Frequently Asked Questions

HomeGuide's national range is $1.50 to $5.00 per square foot installed: $1.50 to $3.50 for open-cell and $3.00 to $5.00 for closed-cell. A spray foam attic runs $3,000 to $8,000 in that guide. Thickness, access and any removal change the total, and the written estimate after our visit is the price.

It depends on what the square footage measures. Spraying 1,500 square feet of roof deck or wall at HomeGuide's $1.50 to $5.00 per square foot works out to roughly $2,250 to $7,500, and 2,000 square feet to roughly $3,000 to $10,000. A 2,000 square foot house has much more than 2,000 square feet of wall and roof surface, so HomeGuide's whole-house range of $8,000 to $20,000 is a better guide for doing everything.

Usually because of poor installs or because foam on the roof deck hides the underside of the roof from a home inspector. Foam sprayed too thick in one pass, mixed wrong or put over a leaking roof can cause odor, gaps or hidden rot. We spray in proper lifts, fix leaks first and give you a written record of what was installed and where.

Open-cell is the usual pick for the underside of the roof in a sealed attic because it fills the rafter bays for less money. Closed-cell suits raised floors, metal buildings and tight spaces because it is denser, higher in R-value per inch and slows vapor. Your quote names the foam for each area.

The 2023 Florida Building Code, Energy Conservation, lists R-38 for ceilings in Climate Zone 2, which covers Bay County. That applies to new work. For an existing attic with little insulation, the Department of Energy recommends R-49 to R-60 in Zone 2.

It can be, especially when ducts and the air handler are in the attic. The roof deck has to be dry and the foam thick enough, and the attic vents get closed off as part of the job. We check the roof and the equipment first and explain whether a sealed attic or a sealed ceiling with blown-in fits your house.

HomeGuide advises staying out for at least 24 hours while spray foam cures. We ventilate the work area during and after spraying and give you a time to return when we schedule the job.

Foam is insulation, not a storm system. What it does well here is seal air leaks and, in the case of closed-cell, add stiffness to the surface it bonds to. Roof attachment, straps and openings are what building codes rely on for wind, so do not choose foam for storm protection alone.

Batts and loose fill slow heat but let air pass through them, so they work best over a sealed surface. Spray foam seals the surface it is sprayed on and insulates in the same layer. That is why it is used on roof decks, rim areas and raised floors, where air sealing with other materials is hard.

It can slow how fast a leak shows up inside, which is why we check the roof first and spray only over dry, sound decking. Open-cell does let some moisture pass, so a leak usually shows as a damp spot on the foam rather than staying hidden for long.

It depends on the target R-value and the foam. At HomeGuide's R-3.5 to R-3.7 per inch, open-cell needs roughly 5.5 inches to reach about R-20. Closed-cell at R-5 to R-7 per inch gets there in about 3 to 4 inches. Your quote lists the thickness for each area.

There is an odor while it is sprayed and during curing, which is why everyone stays out of the house for at least 24 hours per HomeGuide's guidance and the area is ventilated. A properly mixed and cured install should not keep smelling after that.

Yes, but not with people inside during spraying and curing. We schedule the job so you can be away for the day and night it takes, and we seal off the work area.

It usually helps most when the ducts and air handler are in the attic, because they no longer sit in extreme heat and any duct leaks land inside the envelope. How much it helps depends on the house, the duct condition and the equipment. We will not promise a percentage.

No. A sealed attic is designed to be unvented. The soffit, ridge and gable vents are closed as part of the job, because leaving them open would pull humid air into the space.

Some shingle makers have had language about unvented roofs. Check your roofing warranty or ask your roofer before the job. We can give you the foam product details to share with them.

It can stay, but often it comes out, especially if it is dirty, wet or full of droppings, so the attic can be used for storage and the ceiling stays clean. We price removal as its own line.

Usually yes, if the old material is dry and clean. We may pull some back to seal the ceiling underneath, then blow new fill over everything. Wet, moldy or droppings-filled insulation should come out first.

Cellulose settles somewhat after install, so it is blown a little deeper to account for that. Fiberglass settles less. The quote lists the settled depth and R-value we are aiming for.

In a poorly insulated attic it typically helps, especially combined with sealing the ceiling and duct boots. The savings depend on how much is there now and how leaky the ducts are, so we do not quote a fixed percentage.

FPL's Northwest Florida program lists a $220 rebate when existing ceiling insulation is below R-8 and the work is done by an FPL-approved installer. Check with FPL about current terms and installers before the job.

It depends on how wet the ground is, whether the space floods, its height and where the ducts run. Low, flood-prone spaces near the water often do better with foam under the floor and the vents left open. Drier, taller spaces with ducts in them can benefit from encapsulation.

Batts under floors absorb humidity, get heavy and sag, and the supports rust or rot. Pests also nest in them. Closed-cell foam bonds to the subfloor and does not have that problem.

Yes, with limits. Florida's residential code restricts foam below grade and requires a six-inch gap between foam and exposed earth because of termites. We keep foam on the floor framing and away from the soil.

Yes. Closed-cell foam sprayed on the underside of the subfloor seals and insulates the floor. Where foam is left exposed, we follow the code and the product's requirements for covering or protecting it.

Closed-cell foam sprayed directly on the steel stops humid air from touching the cold metal, which is what causes the drip. It needs to cover the panels fully, including seams and fasteners.

One to two inches of closed-cell is often enough to stop condensation in a storage building. An air-conditioned shop usually gets more on the roof. We set thickness based on how you use the space.

Yes. We spray the steel skin between posts, girts and purlins. Wood in contact with the ground is left clear so it can be inspected.

Yes, foam bonded to the panels deadens rain noise noticeably.

Not always. Dry, clean insulation can stay under a top-up. Wet, moldy, pest-contaminated or debris-filled insulation should come out.

If water came in, the insulation under the leak likely got wet. Some was replaced, some was not. We can check for staining, matting and mold and tell you what we find.

Most attic removals take a day, with new insulation the same day or the next, depending on size and access.

Yes, but it takes cutting and scraping, so it costs more than removing loose fill. Fixr puts it at $1.50 to $3 per square foot, up to about $5 hand-chipped.