Retrofit insulation in Simi Valley CA - an older home that stays comfortable all year
Hot upstairs rooms, drafty halls or a high power bill in an older house? We check what's up there, fix problems first, then insulate.
Request an estimate
Should I insulate the attic or the walls first in an older house?
Retrofit insulation means adding insulation to a house that's already built, usually blown onto the attic floor or into the outside walls, and in Simi Valley it's how we get an older home to hold its heat in winter and keep it out in summer.
Most calls I get start with a room that's hot upstairs, a hallway that's drafty or someone who just bought an older house and wants to know what's above the ceiling. The price comes down to how many inches are already up there, whether old or damaged material needs insulation removal first, how easy the attic is to get into and whether the walls are part of the job. The schedule turns on the same things, plus any repair the attic turns up, because that work comes before anything new goes in. When I walk the space with you, I put the scope in writing so you see exactly what your house needs.
How we do retrofit insulation in an older home
In an older home we decide together whether the attic or the walls come first, based on how you reach the attic and what shape each space is in, and most of the time the attic wins because so many older houses have little up there. Before anything new goes in, we look at what's already in place and deal with what needs fixing. Then we do the air sealing, closing the gaps around pipes, wires, can lights and the hatch, because insulation can't stop a draft on its own. After that we lay in blown-in fill, loose cellulose or fiberglass sent through a hose, keeping it even out to the edges and clear of the eave vents so the attic can still breathe, and I look over the work before we finish.
Retrofit work often runs together with our attic insulation service, since the attic is usually the first space we open up. Spray foam insulation costs more and seals air while it insulates, but sealing the gaps and topping up loose fill usually does more for the money, unless your ductwork runs through the attic, and then foam is worth a real look.
Retrofit insulation rules in Simi Valley
The city's Building and Safety Division is the office that handles permits and inspects projects here, and it checks work against the state building, electrical, mechanical and energy codes. California's energy code covers changes to existing houses, not just new ones, so a retrofit falls under it. Whether your particular job needs a permit is the division's call, so we go over it at the estimate before any work is scheduled.
A lot of what we see here is older houses with a thin layer of insulation that's settled over the years, ducts running through a hot attic and a room over the garage that never feels right. We find the same houses on jobs in Thousand Oaks and Moorpark, and we work across the cities around Simi Valley in Ventura County and the nearby parts of Los Angeles County, so if you're not sure we cover yours, just ask.
Insulation work in older homes
Get a written retrofit plan for your house
We reply to every request within one business day. The estimate is free, on site and comes with no obligation, and I'll walk the space with you and put the scope in writing. It helps to tell us the home's age, how you reach the attic and whether you've seen wet or flaky gray insulation.
(805) 261-5026Retrofit insulation questions in Simi Valley
How much does blown-in insulation cost in the Simi Valley area?
Blown-in insulation in the Los Angeles area usually costs about $1,600 to $3,600 per project. That's the going rate across the region, not our price, and where your job lands depends on the attic's size, what has to come out first and how much sealing it needs. Your own number comes from the estimate once I've seen the space.
Can my walls be insulated without opening them up?
Usually, yes. The common way is drill and fill, where insulation is blown into each wall space through small holes made from inside the house or from outside. Going in from outside cuts through the weather layer behind the siding, which then has to be patched or replaced, so we pick the side based on how we can reach the walls and what shape that layer is in.
What should I do if my attic has flaky gray insulation?
Leave it alone and have it tested before anyone works up there. Light, pea-size gray flakes are likely vermiculite, which may contain asbestos, and ENERGY STAR's advice is to leave it undisturbed until an approved lab tests it and finds none. If you spot it, tell us when you call and we'll hold the insulation work until it's tested.
Who pulls the permit for insulation work in Simi Valley?
If your job needs a permit, we file it with the city or county office that covers your address and meet the inspector on site. If you'd rather pull it yourself, the city has a separate package for property owners in its online permit instructions, and I'll walk you through what the office asks for.
Does an older house need anything checked before adding insulation?
Yes, usually the wiring and the paint. Knob and tube wiring, found in houses wired before 1930, can be a fire hazard when insulation touches it, so it should be corrected by a professional first. In homes built before 1980, wall work brings lead safety rules into play depending on how much of the inside and outside wall surface it disturbs, which is why I ask the house's age at the estimate.
How do I know if my attic needs repairs before new insulation goes in?
You find out by having the attic looked at first, and anything it turns up gets fixed before insulation goes in. The usual reasons to stop are wet insulation, moldy or rotted framing, too little ventilation, or a vent such as a bath fan blowing moist air into the attic. If there's a roof leak, I'll tell you to fix that first rather than cover it.
Book your Simi Valley attic walk-through
We take calls seven days a week, so call (805) 261-5026 or send the form and we'll find a time that fits around your week.