Author: Kevin

Inspection: Critical Part of Any Escrow Process

Written by Kevin on December 2, 2019. Posted in Uncategorized. No Comments on Inspection: Critical Part of Any Escrow Process

Whether you are buying or selling a home, you’ll have to navigate the escrow process. Escrow is a process that many people go through, but don’t fully understand. Yet, it also occurs during the single largest transaction that most people ever make. Because of this, it is often viewed as a process that is stressful, lengthy, and demands attention.

To get through the escrow process to closing, you’ll want to create an escrow checklist. Escrow has requirements for both buyers and sellers. One of the most important of these requirements is the home inspection. Most escrows in California have an inspection contingency that requires an inspection be done, and gives the buyer the ability to walk away from the escrow process. Whether you need to fix your exterior, reach out to insulation companies, or do a proper attic cleaning, it’s critical and helpful to gain a better understanding of the inspection process for both buyers and sellers in a real estate transaction.

What is Escrow?

At its heart, escrow is a process where documents, funds, or other things of value in a real estate transaction transfer between a buyer and seller through a third party. The third-party holds the items of the transaction in trust until any required elements of the transaction take place. Once those conditions have been met, the funds or documents are released which is known as escrow closing.

There are many pitfalls associated with the escrow process, so it is important to go into it with a fairly good understanding of what the process entails and prevent additional money spent. Both buyers and sellers will have requirements that must be met for escrow to close. It may also be helpful to speak with an escrow agent during the process regarding the escrow services.

Buyers will typically be responsible for producing the funds or securing the loan necessary to fund the transaction, as well as making a good faith deposit upfront. Sellers will be required to provide disclosures for certain information during the escrow period, such as who the lender on the current mortgage is, information on property taxes, the homeowner’s associated, and homeowner’s insurance.

The Inspection Contingency

The inspection contingency is an important aspect of nearly any real estate transaction. Except in cases where a property is bank-owned and sold as-is, most real estate transactions will involve an inspection that takes place during the escrow process. Most often, the escrow process will contain an inspection contingency, which allows the buyer to back out of the escrow process if they discover something during the inspection that they don’t like. Put another way, if you are creating an escrow checklist california, a home inspection will almost certainly be on it.

Some homeowners will have a preliminary inspection done before listing their home. This helps them avoid any unpleasant surprises during the escrow process, and can allow them to make any necessary repairs before they enter escrow or prevent escrow holdback.

Just as the escrow process is used to minimize risk in a real estate transaction for both the buyer and seller, the inspection contingency is used to minimize risk to the buyer. It allows them to have a firm understanding of the health of the property, including any structural or mechanical problems that may require future repairs, before the closing of escrow.

There is no strict requirement for who pays for the inspection itself and an escrow inspection california may be paid by either the buyer or seller. Typically the party responsible for arranging the inspection is outlined in escrow instructions given to the third-party in the escrow transaction. However, given the fact that the sale of the home is contingent on both the buyer and seller accepting the final outcome of the inspection, what is found during the process can make or break a real estate deal.

The Inspection Period Broken Down

Here’s how the inspection period usually goes during escrow San Diego, and how you can prepare for it as the buyer or seller.

In California, there are 17 days to complete any required inspections. The buyer or seller will contract with a professional home inspector, who will go to the property and perform an inspection.

The inspection itself usually takes between 2-4 hours, and the costs for the inspection will vary. Once the inspection is complete, the inspector will produce a report with their findings.

Both the buyer and seller should be aware from the outset that the inspection will almost certainly find things that need to be repaired. Whether or not those repairs are made, and who pays for the repairs, comes down to negotiations between the buyer and seller.

Once a problem is found during the inspection period, one of three general outcomes will occur:

The buyer asks the seller to lower the purchase cost of the home to reflect the cost of the required repairs.
The seller can pay for the repairs themselves.
The buyer and seller can negotiate a cash credit at the end of the transaction that allows the buyer to make the necessary repairs.

If one of these three outcomes doesn’t occur then the buyer can nullify the escrow process and walk away from the deal. There is a strong incentive for both the buyer and seller to find agreement about an escrow repair that may be found during the inspection. In most cases, navigating the results of the inspection process to the satisfaction of all parties requires negotiation and compromise.

What do Inspectors Look At?

If you’re selling your home, you’ll probably be wondering exactly what an inspector is going to be looking at. At a broad level, the home inspector will be assessing the core health of the home. This includes looking at the structural integrity of the home, as well as it’s heating, cooling, electrical and plumbing systems. Additionally, inspectors will look at the attic, basement, and foundation, along with the windows, doors, and floors.

The list of things that home inspectors check is fairly long, but it isn’t exhaustive. Home inspectors are looking for big problems with the home. But with that being said, sellers should consider completing easy-to-do repairs that reduce the list of problems on the final inspection that occurs during escrow.

Common Inspection Pitfalls

If you’re a homeowner, you’ll also want to be aware of some of the most common problem areas that can affect a real estate transaction.

Damage to the Exterior – You might have dealt with any cracks in your fence or drywall before putting your house up for sale, but if you haven’t they’ll come up during the inspection.

Damaged or Insufficient Insulation – The insulation in your attic can be damaged for any number of reasons, such as a leaky roof or a rodent infestation. You may also have had an insufficient amount of insulation installed. In either case, you’ll want to have this addressed before the escrow process to avoid any hiccups. At Attic Construction, our helpful professionals can assess the health of your current insulation and let you know what it will take to smoothly navigate the inspection process.

Messy Attic and Basement – Over time, the unfinished spaces in your home like your attic and basement accumulate debris and junk. Most often, this junk is accompanied by rodents that make these unfinished spaces their home. Before getting your home inspection done, take the time to clean your attic and basement. Better yet, consider having it professionally cleaned by experts like ours at Attic Construction. Our attic cleaning service can breathe new life into your attic, clean up any potential problems before the close of escrow.
Damaged HVAC System and Ductwork – One of the key areas that your home inspector will be examining is the health of your HVAC system. You’ll want to ensure your system is functioning and doesn’t have any obvious problems. You’ll also want to verify that your air ducts are clean and in good repair. If any problems with your ducting are found you’ll want to repair them before the inspection.

Final Thoughts

While the escrow process can be intimidating, preparing ahead of time can make the process less stressful. There are a lot of emotions tied up to the process, as real-estate transactions tend to be the largest transaction that most people make. While the escrow process is tedious, the structure of the escrow process was created to help reduce the risk of both the buyer and seller involved in a real estate transaction.

One of the most important components of the escrow process is the inspection contingency. In California, the successful completion of an inspection is a critical threshold for the transaction. Both the buyer and seller must be satisfied with the results of the inspection, otherwise, the deal can be nullified and the buyer can walk away.

Nearly every home inspection finds things that require repair. It is highly recommended that sellers do a preliminary inspection before selling their home so that they can preemptively address any potential issues. Addressing common issues like cleaning out your attic and basement, removing old insulation and installing new insulation, or cleaning and repairing your air ducting, before the final inspection can ensure that your escrow process progresses smoothly and you receive your needed closing documents.

Our professional staff at Attic Construction can help you address any significant issues with your insulation, ducting, or attic before your final inspection. To learn more about our attic services, please contact Attic Construction today.

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Do You Need Attic Rodent Clean Up?

Written by Kevin on November 6, 2019. Posted in Rodent Cleanup. No Comments on Do You Need Attic Rodent Clean Up?

Before doing any work on your attic, you will need to determine whether any common pests have already called the space ‘home’. Rodents are a common culprit in attics, but knowing whether you need rodent removal and decontamination services is not always straightforward While a professional inspection is certainly a helpful tool, there are also common signs you can look for to determine whether you need attic rodent proofing and clean up.

Why Is Rodent Clean-Up Necessary?

Even if you already know you have a rodent problem in your attic, you may be curious why clean up and restoration services are necessary. After all, there’s nothing up there besides dust and insulation – so why is it important to invest in rodent clean up?

Rodents pose serious health risks to people and animals. They can carry several diseases and parasites which can spread not only through direct contact, but also through their droppings and urine. Furthermore, if there is currently a rodent infestation in your attic or have a rodent proof attic, it’s important to remember that the pests could easily continue spreading to other areas of your home by using the vents as a crawl space. Extermination and clean up will be much more difficult and expensive if you choose to wait until the problem spreads, resulting in more damage. Moreover, without a crawl space cleaning service, you may not even know the extent of the infestation’s damage.

