Insulation Contractor in Sebastopol, CA - Older Attics and Crawl Spaces, Done in Order
D&R Santa Rosa Spray Foam Insulation is an insulation contractor that drives over from Santa Rosa to Sebastopol to insulate and air seal attics, crawl spaces and walls, and to pull out old insulation that's past saving.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free on-site estimates.
- We respond within 1 business day.
Older homes and bigger lots across Sebastopol
Sebastopol is a small city just west of Santa Rosa, and our calls there come from a real mix of houses. There are older bungalows and cottages close to downtown, ranch houses from later years, and homes out on bigger lots with a barn, a studio or a room over the garage that somebody finished a long time ago. Downtown storefronts and small office buildings call us too, usually through a property manager. We do the same kind of work in Cotati and back home in Santa Rosa.
A lot of these houses have been added onto over the years, so the attic over the kitchen can look nothing like the attic over the bedrooms. That's why I go up into the attic and under the house myself before I put a number on anything.
Our services in Sebastopol, CA
- Attic insulation
Many attics here still hold a few settled inches, so the upstairs runs hot. We measure what's there and bring it up evenly, edges included.
- Insulation removal
Older attics here sometimes hold insulation soaked by an old leak or fouled by rodents. Piling more on top keeps the problem, so we start with insulation removal.
- Crawl space insulation
Cold floors in Sebastopol houses usually trace back to a crawl space with sagging or missing insulation. We put new insulation snug against the floor and fasten it there.
- Attic air sealing
Houses with a few add-ons usually leak air around can lights, pipes and the attic hatch. We seal those gaps before insulation goes down, so it isn't fighting a draft.
- Retrofit insulation
Plenty of the early bungalows and cottages around town were built with nothing in the walls. We fill finished walls through small holes we patch afterward, so the plaster stays.
- Spray foam insulation
On bigger lots, a barn turned studio or a room over the garage tends to swing hot and cold. We spray foam that seals air while it insulates, which suits those spaces.
What older Sebastopol houses ask of insulation
Older attics here have usually been worked on more than once, so we often find a patchwork of old layers, can lights left open to the attic and eave vents buried under loose fill. Buried vents keep the attic from breathing, so moisture can start showing up in the framing, and coverage piled deep in the middle but thin at the edges leaves the outside walls cold, which is backward. We clear the vents, bring the edges up to match and go over every opening before anything new goes in, because insulation laid over a leak or a hidden problem is a pain to undo.
The choice most people ask me about is foam or loose fill. Foam costs more and seals air while it insulates, but sealing the gaps and topping up with loose fill blown in through a hose usually gets you further for the money. The exception is when your ductwork runs through the attic, because foam at the roofline puts those ducts inside the insulated space.
Get a free on-site insulation estimate in Sebastopol
Call (707) 508-4085 or send the form, and we'll get back to you within one business day to set a time. I come out to your Sebastopol home or building myself, look over the attic, walls or crawl space, and walk you through what I found and what it will cost. The estimate is free, and there's no obligation to go ahead.
Insulation work, up close
Sebastopol insulation questions answered
How much does it cost to insulate an attic in Sebastopol?
I can't give you a fair number until I've seen the attic, because the price turns on how big it is, how hard it is to reach and what's already up there. Old insulation that has to come out, a lot of gaps to seal, or choosing foam over loose fill all push it up, while a clean attic that only needs topping up keeps it down. The schedule mostly depends on whether removal comes first and whether a permit and inspection are part of the job, and the estimate visit gives you your own figure.
Do I need a permit to insulate my house in Sebastopol?
Ask the Sebastopol Building Department at (707) 823-8597 before work starts, because it issues permits for work on buildings and its list of work exempt from permits doesn't mention insulation. That list covers things like painting, tiling, carpeting, cabinets and fences up to 7 feet tall, but it's older than the code the city uses now, and exempt work still has to meet code. Starting work that needed a permit without one adds an investigation fee of at least the permit fee and up to five times it, so when a job needs one, we apply for it, set up the inspections and give you a copy of the paperwork.
What hours can contractors make noise in Sebastopol?
Within 300 feet of a residential zone, the city limits construction noise that would bother a reasonable neighbor from 8 p.m. to 7 a.m. on Monday through Thursday nights. On weekends the limit runs from 8 p.m. Friday to 8 a.m. Saturday, 4 p.m. Saturday to 8 a.m. Sunday, and 4 p.m. Sunday to 7 a.m. Monday, and designated holidays are limited all day. We plan the loud parts of a job, like running the blower or tearing out old insulation, to fit inside the allowed hours.
How much can a contractor ask for up front in California?
The Contractors State License Board says a contractor can't take a down payment of more than $1,000 or 10 percent of the contract price, whichever is less. After that, payments are listed in the contract and match work completed or materials delivered, and the board says these rules apply to all home improvement projects.
How do I check that an insulation contractor can work in Sebastopol?
Ask for their state contractor's license, because the board licenses contractors in California and the city has contractors confirm that license is in full force when they apply for a city business license. The city issues that business license to contractors and subcontractors, so it's fair to ask about that too. We're licensed and insured, and I'm happy to show you the paperwork.
What causes cold floors in an older house in Sebastopol?
Usually it's the crawl space, where insulation under the floor has sagged, fallen down or was never put in, and air slips up through gaps around pipes and wires. I check under the house before quoting, then we seal those gaps and fit insulation tight to the floor so it stays put.