Retrofit insulation in Roswell NM - a sealed, topped-up attic in the house you have
Hot rooms upstairs, drafts or a power bill that keeps climbing? We seal the gaps and add insulation to the house you already live in.
Can you add insulation to a house that's already built?
Retrofit insulation in Roswell means adding insulation to a house that's already standing, most often by sealing the gaps in the attic and then blowing loose fill across the attic floor, so your rooms hold their heat in winter and keep their cool in summer.
Most calls start with an upstairs that runs hot, a drafty room over the garage or a power bill that keeps creeping up, and the question is whether more insulation will fix it. Usually it helps, but what's already in your attic decides a lot. The price moves with the size of the attic, how many inches are up there now, how many gaps need sealing, whether old material has to come out first through insulation removal and whether you want the walls done too. The schedule mostly turns on what I find, since old wiring or a doubtful kind of insulation has to be dealt with before anything new goes in. I started Atlas Roswell Spray Foam Insulation in 2013, we're licensed and fully insured, and our crew works across the area, Artesia and other cities nearby included. Your own figure comes from the estimate I write up after I've been up in your attic.
What happens after you call about adding insulation?
Call or send the form
You call (575) 363-2021, which I usually answer myself, or send the contact form, and we get back to you within one business day to set up a visit. We pick a time that works for you, including evenings or a weekend if that's easier.
I look and write the estimate
I come out myself, look over the attic and anything else you're worried about, take photos and walk you through what I found. Then I write up a free estimate with no obligation, so you can see what each part of the job is for and hold it up against any other bid.
Our crew does the work
Once you say yes, our installers do the job the way the estimate laid it out. They cover what needs covering and treat your home like somebody lives there, because somebody does.
We go over the finished job
Before we pack up, I go over the finished attic with you, up the ladder if you want to see it, so you know what's up there now and why. It's all backed by our satisfaction guarantee.
How we handle retrofit insulation and the work around it
Adding insulation to a house that's already built starts with clearing the attic, so if you can move stored boxes out before we come, that saves everyone a step. Next I check the wiring and the old insulation, because national guidance says to hold off on insulating until any live knob and tube wiring, the old kind strung on little porcelain posts, has been replaced or properly boxed in, and to stop if the old fill turns out to be vermiculite, a pebbly loose fill that may contain asbestos. We like to air seal on the same trip, closing the gaps around can lights, pipes, wires and the hatch, so you're not paying to open everything up twice. Then the crew blows in loose fill through a hose across the attic floor, keeping it as deep at the edges as in the middle and keeping it off the vents along the edge of the roof so the attic can still breathe.
There's one trade-off I'll talk through with you. Spray foam insulation costs more and seals air while it insulates, but sealing the gaps and topping up loose fill usually wins unless your ductwork runs through the attic, which is when foam starts to earn its price. If the old insulation can't stay, we pull it and start fresh, which is our attic insulation work. The City of Roswell asks owners to fill out its residential permit form for renovations, remodels, additions and building of any kind, so I check with the city about your job, go over what I learn at the estimate and take care of the permit when one is needed. If old wiring has to be replaced before the insulation goes in, for now the State of New Mexico, not the city, reviews the electrical plans and issues the electrical permit in Roswell, so that's one more step to line up. If you'd like to ask the city something yourself, Roswell's Building Official, Miller Butts, is at 575-627-6286.
Have me look at your attic before you decide
I read what comes in through the form myself and get back to you to set a time to come out. At the visit you'll see photos of what's up there and get a written estimate to think over.
Retrofit insulation questions from Roswell homeowners
How much does it cost to add insulation to an attic in New Mexico?
Upgrading a typical 1,500 square foot attic with blown cellulose in New Mexico usually costs about $1,500 to $5,400 for the whole job. That's the going range around the state, not our price, and it's for the attic alone, so if you want the walls done too, that gets priced at your estimate after I've seen the house.
Do I need to seal air leaks before adding attic insulation?
Yes, the gaps should be sealed first. Energy guidance warns that money spent on insulation can be wasted if the holes and gaps in your ceilings, walls and foundation are left open, and it treats an attic insulation job as the right time to air seal, so the two can be planned as one job. If a bid you're comparing only talks about inches of insulation, ask what gets sealed.
How do I insulate the walls of an existing house in Roswell?
The usual way is drill and fill, where small holes go near the top of each wall cavity, from inside or outside, and blown-in insulation fills the space behind them. It's a common method with fairly little disruption, which suits people who'd rather not live through a remodel. If your house was built before 1980, lead safety rules may apply depending on how much of the walls get disturbed, so that's something I'll go over with you.
How do I check that an insulation contractor is licensed in New Mexico?
You can look up whether a contractor holds a valid New Mexico license through the state's Regulation and Licensing Department. The state has a license class for insulation work that covers putting any insulating material in or on a building for energy savings and temperature control, so that's the kind of license to look for. Check us the same way before you sign anything.
Do we have to leave the house while insulation is being added?
For a loose-fill top-up in the attic, usually not, because the work stays up there and around the hatch. Spray foam is different, since it comes with a re-entry time, the wait before you, the kids and the pets can come back inside, so if foam is part of your plan I'll go over that at the estimate.
Can new insulation go on top of old insulation in my attic?
Often it can, as long as the old insulation is dry and clean, since topping it up is the simplest way to add depth. If it's been soaked from a roof leak or is full of droppings, it needs to come out first, because new material laid over a problem just hides it. I'd rather fix that than bury it, and the photos from the estimate will show you which case you're in.
Other insulation work that often goes with this
Spray foam insulation
If ducts run through your attic or you want the air sealing and insulating done in one layer, foam is worth pricing out next to loose fill.
Attic insulation
When the old insulation in your attic is too wet, dirty or patchy to build on, a full attic job gets the whole floor right from the start.
Get your attic checked before adding insulation
Have your house's age, where the attic hatch is and anything you know about the wiring or old insulation handy when you call (575) 363-2021 or send the form, and I'll come out already knowing what to look for.