Looking for Signs of Rodents

If you are going to look for rodents in your attic, it is important to prepare accordingly. Wear full-body protection including eye, nose, and mouth protection. Use a good flashlight when looking for signs of these critters in your attic. Don’t just look on the floor – check walls, rafters, insulation, ducts, and ceilings for signs of rodent activity.

A good inspection can determine whether rodents are present, the type of rodent, how severe the rodent problem is, how these animals are getting in, and why they are choosing to live in the attic. Though the process of clearing rodents from an attic space is very comprehensive and comes with a price, the benefits of rodent-proofing your attic will be well worth it.

What to Look For

The following signs are what you will be looking for when you conduct an inspection of your attic for rodents. Remember, when it comes to restoration services, attic spaces are one of the most common areas to need attention. If you have an infestation, this is fairly common and can be addressed. Look for the following signs of rodent activity in your attic:

Droppings

Rodent droppings are one of the most common and easily identifiable indicators that rodents are present in your attic. If you know how to inspect droppings, you can tell what type of rodent left them, how bad the infestation is, and wherein the attic they are the most active.

Mice and rats, two of the most commonly found rodents in attics, leave very different droppings. Mouse feces are very small – usually less than one-quarter of an inch – and pointed on the ends. Rat feces are generally half of an inch or longer. Different species of rats leave differently shaped droppings – Norway Rats leave feces that are rounded at the ends, while Roof Rats’ droppings are pointed.

Fresh rodent droppings have a shine to them and are soft and similar to putty, texturally. Old droppings are hard, dry, and crumbly. Finding feces from the same species in various sizes is an indicator that both adults and young are present. Rodent feces clean up is a very important part of attic rodent clean up. If you find a lot of droppings, it’s time to call a professional and decontaminate the space.

Urine

Urine from rodents has a very strong smell and in larger infestations, it can be smelled easily. In rare cases, you may be able to spot fresh urine stains on wood and other surfaces.

Chewed Holes

Rodents commonly chew holes in the spaces they inhabit. Your electrical wires can be used as an indicator. Mouse holes tend to be about the size of a dime with clean edges, while rat holes are closer to a quarter, and rough around the edges.

Nests

Rodent nests are one of the largest and easily seen signs of an infestation. Mice commonly rip up paper, even rodent-resistant insulation and other materials to create nests. Rats may behave similarly, and also commonly burrow in the ground or nest elsewhere in the attic.

Noise

You may know you have a rodent infestation in your attic because you can hear it. Rats and mice in the attic can often be audibly noticed scurrying around above you. Furthermore, you may hear rodents scurry away when you enter your attic to look for them.

Dog and Cat Behavior

Your furry friends might be the first to notice that you have a rodent infestation in your attic. Barking and pawing at areas where rodents are present are common behaviors. Depending on where the infestation is, your cat may even successfully catch rodents in the house.

If you notice any of the common signs of rodent activity in your attic listed above, contact one of our attic professionals at Attic Construction, today!

Sources:

https://www.cdc.gov/rodents/cleaning/index.html

https://www.tomcatbrand.com/en-us/library/identifying-mice-rats/identifying-mouse-or-rat-problem-your-house

https://www.terminix.com/pest-control/mice/removal/mice-in-attic/

How to Rodent-Proof Your Attic

Written by Kevin on November 6, 2019. Posted in Rat Proofing. No Comments on How to Rodent-Proof Your Attic

The attic is an area of the home that often gets overlooked by homeowners. The ‘out of sight, out of mind’ mentality might work for some aspects of homeownership – but when it comes to the attic, this mindset can quickly lead to big (and expensive) problems.

Whether your home features a finished attic space or simply hosts a whole lot of insulation and storage boxes, tending to this area of the home is important and can save you major headaches down the line. In particular, the attic is a common place for pests and critters, namely rodents to enter your home by way of vents and infest throughout different areas of the house.

An attic rid of mice is a critical part of protecting your property from damage and keeping you and your family healthy and comfortable. In this article, we will go over why having a rodent proof attic is important, tell you how to rodent-proof your attic, and discuss whether attic rodent-proofing is a project that should be taken on with or without professional help.

Why Should You Rodent-Proof Your Attic?

Before we discuss how attic rodent control works, you may be curious about why this is an important project to take on in the first place. Rodents such as rats and mice can cause extensive damage and pose a serious threat to human health. Infestations often spread quickly and can turn from bad to worse in weeks or months. Generally, rodent infestations are worse in the colder months, as the animals seek refuge from the frigid temperatures. A rodent infestation poses these major threats to homeowners:

Damage: Rodents can wreak havoc on your property in a very short amount of time. Their feces, urine, and decaying bodies leave a nasty mess that stains and soils elements of your attic and home such as insulation, baseboards, and framing. Furthermore, rodents are notorious for their constant gnawing – which can leave holes and gouges in nearly any material. In particular, rats and mice tend to destroy existing insulation because it is an ideal material for them to build nests out of, or to nest in directly. Some products advertise themselves as being rodent-proof attic insulation, but the truth is that rodent proof insulation does not exist.
Fire: As if the damage from rodent waste and activity wasn’t enough, these animals pose an immediate and critical fire danger to your home. It has been estimated that somewhere around 20% of all house fires in the U.S. are started via rodent activity. Rodents are notorious for chewing through electrical wires. This can cause shorts in the circuit and, in some cases, electrical fires. Even if rodents chew your wires and do not cause a fire, tracking down the location of the broken circuit and repairing it can be very costly and time-consuming. Plus, if you still have a rodent infestation, your wires might be chewed again shortly after repairing them.
Disease: As if the extensive damage to your home and fire danger weren’t enough already, rodents also bring with them many hazards to human health. Rodents are carriers of many diseases that can be transmitted to humans. Some of them can be fatal. Diseases that rodents may carry include hantavirus, leptospirosis, plague, and salmonella – just to name a few. These diseases are not always transmitted through direct contact with rodents – they can also be transmitted through their urine and feces, or through indirect contact with food sources, such as an item in your pantry that has been contaminated.
Allergies: Rodent activity in the home has been linked to higher rates of allergy in humans. Not only are some people allergic to rodents and their waste, but rodent activity can kick up other allergens in the home such as those from dust or destroyed insulation. Allergies can sometimes be an indicator for homeowners that they have rodents in the attic or around the home.

How Can You Tell if You Have Rodents in Your Attic?

Before you start rodent proofing your home and attic, you will need a good attic cleaning. Rodent droppings, urine stains, and other waste threaten your family’s health and safety.

When you hire a professional team for rodent removal purposes, the first thing they will do is assess your home. An important part of this process is identifying whether you have a current rodent problem. If you do, you will not only need rodent proofing services, but you will also need a rodent removal and rodent clean-up service. Look for the following signs in your attic to determine whether rodents are present:

Waste: One of the tell-tale signs of critter activity in the attic is the presence of rodent droppings and urine stains. Mice droppings tend to be very small and pointy on the ends, while rat droppings are usually slightly larger with rounded ends. That said, some species vary from this norm. For example, roof rats have pointed droppings. Old droppings are dry and crumbly, while fresh ones are shiny and paste-like in texture. Rodent urine sometimes leaves stains and in the case of a larger infestation, can be smelled quite easily.

Damage: Rodents chew almost constantly. If you have chewed holes in your attic, rodents are a likely culprit. Additionally, the pests commonly chew up and destroy existing insulation. They do so for the purpose of making nests, so if you find nests made of insulation or other materials from your home, you have a rodent infestation.
Noise: Sometimes, knowing whether you have rodents in your attic is as simple as being able to hear or even see them. Rodents’ claws make scurrying noises, and their gnawing activity is often audibly heard in areas of the home as well. Even if you can’t hear or see rodents yourself, other members of your home (fur-covered ones, to be precise) might still be able to detect them. If your pets are scratching at the walls or floorboards or acting abnormally, they might be onto something.

How to Keep Rodents Out of Your Attic

The only way to truly eradicate rodents from your home is to keep them out of it altogether. Temporary fixes such as poison and mouse snap traps can be useful in killing rodents that are already in your home, but they will do little to prevent future infestation. Plus, pest control poisons can be extremely dangerous to pets and children, and for this reason, are not recommended for household use.

Professional rodent proofing teams begin by assessing your home to determine whether you have a current infestation. Next, they inspect every inch of your building’s exterior and make note of any gap, hole, crawl space, air duct, or crevice through which rodents may be able to enter. Mice need just 1/4 of an inch of space to gain entry into your home, while rats only need 1/2 of an inch!

