Blown-in insulation in Hanahan SC - an attic covered evenly from edge to edge
Hot upstairs rooms and a climbing power bill usually mean a thin attic. We blow in an even layer and keep the vents clear.
- Service
- Blown-in insulation
- Call
- (843) 278-0353
How can you tell your attic needs more insulation?
Hot rooms upstairs
If the upstairs bedrooms or the room over the garage won't cool down, the attic floor above them is usually thin or full of gaps. Every day it stays that way, the AC runs longer to make up for it.
Joists showing through
When you look through the hatch and see the tops of the attic joists, the insulation has either settled or was never deep enough. Until it's topped up, you're paying to heat and cool the attic along with the house.
Stained or flattened insulation
Dark, matted or stained patches usually mean a roof leak, a fan venting where it shouldn't or animals living up there. Blowing new material over it keeps the problem, so it's worth a look before the damage reaches the framing.
Is blown-in insulation right for my attic?
Blown-in insulation is loose cellulose or fiberglass blown through a hose across the floor of a vented attic, and in Hanahan, SC it's the usual way we top up a thin attic so the rooms under it stay cooler in summer and warmer in winter.
Most people who call me have an upstairs that never feels right or a power bill that keeps creeping up, and they want to know if more insulation will fix it or if something else is going on up there. The price moves with how big the attic is, how many inches are already up there, which material you pick and whether old insulation has to come out or the gaps need attic air sealing, which means closing the openings around lights, pipes and the hatch, before anything new goes down. The schedule turns on that same prep, because a clean attic that just needs topping up goes a lot faster than one with a leak or droppings to deal with first, and your written estimate lays out your own price and the order of the work.
Details to note before an estimate
- Inches of insulation already up there
- Where your attic hatch or access is
- Age of your house
- Rooms that run hot or cold
- Any roof leaks or ceiling stains
- Bath fans that vent into the attic
How we install blown-in insulation
I start by going up in the attic with you to look at what's already there, how deep it is, whether any of it is wet or dirty and where the vents sit at the eaves. Then we help you pick between cellulose and fiberglass based on how your attic is built and how much water worries you, since the two hold up very differently if a leak ever gets to them. On install day our crew blows the material to an even depth across the whole attic floor, out to the edges and not just piled up in the middle, and we keep the vents at the eaves clear so the attic can still breathe and moisture doesn't build up in the framing. If your ductwork runs through the attic I'll talk with you about spray foam, which costs more but seals air while it insulates, but for most attics sealing the gaps and topping up with loose fill is the better use of your money.
Sometimes the attic is only part of the story, and cold floors or one drafty room downstairs mean it's worth looking at home insulation for the walls and crawl space too. When the old layer is soaked from a leak or full of droppings, we handle insulation removal first, because new material on top just buries the problem where you can't see it.
Other work that often goes with it
Home insulation
If the attic isn't the only place losing heat, a whole-house look covers the walls, floors and crawl space that an attic job never touches.
Insulation removal
Old attic insulation that got wet from a roof leak or fouled by animals needs to come out before anything new goes on top.
What happens after you call us about blown-in insulation?
Call or send a request
Call (843) 278-0353 or use the form and tell us a little about the house and what's bothering you. We set up a time for me to come out.
I check the attic with you
I'm the one who comes out, and I go up into the attic, crawl space or walls and show you what I find. If there's a wet spot, a buried vent or old wiring, you'll see it for yourself.
You get a written plan
The estimate says what we'd fix first, what comes after and why, with your price written out before any work starts. We go over your questions until the plan makes sense to you, as many times as that takes.
We do the work in order
Our installers protect your home and do the work in the order the estimate lays out, and I'm usually right there with them. Before we leave, we walk you through the finished attic.
What people ask about blown-in insulation
How much does attic insulation cost around Charleston?
Attic insulation in the Charleston area usually costs about $1,400 to $4,500 per job, and that's the going rate around here, not a quote from us. Where yours lands depends on the attic's size, how much is already up there, cellulose or fiberglass, and any sealing or cleanup that has to happen first. Your written estimate gives you your own figure.
How do I get the Dominion Energy insulation rebate in Hanahan?
Start by checking which company sends your electric bill, because the offer is open to Dominion Energy customers who qualify. Under Dominion's Home Energy Check-up Plus offer, eligible participants may get most of the cost of qualifying attic insulation, air sealing and duct sealing covered, up to $2,880. We do this work in Hanahan and across the cities around it, including North Charleston, Goose Creek and Summerville.
Is cellulose or fiberglass better for my attic?
Cellulose costs less and slows air better, but it breaks down if it gets soaked, while fiberglass is lighter and isn't permanently damaged by water. So the choice comes down to the upfront price against how much a future leak worries you. Cellulose is also heavy enough that it isn't recommended for mobile home ceilings, where fiberglass is the lighter option.
How much does blown-in insulation settle over time?
Loose cellulose settles about 10 to 20 percent over time, and loose fiberglass about 2 to 4 percent. That's why it's worth asking everyone who quotes you how settling affects the depth they blow in. Ask us the same thing when I'm out there.
What is the best way to prepare an attic for blown-in insulation?
Check the attic for problems first, then air seal every opening in the attic floor, because that's the first step in an existing vented attic and adding insulation is the time to do it. The check looks for live knob-and-tube wiring and for vermiculite, a pebbly gray-brown fill that may contain asbestos and changes the plan before any insulation goes in. Sealing means solid blocking over big holes and open soffits, metal collars around hot flues and covers over some can lights, and if you know of a bath fan venting into the attic or a roof leak, tell us when you book.
Who registers insulation installers in South Carolina?
The state does, through its residential specialty contractor registration, which has a classification for insulation installers. It covers contractors doing specialty trade work like this for a property owner when the job is over $500. We're fully licensed and insured. Satisfaction guaranteed.
Get a written plan for your attic insulation
We reply within one business day to set up a free estimate at your home, with no obligation. I come out, look at the attic with you and give you a written estimate that says what we'd fix first, what comes after and why.
Explore our services and areas
Services
- Spray foam insulation
- Attic insulation
- Home insulation
- Insulation removal
- Crawl space insulation
- Wall insulation
- Air sealing services
- Basement insulation
- Closed-cell foam insulation
- Open-cell foam insulation
- Commercial insulation
- Crawl space vapor barrier
- Vapor barrier installation
- Attic air sealing
- Retrofit insulation
Find out what's really in your attic
Call (843) 278-0353 or use the form, and have your home type, where the attic hatch is and your electric company handy so the first visit goes straight to answers.