covered bags called batts, in large rolls that can be cut to specific dimensions, or as loose fill, which is usually used to insulate attics. The material works by trapping hot or cool air from escaping your home, which increases energy efficiency and keeps your home at the desired temperature and comfort level. Fiberglass insulation in Petaluma, CA has become the most popular choice for home insulation for the following reasons:
It’s inexpensive: At a cost of around 40 cents per square foot, fiberglass insulation is the least expensive insulation material on the market.
It’s easy to install: Fiberglass insulation can be installed by anyone who’s willing to do the work. That being said, it’s recommended that you hire a professional to complete the assignment, as it can be a dangerous material. Batts of fiberglass aren’t a problem because fibers can’t escape the plastic, but rolls and loose fill can be a problem for your lungs if you install it without a mask. The shards of glass in the insulation will irritate your skin if you don’t wear gloves.
It’s fire retardant: Hopefully your home never catches fire, but if it does, you can rest assured that the fiberglass insulation in your home won’t catch fire, too. In fact, the material serves to slow the spread of fire, making it an attractive safety feature.
Pests won’t eat it: Bug infestations are another part of homeownership that you’d like to avoid. Luckily bugs and other critters can’t get any nutritional value from fiberglass insulation, so there’s no risk of pests destroying the material.
Its ecological footprint is small: Many types of fiberglass insulation that you’ll find at a home improvement store are made in part (or entirely) with recycled glass. The recycled glass lowers the material’s overall price, and helps the environment at the same time.
It offers multiple installation options: While batts of fiberglass are great, they usually can’t cover every square inch of a room. Fortunately, professionals can cut rolls of fiberglass in order to fill all of the nooks and crannies in a home that batts can’t cover.
Ace Insulation Inc. has been installing fiberglass insulation for new home and renovations for more than five years. Contact us today to learn more about fiberglass insulation in Petaluma, CA and about all of our other services!
Adding new and sufficient insulation to a home, regardless of whether it’s old or new construction, can significantly improve the comfort level of the home, in addition to drastically reducing your energy bills. Your home should be properly insulated from the roof all the way to the foundation to ensure the maximum amount of energy efficiency. Usually, insulating the attic, walls and flooring are the best way to keep the warm air trapped in your home and the cold air outside where it belongs. Even if you already knew this, you may be questioning why these areas are especially important when it comes to insulation in Petaluma, CA.
Here’s why you’ll always want to keep your attic, walls and floors adequately insulated, regardless of the season.
Attic
The attic should always be the top concern when it comes to insulation. This space between your roof and your home is often one of the most vulnerable points where valuable heat can escape outside. In addition, the outside air can also seep in through the attic, which subsequently cools the rest of your home from the top down. Most professional insulation specialists will recommend installing quality loose fill or batt insulation to keep the air from escaping. Loose fill is the cheaper option, but it is much less effective if it is not properly installed by a professional.
Wall
The exterior walls of your home are the main barriers between the inside and outside of your home. During the cold winter months, heat can seep out through the walls to the outdoors, which means your heater will be working overtime to maintain a consistent temperature within your home. Not only will this drive up energy costs, but it will also put unnecessary strain on your heater, which can lead to expensive repairs. Properly insulated walls will help prevent the cycle of heat gain and loss. Options such as batt and spray foam insulation tend to be the best choices for walls. This insulation project tends to be the most costly and shouldn’t be attempted by anyone other than a professional with experience in installing insulation in Petaluma, CA.
Floors
Typically, most homeowners do not heat their garages or crawl spaces. But that doesn’t mean these areas can go without adequate insulation. In fact, these two areas are easy access points for cold air to enter into your home unnoticed. Installing spray foam insulation will keep the cold air from rising up through the floor and into your home. Not only will this help keep energy costs low, but proper flooring insulation will also reduce the likelihood of moisture, insect infestation and mold problems.
With winter on its way, ensuring that these three areas are properly insulated is the most important thing a homeowner can do to reduce energy costs and increase the overall comfort level. Ace Insulation Inc. is here to help prepare your home for winter through a variety of services, including spray foam insulation installation. Call us today to find out more about how new insulation can benefit you.
As California residents, we’re lucky because much of our state doesn’t have to deal with icy roads or big snow falls. But that doesn’t mean Californians are safe from winter. Much like notoriously cold states, the cost of the heating bill still increases as the outside temperatures get lower. Many families rely on cranking up their thermostat to high temperatures in order to keep their homes warm.
Unfortunately, the temperature doesn’t matter if you do not have proper insulation in Petaluma, CA. Usually, insulation works to trap the heat within your home, but that warmth can easily escape through small openings and walls if your home is lacking this vital barrier. Installing or checking to ensure your insulation is up to snuff will not only keep your home warm all winter long, but also help keep your electricity bill lower throughout the entire season.
Here are three ways you can get a head start on preparing your home for winter when it comes to insulation in Petaluma, CA.
Check the current insulation
Fall is the perfect time to check throughout your home for any potential problem areas. Take a look in your attic to determine if there are any bare or compromised spots that could use the help of insulation if they don’t already have it. This is especially important because insulation is the best barrier for keeping the warm air within your house, while also preventing the cold air from seeping in. Running the heater is fruitless without adequate insulation!
Seal off vulnerable points with insulation
Air drafts, small openings and leaks within your home easily allow the warm air to escape. This means your heater will then have to work twice as hard to maintain a warm temperature in your home. The easiest way to prevent this from happening is to carefully examine possibly vulnerable points within your home for any air leaks. Once you find them, seal them off with spray foam insulation. Pay special attention to the openings around the windows and doors, because these tend to be the most common areas for the warm air to leak out.
Prepare your home for winter now!
The simplest way to ensure your home is ready for winter is to start preparing the insulation in your home immediately! As previously noted, insulation is your first line of defense when keeping the warm air inside and the cold air outside. Have a professional insulation specialist from Ace Insulation Inc. visit your home to check that every opening is properly sealed with a high quality and durable insulation material, such as spray foam insulation. Having this check early before the weather reaches freezing will keep your family warm and your utility bills low.
Taking care of any issues in advance will leave plenty of time for everything to be resolved at a non-emergency pace and, as a result, a lower cost. Call Ace Insulation Inc. today to schedule your annual insulation check. We look forward to helping you and your family stay warm and comfortable this winter!
Areas Served
Proudly providing residential and commercial insulation installation to Petaluma, CA and the surrounding areas including:
Certificate of Approved Applicator from SWD, approved to install quik-shield polyurethane foam and coating products in residential and commercial applications according to the standards and guidelines as set forth by SWD Urethane