Once your home has been assessed, the team will get to work sealing off any potential rodent entry points. The most common sealing tools used are rat proof wire mesh and professional sealant. Sometimes, gaps in doors and windows are large enough that weather stripping or the door itself needs to be replaced.

Common areas of entry are through pipes, cracks in the foundation, chimneys, and gaps between roof awnings and siding. Rodent proofing professionals know how to find the vulnerable areas of your home efficiently and seal them effectively.

Should You Rodent-Proof Your Attic?

These days, homeowners are taking on all sorts of attic projects that used to be considered too difficult or dangerous for ‘DIY’ers’. When it comes to rodent-proofing your attic, it is not a good idea to try and tackle the project on your own. You’ll need the help of an attic cleanup and attic insulation removal service to remove any damaged insulation caused by rodents. Although the benefits of rodent proofing your attic are vast, it is important that this project is undertaken in the most effective manner.

To safely access every possible entry point, you need a lot of tools and equipment. It may seem like a manageable project at first, but once you begin to realize how many 1/4 inch gaps there are in hard-to-reach areas of your home’s exterior, you will begin to regret trying to do this yourself.

In addition to the obvious safety concerns, homeowners are rarely successful in completely sealing off their home from rodents. Not only is it difficult to find rodent entry points, but creating an effective, lasting seal in these areas takes expertise and experience. What’s the point of committing the time, effort, and money to take this project on yourself if you simply find yourself with a new rodent problem a short time later?

What You Can Do to Help Rodent-Proof Your Home

Although it is not advisable to take the entire project on yourself, there are things that homeowners can do to mitigate the chances of rodent infestation and help with pest control in the future like keeping your attic clean. Once a professional team has sealed off your home, they will advise you as to how you can make your home less attractive to rodents.

Some best practices to keep in mind are storing all food and pet food in air-tight containers, upgrading to heavy-duty storage from cardboard boxes, and trimming trees and shrubs that are close to the perimeter of your house.

In these ways, you can bolster the hard work that the professional rodent-proofing team has done and ensure that your home remains pest-free for years to come. For more information on our San Diego and Orange County rodent proofing services, contact our team of professionals at Attic Construction for all your insulation service and rodent proofing needs today!

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Does Rodent Resistant Insulation Exist?

Written by Kevin on November 6, 2019. Posted in Attic Insulation. No Comments on Does Rodent Resistant Insulation Exist?

If you have ever dealt with a rodent infestation in your home, you know that these pests can cause extensive damage in a short period of time. Rodents pose a number of risks to your health and safety as well as to your property’s integrity and value. From disease and allergies to ruined thermal insulation and electrical fires, these seemingly harmless critters can quickly wreak havoc on your home.

The attic is one of the most common areas for rodent infestations. This is because there tend to be many small entry points and ample crawl space for rodents. These animals can live in this area of the home relatively unnoticed, and the environment often suits them well. One of the biggest reasons that rodents like the attic is because the surface area is often filled with insulation. Rodents like a warm, soft environment for nesting – so you can see why thermal insulation suits them.

Does Rodent Resistant Insulation Exist?

Rodents and insulation do not have a good history. For as long as people have been insulating their homes, rodents have been infiltrating the same spaces and using the insulation as a place to live. Because of this, many companies have attempted to capitalize on the issue by marketing insulation products as ‘rodent proof’ or ‘rodent resistant’. Some of these attic rodent proofing methods have included utilizing “rodent resistant” foam insulation and polyester insulation.

But the fact is, no such insulation exists to successfully gauge rodent control. If these animals have access to insulation and want to destroy it, they are going to do just that, even if it’s made of foam. Many of the products that are advertised as ‘rodent resistant’ do not actually cover rodent damage under warranty, and some even have disclaimers about rodent damage on their websites or on the product label.

One specific type of cellulose insulation that was marketed as “rodent-proof” was Tap Insulation which contains trace amounts of boric acid. However, the fact of the matter is that there is not enough of the acid to have any effect on a rodent issue and even if there was a substantial amount within the insulation, the rodent would have to ingest it.

So, if you are insulating your attic for the first time, replacing old or damaged insulation, or you have a new rodent problem in your attic that you want to get under control, how can you achieve that without access to rodent proof insulation? The answer is simple: If you want to be sure that rodents cannot damage your attic insulation, you have to keep them out of it in the first place. There are several best practices that professionals in the attic insulation industry use to ensure your insulation lives a long and rodent-free life.

Why is Attic Insulation so Prone to Rodent Damage?

Why is there all this fuss about rodents and attic insulation in the first place? Surely, rats and mice have better things to do besides shredding up your home’s insulation. While it may seem like an unnecessary form of destruction, rodents have their reasons for damaging your home’s insulation – and they are not likely to simply stop doing it on their own accord.

Rodent Habitat

Rats and mice that live in the wild make nests out of anything soft and fluffy that they can find. Non-rigid materials like leaves, tree bark, and grasses are all common items that these rodents use to build nests for themselves and their young. The nests help the rodents stay out-of-sight of predators, and they provide the rodents with heat insulation from cold temperatures.

When rodents infest your attic, they have already ‘hit the jackpot’, so to speak. Presumably, your attic is dry and relatively protected from the elements that would otherwise bring in moisture. Still, the rodents will be looking to nest for extra protection and warmth. This is where your precious attic insulation comes in.

Rodents damage insulation in two main ways: They either rip it up into tiny shreds and carry it away to build nests, or they nest directly in the insulation. Both scenarios produce similar results: insulation that is torn and damaged, with an R-value that has been compromised.

If you have such undesired pests using your attic as habitat, the damage to your insulation will only be part of your worries – rodents can cause house fires, induce allergic reactions, and carry deadly diseases. Keeping them out of your attic altogether is the best way to protect yourself and your home’s insulation.

How Can You Protect Your Attic Insulation from Rodents?

If you want to protect your attic insulation from rodents, you will have to keep them out of your home altogether. Doing so requires a combination of making your home a less appealing environment for the pests, and sealing every possible entry point. Here are some ways you can protect your existing insulation from rodents and pests.

Locate All Possible Access Points And Seal Off Small Holes

Sealing off every possible rodent entry point may sound simple, but rodents can enter your home through a hole or gap that is 1/4 of an inch in diameter. Search for cracks and holes between the roof and eaves of your home, parts where utility wires and piping enter the home and in the siding. You can use wire mesh to seal cracks and openings around drain pipes or wall cracks. Place wire mesh over the opening or cracks and apply fast-drying concrete to hold it in place. Make sure the mesh openings are smaller than 1/4 inches. Now that you have this information, how confident are you that your home is rodent proof or that you won’t experience a rat problem in the future?

Make Your Home an Ideal Habitat for Humans, Not Rodents

While the true ‘rodent-proofing’ of your home happens when you seal all gaps and cracks through which the pests can enter, it is still a best practice to make your home a less appealing environment for rats and mice to inhabit in the first place.

Make Food Inaccessible

If you have rodents in the attic, one of the ways to stop them is to remove their food sources. Rodents are attracted to places where they have access to food and a surface to nest. To make your home less attractive to rodents, make sure that all garbage cans are covered, all pet food containers are sealed, and all food is inaccessible to rodents.

Secure and Seal Possible Nesting Materials

Additionally, try to avoid keeping items like newspapers or clothes in areas such as the attic – where rodents would be encouraged to use them to make nests. If you must store such items in rodent-prone areas of the home, at least put them in sealed containers made of thick plastic.

Set Up Rodent Baiting Stations

In addition, setting up snap traps, glue boards, and bait stations for better rat control. Check on the traps frequently to remove any trapped rodents. Never use rat poison in your attic. The rodents can die inside your walls and home insulation. They can decay and leave a strong odor that’s very hard to remove. You will need insulation removal services as dead mice can become a health hazard. Dead rats often leave live ticks that can cause diseases like Lyme disease.

Rodent-Proof Your Home

Making your home a less hospitable environment for rodents is a good start, but to truly keep rodents out of your attic insulation and other areas, it is imperative to hire a professional company for the job. Attic insulation alone can cost tens of thousands of dollars depending on the size of your space and what kind of insulation is used, so protecting this investment is important and well worth the cost.

When you hire a team of professionals to protect your home from rats and mice, they will first perform a thorough inspection to determine exactly where the pests are gaining access to your house. Once they have assessed your home and determined possible points of entry, they will help you come up with a plan for future rat control. The cost of rodent-proofing your home depends on how many breaches there are in your home’s exterior, how large they are, and how easy they are to access. Additionally, the overall size of your space may factor into the cost.

