Insulation Installation Raleigh, NC

​Although Raleigh, North Carolina has a temperate climate, homes, and businesses still need to install insulation. Temperatures run between 31 and 90 degrees throughout the year, but temperatures are below freezing for three months, and during nine months of the year most days have temperatures above 72 degrees. Whether DIY insulation installation or professional insulation installation in Raleigh, North Carolina, more insulation equals lower energy and healthcare bills. According to the North American Insulation Manufacturers Association (NAIMA), 90 % of single-family homes in the US are under-insulated. That means 90 % of those homes pay more for heating and air conditioning than they should.

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What Does Insulation Do?

​Before considering insulation installation in your home or business in Raleigh, North Carolina, you should understand what insulation does.  Insulation is a layer of material fit between inner and outer parts of walls, ceilings, and floors. Insulation’s ability to prevent heat movement has an industry measurement called R-value or R-factor. Whether wall insulation, crawl space insulation, or attic insulation, the layer of material limits heat transfer.

​Insulation installation in a Raleigh, North Carolina structure prevents healthier conditioned air from escaping and prevents unconditioned unhealthy air from getting into a living space in your Raleigh, North Carolina home, or workspaces in your business. Insulation installation reduces heat loss and improves air quality which means lower energy and healthcare bills.

​Blown insulation

Some insulation installation contractors in Raleigh, North Carolina specialize in blowing cellulose, rock wool, or fiberglass insulation with fiber blowing and vacuuming machinery. These machines can be electric or powered by gas or diesel.

Batts or Rolled Insulation

Most insulation contractors in Raleigh, NC, can add batts of fiberglass or rock wool insulation, especially in open attic spaces and new construction. Additional rolled insulation can be added over old insulation in many cases to increase energy efficiency.

​​Spray Foam Insulation

Raleigh, North Carolina spray foam insulation installation specialists use machines called reactors to install spray foam insulation. Two liquid chemicals are loaded into the reactors, and the two mix together as the installer sprays them are on home surfaces.

Spray foam insulation works well for attic insulation. The two chemicals react with each other, causing a foam that forms a waterproof seal wherever it’s sprayed. The foam takes about 24 hours to finish off-gassing (chemical reaction stops, everything is dry, and it is safe to be in the structure.)

​DIY Insulation Installation

• ​Fiberglass or Rock Wool Batts or Rolls

Installing batts of rock wool or fiberglass yourself isn’t difficult if you have access to the areas you want to insulate. You can find the insulation in local hardware or DIY store. Installing these types of insulation entails cutting the insulation to fit the spaces to be protected. 

• Blown-in Insulation Installation

While there are advantages to blown-in insulation, attic insulation is the only do-it-yourself project recommended by most experts. Hard on your back, installing blown-in attic insulation means remaining bent over for long periods of time. You need to rent an attic blower for between $100 and $200 per day. Some insulation manufacturers let you use the machine for free if you buy enough of their insulation. Enlist a helper for this kind of project. Other than for attic insulation, hire professional insulation contractors for blowing in any insulation.

• Spray Foam Insulation Installation

There are kits available in any DIY store for installing spray foam insulation yourself. The kit will include safety equipment and the sprayer or reactor with chemicals preloaded.  Read all the instructions thoroughly because you must do the insulation installation under the right atmospheric conditions (temperature and humidity).

​Be sure to spray the foam evenly. If you fail to do so, you may have to remove all the foam and start over. DIY spray foam insulation installation  in your Raleigh, North Carolina home or business may save money. Look at kit prices and estimate how many kits you will need to buy for the area you want to insulate. You may want to get a professional estimate from a local insulation installer like Raleigh Spray Foam Insulation. Compare costs before attempting a do it yourself. The savings may not be worth the effort of installing insulation yourself.

​How do I know I need new or more insulation?

Unless you're already a professional insulation contractor, you won't know if you need more or new insulation until you get an energy audit. There are a lot of reasons to get a professional energy audit. Besides doing a visual, room-by-room inspection, trained home energy auditors use equipment like blower doors and infrared cameras to find out where your home is losing heated or cooled air. You can do a visual inspection for yourself.

