"Horn Insulation did a tremendous job insulating our house. The quality of their work was great and they were a pleasure to work with.
I highly recommend them!"
"Installed additional insulation in attic and walls and did an excellent job. Also put in attic vents and exhaust fan. I will hire again for various construction projects."
"when we noticed that the insulation in our attic was wet, we called Home Comfort. They came, look at the insulation, confirming it was wet and we had mold in our attic. They removed the wet insulation, put in new insulation after the mold was abated. The also added more vent tiles in the attic and sprayed insulation around the sole plates in our basement."
"Outstanding work , got the job done quickly and left the job site spotless all at a very competitive price. Would most certainly recommend them for any insulation work."
"This service went above what was expected. They fixed issues that came up and needed attention without altering the original bid. I will recommend them to anyone needing insulation."
"I know of no other contractor who has total customer satisfaction as his top priority like Mr. Flanagan does. He is absolutely the best. My basement sustained ankle-deep water as the result of an outdoor basement stairwell drain that violently backed up because its circa-1951 drain line led to the street storm sewer (by design). That sewer was overcome with water during a storm in the summer of 2010 that featured a tornado in my western-suburbs area. Soon after pumping the water out of my basement with a mobile pump, the mess prompted me to (once again*) call Mr. Flanagan (*His crawlspace crew had done a beautiful job finishing my dirt-floor crawlspace with a concrete floor and wall insulation a couple of years earlier). After the basement waterproofing project described in this review was complete, however, I was disappointed with the workmanship: The concrete work looked less-than-professional (out-of-flush with sump flange and the stairwell drain, plus way too many swirl marks and splattering) in the stairwell and basement's appearance areas. In short, it just didn't look like his business's flawless concrete job that was done in my crawlspace just years earlier. Mr. Flanagan agreed. With no questions asked, he immediately had a different crew come to my home, tear out all of the previously laid concrete and drain lines and replace it with the workmanship that he would expect his crews to use in their own homes. The re-do of the project at least had met my high expectations for its cosmetics. And, of course, I hoped it was a sufficient waterproofing solution for my basement. Fast forward just a few short years. Affter having perhaps sustaining that 100-year event with the Chicago-area rain storm of April 17-18, 2012, while my neighbors are pumping water out of their basements, mine remains bone dry. Thank you Mr. Flanagan and Crawlspace / Basement Waterproofing Solutions for a job (design and installation) well done. Your basement waterproofing solution indeed deserves an A+.
"The crew was very courteous, they got the job done, I thought the materials were a little high. Overall, they did a great job. I wont know how good the work is until my utility bill comes in. Ameren did the Home Audit for me, and that's what prompted me to get the insulation project done. The project only took a couple days to complete. The price did include blown in for my Attic and Rolled Batting in the basement"
"We had a fantastic experience with Marco and his team. They did insulation work for our attic and the results were excellent. You can really tell he cares about quality and customer service."
"Roberto was the technician and he was very professional, polite, and personable. He inspected the rest of our system and told us things that needed to be changed or repaired. He showed me pictures of everything. Everything he told me about was accurate. He quoted me a price for R38 insulation , Some of our ducts were plastic and he recommended them to be changed. I agreed completely and didn't know they were plastic. I would have had them done the work but I had no price comparisons to make and besides I didn't have the money right then. So he just finished the vent cleaning and left his card. He did a great job on the vent cleaning and was happy with the work."
A-frame houses pose specific challenges that can make heating difficult. Their open concept design with high ceilings can lead to a colder lower floor and a warmer upper floor. A ceiling fan that pushes warm air down or pulls cold air up, depending on the season, can easily counteract temperature issues. Additionally, certain types of heating do better in these homes than others. For example, heated floors tend to be more practical and energy efficient than baseboard heating.
R-value stands for resistance value and is a number assigned to insulation that states how good the insulation is at heat transference (insulation). The R-value of injection foam is around 4 which homeowners will be happy to know is actually quite good. Another benefit of injection foam versus fiberglass foam is that the colder it gets, the more injection foam retains its resistance properties, whereas fiberglass tends to lose its efficiency in colder temperatures.
While there are many different kinds of insulation, spray foam, blown-in, foam board, and batt and roll are the four types you’re most likely to see. That doesn’t mean they’re alike, though. Each one varies drastically in terms of cost, materials used, and how they’re installed—not to mention, how well they limit heat transfer.
To keep cold out, look for treatments that sit close to the window frame and are made from thick, insulating materials. Thermal curtains, cellular shades, window quilts, and insulated shutters can all help retain heat. Layering window treatments, like pairing lined curtains with cellular shades, can provide even better insulation by further reducing drafts and heat transfer.
You do not always need to remove old insulation before adding new. If the existing insulation is in good condition—not wet, physically damaged, moldy, or infested with pests—you can add new insulation directly on top of it for a compounding effect. You can also mix different types, such as adding blown-in insulation around existing fiberglass batts.
However, removal is recommended if the old insulation is compromised by water damage or pests. You should also remove it if you plan to install a different type of insulation, like switching from roll or batt insulation to spray foam. If the existing insulation is very old or damaged, you will likely get more benefit from removing it and starting fresh.
The Wenona, IL homeowners’ guide to insulation services
From average costs to expert advice, get all the answers you need to get your job done.
Learn how to decide if your home needs dryer vent insulation to protect your vent from drafts and moisture that can make your energy usage less efficient. Poorly ventilated dryer vents also increase mold risks!
Removing old insulation may be necessary for upgrading your insulation. Keep reading to see if you should remove old insulation before adding new insulation.
Learning how to insulate plaster walls can help improve your home's energy efficiency. However, there are crucial cautions to consider before attempting.