The best rodent control specialists use a combination of wire mesh and construction-grade sealant to keep the unwarranted pets out. Some DIY’ers and companies looking to cut costs might use what they think is rodent resistant spray foam insulation to fill gaps and cracks. While spray foam insulation is great for sealing off these areas and may be a temporary solution for keeping rats and mice out of residential buildings, the material is not rodent-proof.

Professionals such as the rodent proofing team from Attic Construction will use only high-grade materials to keep the pests out. This initial investment can save you thousands of dollars down the line in rodent cleanup and mechanical repair costs. As is the case with most areas of home construction and improvement, it is certainly best to invest slightly more in high-quality materials and craftsmanship when it comes to rodent prevention than it is to skimp on the job and pay the price later.

A Note About New Attic Insulation

You might be reading this article because you are considering replacing your attic insulation or you are adding insulation to a newly constructed attic. If this is the case, you need to consider rodent activity as a potential major threat to your new insulation. Unfortunately, no insulation exists that is truly rodent resistant, even in the form of cellulose.

The good news is that many companies, such as Attic Construction, specialize not only in attic insulation installation but also offer rodent proofing services. but also offer rodent proofing services. If you are adding new attic insulation to your home, you must first make sure that no rodents are present, and then entirely rodent-proof the space before putting the insulation in. Though it is a large investment, the benefits of rodent proofing your attic are vast and very worth the cost.

If you skip this crucial step, you are doing the equivalent of laying down thousands of dollars of unprotected cash in a space that is prone to rodent activity. Like insulation, cash bills are prime material for rat and mice nests – and nothing is going to stop these rodents from destroying your investment once they have access to it.

If you want rodent resistant insulation, you need a rodent resistant home. Contact Attic Construction today to find out how we can help you get the rodents out and keep them out!

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Benefits of Rodent Proofing Your Attic

Written by Kevin on November 6, 2019. Posted in Rat Proofing. No Comments on Benefits of Rodent Proofing Your Attic

Your home should be a sanctuary free of critters, rats, and mice for you and your family – a place to relax, recharge, and feel safe. Any threats to your home’s safety and comfort should be addressed immediately and thoroughly.

Rodents are an example of common household pests that can pose a serious threat to your home’s safety and comfort. The attic is a very common area for rodents to enter through and inhabit, so attic rodent-proofing is critical to keeping these nuisance animals out. The benefits of rodent-proofing your attic far exceed the cost of having the job done right by professional pest inspectors. These benefits can be put into two main categories for homeowners: avoiding health hazards and avoiding damage to your home.

Avoid Health Hazards

One of the primary benefits of rodent-proofing your attic is that you will not be exposed to the many health threats posed by such nuisance animals. Health hazards caused by lack of rodent control include:

Disease

The single biggest threat that rodents pose to human health is the diseases they carry and spread. The spread of infectious diseases from rodents to humans does not just happen via direct contact with the animals; it can also happen through contact with droppings and urine. Rodents have a tendency of getting into household food items, thus disease can often be spread in areas, such as the kitchen or pantry.

Rodents can host a large number of diseases, some of which are deadly to humans. Examples of diseases spread by rodents are leptospirosis, salmonella, hantavirus, and even the plague. Keeping rodents from crawling through the vents, or cracks and crevices of your home is the only effective way to ensure that you will not be exposed to these dangerous diseases while inside your house.

Allergies

Disease is not the only threat to human health that is posed by rodents in the home. Many people experience allergic reactions when their homes are infested by rodents and control services have not yet been contacted for pest removal purposes. Rodents can make symptoms flare up in those with asthma, and they may cause allergic reactions in people who do not have asthma, either.

Hair, urine, and feces from rodents can trigger allergic reactions. Imagine walking into your own home after a long day of work, only to have to deal with an intense allergic reaction because you have a rodent infestation in your attic. Rodent-proof benefits include avoiding this hazardous situation altogether.

Avoid Damage to Your Home

Most of us already know that rats and mice like to chew holes in just about anything they can find – but do you know why? These critters don’t just chew to access food or make new passageways; they actually have to chew for their survival.

Rats and mice have teeth that continue to grow for their entire life. To shave them down to a size that is manageable and useful to them, they must chew almost constantly. When rodents live in your attic, this means that your home and anything inside of it becomes fair game for their chewing. Additionally, mice like to chew up materials in your attic such as insulation and cardboard to make shelter nests for themselves. A thorough inspection is the first step in rodent control and removal. There are so many methods to prevent further damage, such as installing rodent resistant insulation.

Damage to your home caused by rodents can also result from the mess they leave behind. Urine, feces, and decaying bodies of rodents can leave nasty stains and odors that require professional attic cleaning to remedy and eliminate the aftermath. A great benefit of rodent-proofing your attic is avoiding the various types of damage caused by rodents altogether.

Prevent Fire

If you are not already convinced that rodent-proofing your attic is a beneficial practice, consider this: rodents can cause house fires. Gnawed wood, insulation, and personal items are damaging to your home, but it is nothing in comparison to what can happen when a rodent chews through an electrical wire.

When rodents chew through wires in your attic or elsewhere in your home, they can cause circuit shorts which result in sparks or electrical fires. When the conditions are right, these small fires can quickly turn into full-blown house fires, completely destroying your home and potentially injuring or killing any people or pets inside of it.

It has been estimated that around 1 out of every 5 house fires can be attributed to rodents, specifically rat and mice activity. The only way to ensure that your house does not go up in flames as a result of rodent chewing is to keep the animal out altogether. Attics tend to be one of the most vulnerable areas of the home for rodent entry points and infestation, so sealing this area off is a must for proactive homeowners.

Wrapping Up

If you have any more questions about rodent-proofing your attic, contact one of our attic professionals at Attic Construction today! Our Phoenix, San Diego and Orange County rodent proofing technicians are always ready to help!

Sources:

https://greenratcontrol.com/the-shocking-dangers-of-rats-and-mice-in-your-home/

https://www.catseyepest.com/blog/benefits-of-exclusion

https://www.bredapest.com/news/the-dangers-of-rodents-in-the-attic-this2

How Much Will Rodent Infestation Cleanup Cost?

Written by Kevin on October 23, 2019. Posted in Attic Rats, Insulation, Roof Rats. No Comments on How Much Will Rodent Infestation Cleanup Cost?

How Much Will Rodent Infestation Cleanup Cost?

You’ve heard squeaking and scratching sounds coming from your attic, and now you’ve even seen a live rodent scurrying around your house. You called a rodent control company and they’ve confirmed your worst fears – you have a rodent infestation. So how much will the rodent removal and rodent infestation cleanup cost? And, is it really worth the investment to have the job handled by professionals?

Nowadays we can buy traps and rat poison online, so you might think that investing money in a professional rodent control and cleanup company is a waste of money. However, you can’t put a price on your family’s health, and if your cleanup and rodent control efforts aren’t done correctly you can put your family’s health and safety at risk.

So how much is a rodent control and clean up going to cost you on your bottom line? Well, it’s complicated, but it mostly depends on:

the size of your attic
the extent of the damage done.

However, these costs are absolutely necessary and there are ways to justify these rodent infestation cleaning costs.

Damages Determine Cost

Rodents can cause serious damage to a home. Rodents tend to destroy the area they build their nests in. Additionally, all rodents need to gnaw on things to wear down their teeth. In a home, this means that everything from wooden doorframes to attic insulation to electrical wiring could be damaged during a rodent infestation.

The damage done to your home during a rodent infestation, as well as the size of the active rodent infestation in your home, will determine your rodent infestation cleanup cost.

Frayed electrical wiring can put your home at risk of catching fire. Depending on the extent of the damages, you may need to hire a professional to patch or replace damaged wiring in your home. The same goes for your attic insulation. Rodents like to build their nests in attic insulation, which can completely destroy the insulation in your home. If your attic insulation is damaged or contaminated, your insulation will need to be cleaned and decontaminated or, in some cases, removed and completely replaced.