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What to look for yourself

• Voids -look for places that don't have insulation. Gaps can be caused by improperly installed insulation around things like light fixtures and fuse boxes. Voids in insulation allow heat transfer by convection and radiation. Experts estimate that a 4% void in fiberglass batt insulation can lead to as much as a 50% reduction to efficiency.
• Compression - Most insulation types (other than spray foam insulation) break down or compress over time. Compressed insulation has fewer air pockets that contribute to insulation R-Value (the industry measurement of insulation effectiveness).
• Air movement - if air has regularly passed through insulation through open doors; for example, dirt deposits in the air pockets within the insulation, and you may need new insulation. The dirt interferes with insulation effectiveness because it can reduce the prevention of heat loss through convection. Air flowing through dirty insulation can also pass the dirt, mold, and dust particles into your living space.
• Moisture - If you have had a leak and attic insulation (other than spray foam insulation) gets wet, the effectiveness of the insulation is compromised, and mold growth may occur. You should contact an attic insulation installer for inspection and advice.

​Installation Risks 

Although not all professionals agree on what insulation installation cause health dangers, they do advise some cautions.
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Fiberglass insulation can irritate skin, eyes, and lungs. In addition to wearing protective gear while installing fiberglass insulation, your family should wear a mask and skin protection when they are in areas in your home with exposed fiberglass insulation.  

Rock wool insulation, also a spun fiber, can sometimes cause similar irritation problems. 

Cellulose insulation installation causes dust to fly and can lead to a cough during and even after installation. Professional insulation installers often add a small amount of water to blown-in cellulose to lessen the problem. As air flows through, dust and allergens get trapped in the insulation. You must keep cellulose insulation dry to prevent mold from growing.  

During spray foam insulation installation and off-gassing, people exposed to spray foam chemicals vapors or aerosols risk developing asthma, sensitization, other breathing problems. Without proper protection equipment, exposure can also cause eye and skin irritation. Off-gassing takes 24 hours. 

​How much does insulation installation cost?

​Professional insulation installation in Raleigh, North Carolina for a 2,500 sq.ft. home can vary between $2,000-$6,000 depending on the house's age and what insulation you choose.

Blown-in cellulose material cost the least, but the machinery used by a Raleigh, North Carolina insulation contractors costs a lot. The cost of installing 6 inches of blown-in cellulose insulation runs about .70 per square foot, and 12-inch depth costs about 1.35 per square inch. Blown-in fiberglass and rock wool fiber cost more.

Fiberglass batts or rock wool foam boards are the least expensive overall. Final costs depend on how thick insulation contractors in Raleigh, North Carolina install insulation. For example, 3 ½” deep fiberglass rolls might cost .15 per square foot and 12 inches deep .55 per square foot. The deeper the insulation, the higher the R-value.

Spray foam insulation installation in Raleigh, North Carolina costs the most in the short run, but it gives you the best results. Homeowners who plan to stay in their homes for a while will quickly recoup the cost of insulation from savings on energy bills.

Spray foam insulation gives you the highest R-value or insulates the best and provides a water barrier. Because foam insulation fills holes and cracks, it also prevents pests from entering your home. Because of how well Spray foam insulation fills space, it provides sound proofing insulation, too.

A home insulated with polyurethane spray foam stands up better to high winds. Once dry, spray foam insulation increases the structural strength of homes and commercial buildings. Spray foam insulation contractors like Raleigh Spray Foam Insulation, typically calculate costs by the board foot. (length x width x depth). For example, 12” x 12” x 1” equals 1 board foot. Open-cell spray foam costs between 35 to 55 cents per board foot; the denser closed-cell spray foam is generally $1.00 to $2.00 per board foot.

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Whether you hire insulation contractors, or choose to install insulation yourself, the results will be lower energy bills and a healthier, more comfortable living space for your family or work environment for your employees. There are advantages and disadvantages to each type of insulation.

Despite the higher initial cost of spray foam insulation, the long-term cost savings and superior performance make it the right choice.  Contact Raleigh Spray Foam Insulation in Raleigh, North Carolina, to find out more about the advantages of professional insulation installation and get a free estimate.

Call (919) 925-4717