Retrofit insulation in San Angelo TX - an older house that holds its temperature
Upstairs too hot, power bill climbing, old attic gone thin? We fix what's wrong first, then add insulation that covers evenly.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- Replies within 1 business day.
Is it worth adding insulation to an older San Angelo house?
Retrofit insulation in San Angelo means adding insulation to a house that's already built, most often by sealing the gaps in the attic floor and then blowing new insulation over what's up there, so the rooms below hold their temperature better.
Most people call because the upstairs stays hot, the room over the garage never cools down, or the power bill keeps climbing in a house that's been standing a while. The price turns on how big the attic is, how many inches are already up there, whether walls are part of the job and what has to be fixed before anything new goes in. The schedule turns on those same fixes, since a leak or old wiring gets handled first, along with any permit the city calls for. Your own number comes from the estimate, after I've seen the house.
How we handle retrofit insulation
Before I price adding to an older attic, I give you a list of anything that needs fixing first, like leaks, damage or poor venting, and I show you exactly what's up there now, because how much we add depends on it. Once the fixes are done, our crew does the air sealing, closing the gaps around can lights, pipes and the attic hatch, so the new insulation isn't fighting a draft. We set baffles at the eaves, short chutes that keep the vents open and the insulation out of the soffits, so the attic keeps breathing. Then we blow in loose fill through a hose to as even a depth as we can, across the whole ceiling and out to the edges over the walls, because thin edges are where most old jobs come up short.
A retrofit often overlaps with attic insulation, and for most attics we see, sealing the gaps and topping up with loose fill is the better buy. If your ductwork runs through the attic, it's worth weighing spray foam insulation instead, and I'll tell you which way I'd go for your house.
Topping up the attic
This suits most older houses where the insulation is dry and clean but has gone thin over the years. We seal the gaps and blow new material over what's there, which keeps the job simpler than tearing it all out.
Adding to existing walls
This suits rooms that stay hot or cold even after the attic is done, often in older houses built with little or nothing in the walls. We fill the wall spaces without tearing out the drywall, and the questions below explain how.
Retrofit insulation in San Angelo and what the city requires
In San Angelo, permits come from the city's Building Permits & Inspections office, and the city requires an issued electrical permit for any electric work. That comes up on a retrofit when wiring has to be replaced or reworked before insulation can go over it. The city's list doesn't settle whether adding insulation by itself needs a permit, so I check with that office on every job and we take care of any permit it calls for. You don't have to chase it.
Across San Angelo and the cities around it, a lot of the attics we open have a few tired inches that settled years ago, ductwork running across the joists and eave vents buried under old fill. Long, hot summers show that first in the rooms upstairs and over the garage, so that's where we look closest.
Why San Angelo homeowners call J&M San Angelo Insulation Services for retrofit work
I look at every job myself
I come out to see each attic and write the estimate, and our own crew does the install. The person who priced your job knows what was promised, and the people in your attic work for us.
Started here in San Angelo, 2013
I grew up crawling through attics with my dad, learned the trade from him and started this business in San Angelo in 2013. That's 13 years in business doing this one kind of work.
A straight answer, even a no
If your attic already has enough, I'll say so and leave it, because I'd rather talk you out of a job than sell you one your house doesn't need. When we do the work, it's satisfaction guaranteed.
Licensed and fully insured
Ask about it at the estimate and you'll get a plain answer. Nobody should go up into your attic who can't say the same.
On a retrofit, the order matters most, with fixes and sealing first and new insulation last. To get started, send us a note through the contact page or call (325) 285-1301.
Request a quoteGet a retrofit estimate for your attic or walls
Send the form and we'll get back to you within one business day to set a time. I come out myself, and the on-site estimate is free with no obligation and no pressure to book.
What happens after you call about retrofit insulation
Call or send the form
Ring (325) 285-1301 or use the form, and we'll book a time for me to come out. A rough idea of what's bothering you, like a hot room or a high bill, helps me know where to look.
I measure what's there
I go up into the attic, and the walls or crawl space if they're part of it, and measure what you have now. You get what needs fixing, what I'd add and what it would cost, usually before I leave.
Prep and safety checks first
Once you say go, our crew covers the path to the attic and runs the safety checks before anything else. Then comes the sealing and the install, in that order.
We walk the finished job
I walk the attic or walls with you when we're done. You see the depth, the sealed spots and the open vents for yourself.
Frequently asked questions
How much does retrofit insulation cost in San Angelo, and can AEP Texas help pay for it?
Insulation in San Angelo usually costs about $1 to $5 per square foot, and that's the going range for insulation work in general, not a price for your house. Where yours falls depends on the size of the attic, what's already up there and what has to be fixed first. AEP Texas runs a Hard-to-Reach program for residential customers with household income at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines, or who are in approved programs like SSI or Food Stamps, and most measures may come at low or no cost. Funding is limited and an approved contractor checks eligibility, so look into it early if you think you qualify.
What gets checked in the attic before new insulation goes in?
The attic gets checked for water leaks, moisture, structural or pest damage and enough ventilation, and those get fixed before any insulation goes down. Old knob and tube wiring that's still live has to be replaced or properly boxed before insulation covers it. If your house has a gas furnace or water heater that vents by natural draft, it gets a combustion safety test for backdrafting, and any problem is fixed before attic work goes ahead.
How much insulation should I add to my attic?
That depends on how much is up there now. ENERGY STAR's guidance sets one target for an attic with nothing in it and a lower one for an attic that already has 3 to 4 inches, so the first thing I do is measure yours. You can also ask any contractor whether the planned level meets or beats what current building code calls for, because blown attic insulation should.
What is the best way to insulate existing walls in an older house?
The usual way is drill and fill, where holes are drilled into each stud space from inside or outside the house and cellulose or loose fiberglass is blown in. That leaves the walls standing, and the holes get patched afterward. I'll tell you which side makes more sense on your house once I've looked at the siding and the drywall.
Can new insulation go right over the old insulation in my attic?
Usually yes, as long as what's there is dry and clean. If it was soaked or is full of droppings, it comes out first, or the problem just stays under the new layer. If it's vermiculite, a pebbly gray-brown fill, work stops, because vermiculite may contain asbestos and that has to be dealt with before any insulation goes in.
How do I know if my attic needs more insulation?
If you can see the tops of the ceiling joists, you almost certainly need more. Other signs are an upstairs that runs much hotter than downstairs, a drafty room over the garage, or insulation that looks matted and thin in spots. If you'd rather not climb up there, I'll measure it when I come out.
Other work that often goes with a retrofit
Attic insulation
For an attic that's close to bare or needs more than a top-up, this is where to start.
Spray foam insulation
Worth pricing side by side with a top-up when your ducts sit overhead, and I'll give you a straight answer on which fits.
San Angelo, TX
Book your attic check and estimate
Have your home's age, about how many inches are up there now, whether you have a gas furnace or water heater, and whether AEP Texas is your utility handy, and we'll cover more on the first visit.