Rodent Infestation Requires More Than Normal Cleaning

Rat problems are much more than a nuisance – rodents carry a wide variety of dangerous, highly contagious diseases including hantavirus, hemorrhagic fever, salmonella, rat bite fever and typhus. In addition to this, rodent droppings, dead rodents, and urine are a breeding ground for germs and bacteria. All of this means that regular attic cleaning will not be enough to restore your home to a safe, healthy environment. Hiring a professional cleaning and decontamination team with specialized equipment and successful track record of handling rodent infestation cleanup is the best way to ensure that your come is completely decontaminated.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image="5018" img_size="600×250" alignment="center" onclick="custom_link" link="https://atticconstruction.com/contact-us/" css=".vc_custom_1556746674406{margin-top: 50px !important;margin-bottom: 50px !important;}"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

SAN DIEGO RESIDENT DISCOUNTS – 858-609-8118

If you are dealing with a rodent infestation, contact the rodent proofing specialists at Attic Construction today. Our technicians are happy to answer your questions about what our attic cleaning costs, and will provide you with FREE initial home inspection and estimate!

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Fiberglass Insulation vs. Foam

Written by Kevin on October 3, 2019. Posted in Attic Insulation, Insulation. No Comments on Fiberglass Insulation vs. Foam

One of the most hotly contested debates in the world of attic insulation is the question “fiberglass or spray foam?” Whereas fiberglass has been a classic go-to staple insulated in American homes for several decades now, spray foam is the en vogue new kid in the neighborhood generating all the latest buzz.

But does spray foam truly have what it takes to dethrone fiberglass as the top choice for attic insulation installation among homeowners?

Answering this question requires a closer look at both fiberglass insulation vs foam. What exactly are they? How are they different from one another? And most importantly, which one best suits both your budget and specific needs for your unique attic? Read on for a tale of the tape.

What is Fiberglass Insulation?

First up in the fiberglass insulation vs foam debate is fiberglass. Fiberglass is a series of extremely delicate fibers comprised of various recycled materials, primarily-you guessed it!-melted down glass. These glass fibers are frequently held together by adhesive backing that serves as a vapor barrier such as reflective aluminum foil or paper.

Cheap but undeniably effective as an insulator, fiberglass is used by roughly 85% of American homeowners today.

How is Fiberglass Packaged?

Fiberglass is available for purchase in the following two forms: wildly popular batts (i.e. the large blankets that bear a striking resemblance to cotton candy) and less common blown-in loose-fill.

Here’s a closer look at both:

Batts – Fiberglass Batts has become a favorite with homeowners due to the fact that they’re simultaneously large and light. They’re very easy to pick up at the store and carry upstairs, and once they’re unrolled, they’re able to cover a ton of space. And as an added perk, they’re often designed to be the exact same size as the standard spacing between studs on attic walls.

The only problem with fiberglass batt is that, in attics that have either cumbersome obstructions on the ground and walls or feature awkward spacing, it must be cut precisely to size. Cutting them too short will leave major gaps in coverage for air to flow through while leaving them too long results in irregular compression. And both are bad news for your monthly heating and cooling costs.

Unfortunately, because fiberglass is so light in nature, customizing batts can be not only a total pain but also a costly misstep when done incorrectly. Thus, even if you’re a DIY type of person, you should still call on a professional installer to set up your batts and avoid the unnecessary high fiberglass insulation cost in the long run. This is especially true if your attic is marked by obstacles and irregular space between joists.

Loose-Fill – Fiberglass is also available for purchase in bags as loose-fill material, which comes in large chunks. Installing this loose-fill fiberglass in your attic entails a professional installer using a large blowing machine (or you renting the machine if you’re feeling particularly ambitious) to spread the fiberglass wherever necessary.

Blowing in loose-fill fiberglass is a great choice for homeowners who live in older buildings with prior insulation in place and multiple obstructions in the way, as it’s perfect for filling in the tight voids around pipes and wiring that batts struggle to cover.

And since the blowing machine eliminates the need for maneuvering around the room during installation, loose-fill insulation is also a prime choice for any attic with a tight space and low ceiling.

What is Spray Foam Insulation?

Spray foam insulation is a liquid chemical that comes out of a spray can and expands to form an airtight seal over cracks and any other voids that air could flow through.

How is Spray Foam Packaged?

Spray foam comes in two varieties:

Open Cell – This refers to foam comprised of cells that aren’t fully enveloped, which makes the foam both flexible and soft.

Closed Cell – As the name suggests, this is foam with cells that are completely closed off. These cells press up against one another to block the passage of air and moisture. As a result, closed cell spray foam is more rigid, stable and dense than its open cell counterpart.

Between the two, closed cell spray foam is easily the better insulator, especially in attics where space is tight. Plus, its moisture-resistant qualities make it an ultra-stingy vapor barrier that’s impervious to water damage.

The downside with closed cell foam is that, because it’s significantly more capable than open cell foam, it’s naturally much costlier. And price tag aside, open cell foam definitely has its own merit. Its ability to expand makes it a prime choice for attics with hard to reach nooks and crannies. Additionally, in cases when a single application of foam can fill the entire space between studs, open cell foam is the better option for soundproofing.

R-value

Deciding which type of insulation is the best fit for your attic begins and ends with an understanding of insulation R-value, the measurement used to determine an insulator’s effectiveness in resisting airflow. R-value is a simple “the higher, the better” statistic.

On paper, spray foam is the clear winner in this category, as closed cell foam can reach staggering R-value heights of up to 7.0. It also doesn’t sag or settle over time, a side effect that fiberglass insulation suffers from when it’s installed incorrectly.

But fiberglass is no slouch at blocking airflow either, as specially designed medium and high-density fiberglass have R-values as high as 4.3. It’s also important to note that, while there’s a limit to how many applications of foam you can spray in one area, the delicate and versatile nature of fiberglass gives you several options for stacking batts upon one another for boosted insulation.

Resistance to Moisture

This category is a neck-and-neck race. Both spray foam and fiberglass are adept at resisting moisture, which means you’re never going to see mold and mildew growing on it either. This makes both invaluable options for homes located in particularly humid regions.

Round Three: Longevity

This is yet another category where both foam and fiberglass are in a class by themselves.

In attics that can maintain ideal conditions, fiberglass insulation will last for a remarkable 100 years. Spray foam, on the other hand, will tap out at about 80 years, which is certainly nothing to scoff at, but still comes short of the century mark gold standard set by fiberglass.

Additionally, though foam neither sags nor settles the way improperly installed fiberglass can, it does tend to shrink over time, a drawback you don’t have to worry about with fiberglass insulation in the attic.

The Installation Process

While you’re deciding on the home insulation material, it helps to look at other aspects, like insulation installation.

Fiberglass runs circles around spray foam in this category.

In wide-open attics with no obstructions on the walls or ground and consistent spacing between joists, the installation of batts couldn’t be simpler for your installer (or you, if you’re the DIY type). Even for attics with prior insulation or multiple obstructions that call for loose-fill fiberglass, using a blowing machine is a relatively straightforward and inexpensive process.

Conversely, the installation of spray foam is a double-edged sword. As discussed above, applying spray foam incorrectly can have grave health consequences, a scary thought given the fact that spraying foam is a complicated process even for professionals.

Intangibles

Both foam and fiberglass share two distinct intangibles that not all other insulators can match:

Fire-Resistance – They’re noncombustible, which means that you can set either up between the wooden joists in your attic without ever having to worry about them catching fire.

Sound Barricade – They stand at the top of their class in blocking both inside and outside noise, giving the acoustics in your home a natural boost.

Cost-Effectiveness

When it comes to choosing insulation materials for your attic, perhaps the only consideration more important than R-value is standalone value, and understanding insulation installation costs. In both the short-term and the long run, which material truly gives you the most bang for your buck?

When you factor in cost, you can argue that fiberglass gives you a better immediate payoff. While spray foam’s top-notch thermal performance costs you an arm and a leg, fiberglass provides you with a similarly impressive output for only a fraction of the cost.

Because both foam and fiberglass are superstars at trapping air, both will save you considerable money over time on your energy bill. But fiberglass may also have a leg up on foam in long-term value because of its energy efficiency as it conserves 12 times as much energy as it generates, a unique trait that can slash your utility bill by a whopping 40% annually!

The Final Scorecard

There’s no denying that spray foam is the top dog insulator on the basis of sheer R-value. But choosing the best insulation for your specific attic isn’t as simple as just picking the material with the highest R-value on the packaging. You also have to consider crucial factors like:

The amount of space in your attic
The climate in your region
Potential safety hazards
And most importantly, your overall budget.

All things considered, fiberglass will be the best choice for most attics, especially attics in brand new buildings or renovation projects that don’t have HVAC units on the floor or pipes nestled on the walls. The benefits of fiberglass insulation make it clear why time and time again, this is a popular choice for insulating attics. Fiberglass comes close to matching spray foam in all major performance categories, its quick and simple installation is the opposite of the complete nightmare of spray foams’, and—the knockout punch—it’s as cheap as spray foam is expensive.

