EnergySense Reno Spray Foam InsulationEnergySense Reno Spray Foam Insulation

Home insulation in Reno NV - a warmer house, sealed and insulated from the attic down

Drafty rooms, a hot upstairs or a power bill that keeps climbing? We find where the heat's going and fix that first.

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Loose-fill insulation is spread across an attic floor between exposed wooden joists.
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Home insulation
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(775) 447-1048

How can you tell your house needs more insulation?

  • Upstairs stays hot

    The bedrooms upstairs run warmer than the rest of the house long after the sun goes down. That usually means the attic is thin or warm air is slipping through gaps in the ceiling, and every summer you wait, the AC works harder to keep up.

  • Drafts you can feel

    You feel moving air near the attic hatch, an outlet or a ceiling light. Those are gaps, and insulation piled on top of a draft doesn't do much, so the longer it goes, the more you pay to heat air that leaks right back out.

  • One room never matches

    One room, often the one over the garage, is never the temperature the thermostat says, no matter how you set it. Usually that room got less insulation than the rest, and waiting just means living around it another season.

What does insulating a Reno home actually involve?

Home insulation in Reno, NV usually starts in the attic, where we seal the air leaks and then add a new layer over what's already up there, so the house holds its heat in winter and the upstairs stays cooler in summer.

Most people call because some part of the house never feels right, or the power bill doesn't match how they live. The price mostly turns on how big your attic is and how easy it is to reach, how many inches are already up there, how many gaps need sealing and whether old material has to come out first. The schedule turns on what I find, because a roof leak, old wiring or a test on suspect fill comes before any new insulation goes in. We're fully licensed and insured, and before work starts we check which office covers your address and apply for the permit when the job needs one. Your own figure comes from the written estimate.

Details to note before an estimate

  • The home's age
  • Where the attic hatch is
  • Inches of insulation already up there
  • Rooms that run hot or cold
  • Any roof leaks or water stains
  • Gas or oil furnace and water heater

How we handle home insulation in Reno

When you just want the house warmer, I start in the attic and work out where the biggest losses are, so your money goes where it changes how the house feels. I check the old material first, because new insulation laid over a layer that got soaked or full of droppings just keeps the problem, and if the roof or the wiring needs fixing, I'd rather tell you the job should wait than cover it up. Then our crew does the air sealing, closing the gaps around lights, pipes and the hatch, and tops up the layer so it's as deep at the edges as in the middle, with the eave vents left open so the attic can still breathe. Spray foam costs more and seals while it insulates, but in most attics sealing the gaps and adding blown-in fill, loose insulation we send up through a hose, gets you more for the money, unless your ductwork runs up there. If part of the job makes sense for you to do yourself, I'll say so.

Some houses need more than a top-up. When the old layer can't stay, we start with insulation removal so the new material goes onto a clean attic. And if the cold you notice is coming up through the floors rather than down from the ceiling, we also do crawl space insulation and can look at that on the same visit.

Work that often goes with home insulation

  • Insulation removal

    Clears out old insulation that's been soaked, chewed through or nested in, so the attic starts fresh before anything new goes up.

  • Crawl space insulation

    Worth a look when your floors and first-floor rooms stay chilly and the space under the house is part of the reason.

What happens when you call about insulating your Reno home?

  1. Call or send a message

    Call (775) 447-1048 or use the form, and we'll get back to you to set a time. It helps to tell us how you get into the attic so I know what to bring.

  2. I look at the house

    I come out myself and look at the attic, walls or crawl space, whichever applies. Then I walk you through what I found and what I'd do first.

  3. You get a written estimate

    I send a written estimate that lays out the work in the order I'd do it. If the budget is tight, that order shows you which part makes the biggest difference.

  4. We do the work together

    Once you say yes, we settle the permit question with the right office, and the crew and I do the install and go over it with you at the end. Every job is backed by our satisfaction guarantee.

Questions about insulating your home

How much does attic insulation cost in Reno?

Attic insulation in Reno usually costs about $1,500 to $4,900 per job, which is the going rate around here, not our quote. Where your house lands in that range is what I work out on the visit.

Should I seal my attic before adding insulation?

Yes, ENERGY STAR recommends sealing the attic's air leaks before any new insulation goes in, so when you compare quotes, look for one that seals first. If your furnace or water heater burns gas or oil and vents on its own, sealing can in some cases push exhaust back into the house, and ENERGY STAR suggests having a Home Performance Contractor test those appliances before and after.

What is the best way to add insulation over what's already in my attic?

Usually you lay a new layer right on top, and it doesn't have to match, since loose fill can go over old batts and batts can go over loose fill. Batts laid over loose fill should be unfaced, the kind with no paper or foil backing. Keep the new layer clear of can lights unless they're rated IC for insulated ceilings.

How do I know if my attic needs work before it gets insulated?

Look for wet insulation under a leaky roof, moldy or rotted framing, very little ventilation, or knob and tube wiring, which turns up in homes built before 1930 and can be a fire hazard when insulation touches it. ENERGY STAR says to have a professional fix those first. If you see light, pea-size, gray flakes, that may be vermiculite, which can contain asbestos, so leave it alone until an approved lab tests it.

Can I insulate my own attic in Reno?

Often, yes, and laying fiberglass rolls is the easiest version to do yourself, while loose fill needs a blowing machine that some home improvement stores rent, which is where hiring it out can make more sense. The Nevada State Contractors Board lists an exemption for owners improving a home they live in, not one they plan to sell or lease, and you apply to the board for it. Reno takes all building permit applications through the city's online permitting portal, and work done without a required permit picks up compliance fees on top of the permit fees.

Is there free home insulation help for some Reno households?

Yes, for households that qualify, the Community Services Agency runs a weatherization program whose crew uses an energy assessment and testing equipment to pick cost effective measures and check for carbon monoxide. Local contractors then install the approved work free of charge, so if cost is what's holding you back, it's worth finding out whether you qualify.

Get a written home insulation estimate that starts in the attic

Send the form and we'll get back to you within one business day to set a time for me to come out. The estimate is free, done at your house, and there's no pressure to book.

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Find out where your house loses heat

A look in the attic before you buy a single bag tells you whether the money belongs up there at all.

Request an estimateCall (775) 447-1048