Though spray foam has a lot to offer, it’s with good reason that the walls and roofing of a vast majority of attics in American homes will continue to look like cotton candy.

Call on Attic Construction for All Your Fiberglass Installation Needs

Think you’ve decided on the best insulation for your attic and are ready for installation? Since attic and home insulation is a crucial part of any house, it’s best to skip the DIY on this one and call a professional. Much like fiberglass itself, our expert staff at Attic Construction provides you with the best for less: outstanding service at rates that can’t be beat.

Whether you’re looking for guidance on how to install fiberglass batts yourself or want to put the job in the hands of pros that you can guarantee will do it right, we’re here and ready to help with any and all of your attic insulation needs.

Resources

1) “Fiberglass Insulation vs. Spray Foam Insulation” by Editorial Staff at Diffen
https://www.diffen.com/difference/Fiberglass_Insulation_vs_Spray_Foam_Insulation

2) “4 Pitfalls of Spray Foam Insulation” by Allison Bailes
https://www.energyvanguard.com/blog/25546/4-Pitfalls-of-Spray-Foam-Insulation

3) “Everything You Need to Know About Insulation’s R-Value” by editorial staff at Today’s Homeowner with Danny Lipford
https://www.todayshomeowner.com/insulation-r-value/

4) “How Long Will Fiberglass Insulation Last?” By SF Gate
https://homeguides.sfgate.com/long-fiberglass-insulation-last-93486.html#targetText=The%20expected%20service%20life%20of,usually%20stated%20as%20100%20years.

5 Benefits of Fiberglass Insulation

Written by Kevin on October 3, 2019. Posted in Attic Insulation, Insulation. No Comments on 5 Benefits of Fiberglass Insulation

While it’s not a much talked about subject, adding insulation to your attic can have significant impacts on your home, and one of the most popular types is fiberglass. A whopping 85% of American homeowners are lining their attics with fiberglass insulation as their insulation material of choice, making the glass fiber cotton candy look– a– like the top-selling insulator by a landslide.

In which case, what’s made fiberglass such a popular household staple for the past several decades? Here’s a list of the top five benefits that homeowners who have used fiberglass for their attic insulation installation will enjoy.

1) It’s Both Moisture-Resistant and Fire-Resistant

Among the many risks that come with owning a home include the possibility of property damage caused by a natural disaster. Thankfully, in the case of both a flood or fire, you can count on fiberglass to resist the elements.

Fiberglass isn’t entirely waterproof, as it can get damp or wet. But it neither holds nor retains water, which makes it easy to dry off and put right back up in the attic. And the fact that fiberglass is adept at resisting moisture means that you won’t have to worry about the growth of mildew or mold on it.

Fiberglass is also noncombustible, a particularly coveted attribute given the fact that, in most cases, the process of installing insulation in an attic requires material to be lined within wooden joists.

2) It’s Super Easy to Install

Since fiberglass is one of the most used types of attic insulation, its safe to say that it’s also super easy to install. Whereas some popular insulators are a nightmare to set up properly in your attic, installing fiberglass batts insulation is a relatively painless process.

Batts are conveniently designed to be the same width as the standard distance between studs on a wall, which makes fiberglass insulation installation as easy as unrolling and stapling them.

The thermal performance of fiberglass batts will drop dramatically if they’re cut to the wrong length or somehow installed improperly, so it’s recommended that you hire a professional to install a fiberglass batt insulation instead of a DIY method. Because it tends to be such a straightforward process, however, professionals are likely to charge you less for batt installation than they would for installing an alternative insulation material like foam. You can also ensure that it is installed properly when you go with an insulation company.

3) It Comes in Loose-Fill Form Too

Though batts are oftentimes easy to install, the task becomes a bit more complicated for attics with:

Awkward spacing between joists
Minimal headroom and crawl space for an installer to maneuver around
Heating and cooling units or other cumbersome obstructions situated on the ground
Pipes resting on the walls

Thankfully, you can avoid the migraine of having to dice fiberglass batt insulation to a specific size by using loose fill insulation instead. Loose fiberglass insulation installation involves chunks of fiberglass that are packaged in bags and applied to gaps in coverage courtesy of a large blowing machine.

4) It’s Extremely Effective

Fiberglass for attics stands at or near the top of its class in virtually every meaningful category. When fiberglass is installed properly, you can rest easy knowing that you’re getting outstanding:

Performance – Fiberglass varies greatly in density and thickness, which means that its R-value (i.e. the term used to indicate an insulator’s effectiveness in resisting airflow) has a wide range as well. But at its best, fiberglass has an R-value of 4.3, good enough to match and even exceed most of its competition.

Durability – In attics where ideal conditions are maintained, fiberglass can last up to 100 years without needing maintenance. This is a good 20 years longer than the staying power of the next most durable material.

Soundproofing – In addition to blocking airflow, fiberglass also has a knack for blocking sound. Even if you have loud neighbors or a heating and cooling unit that won’t shut up, fiberglass insulation ensures that the acoustics in your home stay sharp.

Eco-Friendliness – Fiberglass is composed of a combination of glass, sand, and other recycled materials, and naturally conserves non-renewable fuel sources. This makes it among the most environmentally friendly insulation product on the market.

Long-Term Value – Speaking of energy efficiency and conservation, fiberglass has the capacity to conserve up to 12 times as much energy as it puts forth. Get ready to shave about 2/5 off of your utility bills!

5) It’s Cheap

Not only is it effective, durable, eco-friendly, and energy efficient, but it’s also cheaper than most materials. Though fiberglass insulation products are excellent insulators, you wouldn’t guess it from the cost. In some cases, you can find it for well under $1 per square foot. Even at its costliest, fiberglass insulation cost per square foot will unlikely exceed $1.30.

Fiberglass is like a superstar athlete that you’ve managed to retain on a rookie contract: it’s incredible how little you have to pay for the top-tier efficacy. The price point and savings on energy costs and bills make it a clear winning choice for home insulation when comparing fiberglass insulation vs spray foam insulation.

Call Attic Construction to Install Fiberglass in Your Attic

Fiberglass is among the most dynamic insulators and is easily the most cost-effective. At Attic Construction, we pride ourselves on achieving that same standard: unrivaled service at a rate that won’t make you break the bank.

Whether you want us to handle your next fiberglass installation or you’re simply looking for expert guidance before you do it yourself, we’re here to help you with all of your attic insulation needs. We provide comprehensive attic services such as insulation removal, wall insulation, radiant barrier insulation, rodent proofing, and more. Still confused about the difference between each insulation type?

Give us a call for a free quote today! Our San Diego, Orange County or Phoenix insulation removal & installation services are just a call away.

Resources

1) “Fiberglass Insulation vs. Spray Foam Insulation” by Editorial Staff at Diffen
https://www.diffen.com/difference/Fiberglass_Insulation_vs_Spray_Foam_Insulation

2) “Everything You Need to Know About Insulation’s R-Value” by editorial staff at Today’s Homeowner with Danny Lipford
https://www.todayshomeowner.com/insulation-r-value/

3) “How Much Does it Cost to Insulate a House?” by editorial staff at Home Advisor
https://www.homeadvisor.com/cost/insulation/

Fiberglass Insulation Cost

Written by Kevin on October 3, 2019. Posted in Attic Insulation, Insulation. No Comments on Fiberglass Insulation Cost

Fiberglass Insulation Cost

While insulation costs can vary depending on which material you choose for your home insulation, fiberglass is by far the most popular choice for attic insulation material compared to cellulose, mineral wool, or spray foam insulation. Aside from this insulation type being significantly more effective in energy savings when comparing it to foam insulation, the most convincing argument for choosing fiberglass is a simple one: it’s a fantastic product that you can buy for an irresistibly inexpensive price.

But Just How Inexpensive Exactly?

Like all insulation materials, fiberglass doesn’t come with a “one size fits all” price tag. and may also depend on your existing insulation situation. That is why it’s important to get multiple insulation installation cost estimates so you can see which insulation contractor will give you the most competitive price for the attic insulation cost.

Several factors go into the final cost of attic insulation installation with fiberglass, including potentially adding crawl space or wall insulation. Proper insulation also depends on where you live! For example, air leaks in cold areas can cost you tons in energy costs, while a very hot climate may require something like a radiant barrier. Continue reading for everything you need to know about how much does attic insulation cost and what you can expect to spend on fiberglass insulation.

What is Insulation?

Insulation is material designed to protect heat loss or gain by providing a barrier, so that heat or sound does not transmit from one area to another. It is used to fill any spaces, such as little gaps, hard-to-reach places, and above ceilings. By filling the spaces in your home, it helps reduce heat flow by absorbing and/or reflecting heat.

Why is it Important?

Having your home properly insulated helps keep your home’s temperature comfortable and keeps your energy bills low. Keeping warm air inside during the winter and retaining cold air in the summer allows for insulation improvements. Specifically, attic insulation is important because warm and cool air often escapes through the attic and is often left relatively unchecked. To combat this, fiberglass insulation is an excellent way to stop the air from sneakily escaping, leading to increased comfort levels, utility savings, energy efficiency.

The Two Kinds of Fiberglass Insulation

Fiberglass insulation comes in two varieties:

Batts – These are the large blankets featuring long, puffy strands of fiberglass held together by an adhesive vapor barrier like reflective foil or paper. Because insulation batts are specially designed to be the same length as the standard distance between joists in your average attic space, installation tends to be a breeze. You simply unroll them and tack them up where needed.

For attics that have HVAC units/piping/other awkward obstacles in the way, however, batt installation is a more complicated endeavor that requires the installer to cut them to an exact size and shape to fit the attic space properly.

Loose–Fill Insulation – This type of fiberglass comes in chunks that can be purchased by the bagful. During the insulation installation, the contractor will use a large blowing machine to spread this loose-fill material throughout your attic space as needed. For homeowners living in older homes with attics that have multiple obstructions on the floors and walls, loose-fill tends to be the fiberglass attic insulation choice.

Because fiberglass batts are considerably more popular among American homeowners than their loose-fill insulation brethren, this article will focus on how the cost of batt insulation is determined.

Factor #1: The R-value of Fiberglass

The thermal quality of an insulator is referred to as its “R-value.” Simply put, the higher the R-value of a given insulator, the more effective it will be at resisting temperature transfer and, naturally, the higher the insulation price.

An insulation material’s R-value is primarily based on its thickness and density. Both of these qualities vary immensely with fiberglass, which means the price does too.

Factor #2: The R-value You Need in Your Attic

R-value is used to describe the thermal capability of not only insulation material but also a room as a whole.

Based on regional climate, each American state suggests—or in some cases, mandates—the minimum R-value that an attic must maintain. You can check out this helpful chart created by the US Department of Energy for an in-depth look at recommended attic R-values by region throughout the country, but the basic idea is as follows:

Homeowners living in perpetually balmy regions like Southern California should shoot for an R-value of R30

Homeowners residing in frigid climates with brutal winters should maintain at least an R49, and perhaps even aim for as high as R60

Everyone else’s attic should have an R-value somewhere between R38 and R49

An attic’s R-value is calculated simply by multiplying the R-value of the insulation material you choose by the total amount in square feet of material installed. This means that, in the same way, a hefty winter jacket will cost more than a basic cotton t-shirt, attics that require higher R-values will result in you spending more money on insulation material.

Factor #3: Installation

If you’re intent on making the proper insulation of your attic a DIY insulation project, the factors that affect the cost of your fiberglass batts end there. But if you’d rather put the installation in the hands of a professional insulation contractor (which we highly recommend), that will add a few extra hundred dollars or so to the final invoice for insulation costs.

Though batts are the easiest insulator to install on your own, the DIY route leaves you prone to common amateur mistakes like:

Inadvertently tearing a corner of the batt
Cutting the batt to too short a size
Leaving a batt to be too long

Each of the above mistakes allows air leaks through any voids, which results in you throwing money out the window on your utility bill down the road. Shelling out the extra dough to a pro today will allow you to reap the benefits of fiberglass insulation and save hundreds, perhaps even thousands of dollars in heating and cooling costs in the long run. Energy efficiency is definitely not a benefit you want to miss out on by simply not installing your home insulation correctly, which is why using a professional will be your best bet.

Count on Attic Construction for Your Fiberglass Batt Installation

At Attic Construction, we pride ourselves on bringing you outstanding, expert service and the invaluable peace of mind that comes with knowing that your fiberglass insulation installation will get done correctly at the most competitive rates out there.

We are proud to offer the following insulation services at our locations:

Orange County Insulation Installation, Removal and Replacement

San Diego Insulation Installation, Removal and Replacement

Phoenix Insulation Installation, Removal and Replacement

Resources

1) “Recommended Home Insulation R-Values” by the US Department of Energy
https://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=home_sealing.hm_improvement_insulation_table

2) “How Much Does it Cost to Insulate a House?” by editorial staff at Home Advisor
https://www.homeadvisor.com/cost/insulation/

3) “Everything You Need to Know About Insulation’s R-Value” by editorial staff at Today’s Homeowner with Danny Lipford
https://www.todayshomeowner.com/insulation-r-value/

What is Fiberglass Attic Insulation?

Written by Kevin on October 3, 2019. Posted in Attic Insulation, Insulation. No Comments on What is Fiberglass Attic Insulation?

If you have childhood memories of being in your attic and thinking the walls and roofing looked like they were covered in cotton candy, then you’re a part of the vast majority of Americans who grew up with fiberglass insulation. An attic mainstay for several decades now, fiberglass remains the go-to choice for an attic insulation installation for a whopping 85% of American homeowners.

What exactly is fiberglass insulation? What forms is it available in? And why has it become such a standout in the world of attic insulation amongst all the other insulation types? Read on for everything you need to know about the cotton candy dead ringer that has found a home in countless attics.

What is Fiberglass Made of?

Fiberglass is a series of immensely delicate fibers composed primarily of—get ready to thank Captain Obvious—glass (typically the translucent kind you see in windows and drinking glasses).

Here’s how fiberglass gets made:

Step One – The glass gets heated until molten.
Step Two – This melted glass is combined with other eco-friendly materials like sand and limestone and then woven into strands.
Step Three – The fiberglass strands are then fortified with different resins, which also allows them to be customized into various shapes.

How is Fiberglass Installed in Your Attic?

Speaking of fiberglass shapes, there are two ways for a professional installer (or an ambitious DIY-er) to hook your attic up with fiberglass insulation:

Batts – By far the most common form of fiberglass insulation, these are the large rolled-up sheets held together by either reflective aluminum foil or paper acting as an adhesive vapor barrier. Batts make for the easiest installation process, as one sheet not only covers a whole bunch of real estate but also is designed to be the same size as standard joists.

Yes, their size does make them a hassle for attics with multiple obstructions like pipes or HVAC units. But for new buildings or gut renovations that leave plenty of open space, batts are the optimal choice.

Loose-Fill – What if you want to reap all the benefits of fiberglass insulation but your attic is littered with obstructions or has awkward spacing between joists? That’s where loose-fill, blown-in fiberglass comes to the rescue.

Loose-fill fiberglass comes in chunks that can be purchased in bags and is applied by way of your installer using a large blowing machine to fill in the gaps of your attic space as needed. These machines make it easier for insulation contractors to work in attics that have a low ceiling or don’t offer much space for maneuvering around.

Loose-fill is also a sensible option for older homes with attics that have prior insulation in place.

Why is Fiberglass so Popular?

Like Kleenex, Band-Aids, and Google, fiberglass is such a popular choice with consumers that the word “fiberglass” itself has become virtually synonymous with “attic insulation.”
It’s easy to see why. Fiberglass presents homeowners with numerous benefits, such as:

Cheap and Easy – Fiberglass is a highly accessible commodity that can be found at just about any home improvement store. Whether you purchase it in batt or loose-fill form, fiberglass is extremely easy to carry and unpack. Best of all, it’s dirt cheap, which enables you to boost the insulation level in your attic without having to break the bank.

But don’t let the low price tag fool you: fiberglass is far from being a “you get what you pay for” product. Fiberglass insulation cost may be cheap, but you get the bang for your buck. Naturally adept at trapping pockets of air to keep your home warm in the Winter and cool in the Summer, fiberglass can hang with the best when it comes to thermal performance (more on this later).

Saves You Money Over Time – According to industry professionals, fiberglass conserves 12 times as much energy as it uses to prevent airflow. This unique capacity for storing energy can help you axe your utility bill by up to 40% annually! These energy savings make this type of insulation a no brainer. And as an additional perk, fiberglass also conserves nonrenewable fuel sources, making it among the eco-friendliest insulation materials on the market.
Insane Longevity – Fiberglass is an insulator you can set and forget. When installed in an attic that maintains ideal conditions, fiberglass will last for a full 100 years before it needs to be replaced.
No Shrinkage – Unlike some attic insulation material, fiberglass doesn’t shrink over time. When properly installed and kept dry, what you see on day one is what you’ll continue to get.
Fire-Resistant – Fiberglass is non-flammable, which gives you invaluable peace of mind knowing that you can use it to line your wooden joists without having to worry about it setting the wood on fire.
Moisture-Resistant – Fiberglass is naturally resistant to the spread of moisture, which by extension makes attics with fiberglass insulation much less vulnerable to the spread of mold and mildew. Thus, fiberglass is a particularly smart choice if you live in a region with a notably humid climate.
Acoustic Boosting – Fiberglass is a top performer when it comes to absorbing sound waves. With fiberglass insulation in place, outside noise will remain outside of your home. As an added bonus, fiberglass also reduces the transmission of inside noise. No matter how obnoxiously loud the rumblings from your HVAC unit may be, homes with fiberglass installed in the attic will enjoy peak acoustics.
Discourages Infestations – Fiberglass may look like cotton candy, but it’s completely unpalatable. This means that your attic isn’t likely to become the popular neighborhood spot for insects, rodents and other unwelcome instigators of infestation.

Is There a Downside to Fiberglass?

Even the best attic insulation products will have their share of drawbacks, and fiberglass is no exception. Some of the fiberglass disadvantages include:

It’s useless if it gets wet or even damp. If your fiberglass insulation does get wet, you should have it inspected and fully dried by a professional immediately. Thankfully, the fact that fiberglass neither holds nor retains water makes it fairly easy to dry out.
It’s a headache to customize fiberglass batts. But again, cutting batts down to a specific size is typically only relevant in older homes with an attic space that has multiple obstructions, awkward spacing or low clearance.
As is the case with the majority of insulation materials, it presents some safety hazards. The consequences of touching or inhaling fiberglass during the installation process range from an itchy rash on your skin to serious damage to your respiratory system.
Though fiberglass doesn’t shrink, its ultra-light nature makes it prone to irregular compression, settling and sagging, all of which will hurt its R-value (and jack up your monthly energy bill) over time.

Wait, what the heck is R-value?

In any discussion about insulation, the term you’re bound to keep hearing is “R-value.” An insulation material’s R-value is basically its effectiveness in resisting airflow. The higher the R-value, the better the material is at trapping air.

The R-value that you should try (or in some cases, might be required by state law) to maintain in your attic all depends on the climate in the region where you live. The US Department of Energy created this helpful guide for R-value recommendations by region. Generally speaking, ideal R-values are as follows:

If the climate in your region is so hot that playing a round of golf during the day could be life-threatening, then the R-value of your attic should fall somewhere near R25 and R30
If you live in a region that has virtually perfect weather year-round (looking at you, San Diego), keeping your attic’s R-value at about R30 should do the trick
If you live in a region where scraping ice off of your car’s windshield during winter mornings is as routine as a cup of coffee, your attic’s R-value should be at least R49, and perhaps as high as R60
In all other regions, the R-value in your attic should land somewhere between R38 and R49

What is Fiberglass’s R-value? And How Does it Compare to Other Insulation Material?

Not all fiberglass is created equal, as it can vary greatly in both density and thickness, the two key factors in determining R-value. The R-value of the cheapest quality fiberglass can check-in at as low as 2.0. For a slightly higher cost, however, specially designed medium and high-density fiberglass will have an R-value as high as 4.3.

Let’s take a look at how fiberglass stacks up against the competition in the R-value category:

Fiberglass: 2.2 – 4.3
Cellulose: 3.2 – 3.5
Mineral Wool: 3.7 – 4.2
Cotton: 3.4 – 3.7
Spray Foam: – 3.5 – 7.0

The Battle of Fiberglass vs Spray Foam

Chances are you just did a double-take when you noticed spray foam’s potential to reach an impressive 7.0 R-value. But before you go searching for spray foam installers on Yelp, it’s important to note that foam insulation, for all of its advantages, is expensive.

Additionally, it’s not only extremely complicated to install, but also potentially hazardous to your health if installed incorrectly. In fact, the risk and potential fallout of installing spray foam improperly are such that most home improvement and construction companies choose not to offer it.

Fiberglass doesn’t reach the same R-value heights as spray foam, but the money you save on both the material itself and the fast, simple installation process makes fiberglass the most cost-effective insulation option out there.

The Oak Ridge Myth

In the 1990s, a study was conducted at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee to test the thermal qualities of various insulation materials, including fiberglass. The results of the “Oak Ridge Study” revealed that the R-value of loose-fill fiberglass decreases significantly in the face of cold temperatures, especially in situations when temperatures dropped rapidly.

In the wake of the study, many people accepted the results as fact, and others still misinterpreted these results to mean that all fiberglass performs poorly in cold temperatures, regardless of design. And while these results won’t mean much to homeowners in San Diego, they have understandably caused homeowners who reside in frigid climates to balk at the idea of purchasing fiberglass.

Recent follow-up studies, however, have revealed that the results of the Oak Ridge Study are misleading. The diminishing returns of the loose-fill fiberglass used at Oak Ridge didn’t stem from the fiberglass itself, but rather the now outdated way in which the fiberglass was installed at the time. The process of blowing in loose-fill fiberglass has since been perfected, which means you can count on fiberglass to maintain its R-value no matter how cold it gets outside.

Count on Attic Construction to Install Fiberglass in Your Home

Ready to get started and insulate your attic with fiberglass? Attic Construction is ready to help!

Our expert team prides itself on offering outstanding customer service in answering any specific questions you may have about the pros and cons of fiberglass insulation, and then either installing it in your attic for you or walking you through the DIY route.

Conclusion

With its unrivaled low price, hassle-free installation requirements, dynamic thermal performance and unique ability to continue helping you slash your energy bill over time, fiberglass gives you the most bang for your buck of any insulation material.

At Attic Construction, we consider ourselves the fiberglass of home improvement services, offering you the best service at the lowest price. Give us a call for an estimate and to set up your next attic insulation installation today.

Resources

1) “Recommended Home Insulation R-Values” by the US Department of Energy
https://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=home_sealing.hm_improvement_insulation_table

2) “Everything You Need to Know About Insulation’s R-Value” by editorial staff at Today’s Homeowner with Danny Lipford
https://www.todayshomeowner.com/insulation-r-value/

3) “Does Fiberglass Insulation Really Lose R-Value” by Allison Bailes
https://www.energyvanguard.com/blog/does-fiberglass-attic-insulation-really-lose-r-value

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What is Escrow?

The Inspection Contingency

The Inspection Period Broken Down

What do Inspectors Look At?

Common Inspection Pitfalls

Final Thoughts

Sources:

Why Is Rodent Clean-Up Necessary?

Looking for Signs of Rodents

What to Look For

Droppings

Urine

Chewed Holes

Nests

Noise

Dog and Cat Behavior

Why Should You Rodent-Proof Your Attic?

How Can You Tell if You Have Rodents in Your Attic?

How to Keep Rodents Out of Your Attic

Should You Rodent-Proof Your Attic?

What You Can Do to Help Rodent-Proof Your Home

Does Rodent Resistant Insulation Exist?

Why is Attic Insulation so Prone to Rodent Damage?

Rodent Habitat

How Can You Protect Your Attic Insulation from Rodents?

Locate All Possible Access Points And Seal Off Small Holes

Make Your Home an Ideal Habitat for Humans, Not Rodents

Make Food Inaccessible

Secure and Seal Possible Nesting Materials

Set Up Rodent Baiting Stations

Rodent-Proof Your Home

A Note About New Attic Insulation

Avoid Health Hazards

Disease

Allergies

Avoid Damage to Your Home

Prevent Fire

Wrapping Up

How Much Will Rodent Infestation Cleanup Cost?

So how much is a rodent control and clean up going to cost you on your bottom line? Well, it’s complicated, but it mostly depends on:

the size of your attic

the extent of the damage done.

Damages Determine Cost

Rodent Infestation Requires More Than Normal Cleaning

SAN DIEGO RESIDENT DISCOUNTS – 858-609-8118

What is Fiberglass Insulation?

How is Fiberglass Packaged?

What is Spray Foam Insulation?

How is Spray Foam Packaged?

R-value

Resistance to Moisture

Round Three: Longevity

The Installation Process

Intangibles

Cost-Effectiveness

The Final Scorecard

Call on Attic Construction for All Your Fiberglass Installation Needs

1) It’s Both Moisture-Resistant and Fire-Resistant

2) It’s Super Easy to Install