Blown-In Insulation Glendale

What is Blown-In Insulation?

It's loose-fill material we blow into your attic using specialized equipment. Unlike batt insulation that comes in pre-cut rolls, blown-in flows around pipes, wires, and junction boxes. No gaps. No voids. Just a seamless thermal blanket across your entire attic floor.

Here's why it matters for Glendale homes: most houses in Adams Hill, Chevy Chase, and Rossmoyne weren't built for easy retrofits. Trying to stuff batts around old wiring and oddly-spaced joists? That's a nightmare. Blown-in just flows wherever it needs to go.

Fiberglass vs. Cellulose: Which One's Right for You?

We get this question a lot. Honestly? Both work great. But there are real differences that might tip the scales for your home.

Blown-In Fiberglass

Made from recycled glass spun into fine fibers. It's lightweight and won't burn. Moisture doesn't faze it, so mold isn't an issue. You'll get about R-2.2 to R-2.7 per inch, and it holds that R-value for decades without settling much.

• Won't catch fire - important if you've got recessed lights in the ceiling
• Doesn't absorb water, so it won't support mold
• Weighs less than cellulose - better for older ceilings that can't handle extra load
• Deadens sound from outside traffic on Brand Blvd or Glenoaks
• Lasts 40+ years without breaking down

Blown-In Cellulose

Recycled newspaper treated with fire retardants. Packs denser than fiberglass - you'll hit R-3.2 to R-3.8 per inch. That density also seals air leaks better than fiberglass can.

• More R-value per inch means you don't need as much depth
• 85% recycled content - good for the planet
• Denser packing naturally blocks air movement
• Treated against fire, bugs, and mold
• Usually runs $200-400 less than fiberglass for a typical Glendale attic

How We Install Blown-In Insulation

Most jobs take a single day. We've done hundreds of Glendale attics - from cramped 800 sq ft bungalows in Montecito Park to sprawling 2,500 sq ft ranches in Verdugo Woodlands. Here's how it works:

1. We check what you've got: Current insulation depth, air leaks, rodent damage, moisture issues. We need to know what we're working with.
2. Prep work: Seal gaps around recessed lights and pipes. Install baffles at the eaves so your attic still vents properly. This takes 30-60 minutes.
3. Set up the machine: Our truck-mounted blower parks in your driveway. A 150-foot hose reaches anywhere in your attic.
4. Blow it in: We start at the far corners and work back toward the access. Takes about 2-3 hours for most homes.
5. Measure everything: We don't guess. Depth rulers go in every 10 feet to verify you're getting what you paid for.
6. Clean up: Your house looks the same as when we arrived. Maybe better - we've been known to sweep the driveway.

When Blown-In Makes the Most Sense

Not every attic needs blown-in. But if any of these sound like your situation, it's probably your best bet:

• You've already got some insulation: We can blow right over existing batts. No need to tear anything out unless it's damaged.
• Your attic's full of stuff in the way: Ducts, junction boxes, weird framing angles - blown-in flows around all of it. Batts can't do that.
• Can't get a person back there: Some Glenoaks Canyon homes have attics where you'd need to be a contortionist. Our hose reaches 150 feet.
• You've got cathedral ceilings or multiple attic levels: We see these a lot in Chevy Chase. Blown-in handles the complexity.
• You need it done fast: One day. In by 8, out by 3. Your AC works better that same night.

The Cost Math for Glendale Homeowners

Here's the bottom line: blown-in gives you the most bang for your buck. We'll break it down.

• Materials run cheap: Fiberglass and cellulose cost a fraction of spray foam. Simple as that.
• We're in and out in a day: Less labor time = lower bill. Spray foam takes 2-3 days for the same attic.
• No demo needed: We don't touch your drywall or ceilings. Your house stays intact.
• Energy bills drop fast: Most customers see 15-25% savings on cooling costs. One Adams Hill homeowner told us her July SCE bill dropped $87.
• SoCal Gas rebates: You might qualify for $150-500 back. We'll help you with the paperwork.
• Pays for itself in 2-4 years: After that, it's pure savings every month.

Real numbers: a typical 1,500 sq ft Glendale home runs $1,800-2,400 for blown-in to R-38. Spray foam for the same house? $6,000-9,000. Blown-in won't seal air leaks as well, but for most homes, it's plenty.

Why Gaps Matter (And Why Blown-In Eliminates Them)

Here's something most people don't realize: a 4% gap in your insulation can cut its effectiveness by 50%. Four percent. That's a couple square feet in a typical attic.

Batts are notorious for leaving gaps. Every wire, every pipe, every junction box creates a void. Hot air finds those voids like water finds a crack.

Blown-in doesn't leave gaps. It can't. The stuff flows like sand into every corner and crevice:

• Fills joist bays completely - no compression, no air pockets
• Handles the 14-inch and 18-inch joist spacing we see in older Rossmoyne homes
• Flows around Romex wiring without crushing it
• Covers every plumbing boot and vent pipe
• Gets into those tight corners near the eaves where batts always fall short

Walk through any Glendale neighborhood built before 1970. Those houses have been modified, added onto, rewired. Blown-in is the only insulation that can handle that kind of complexity.

How Deep Does It Need to Be?

R-value measures how well insulation blocks heat. Higher is better. For Glendale (Climate Zone 9), the Department of Energy recommends R-30 to R-60 in your attic. Here's what that means in actual inches.

Fiberglass Depths

• R-30: About 10-11 inches - the minimum we'd recommend
• R-38: About 13-14 inches - sweet spot for most homes
• R-49: About 17-18 inches - worth it if you're starting from scratch
• R-60: About 20-22 inches - overkill for most, but some people want maximum

Cellulose Depths

• R-30: About 8-9 inches
• R-38: About 10-11 inches
• R-49: About 13-14 inches
• R-60: About 16-17 inches

What do we usually recommend? R-38 for most Glendale homes. If you're currently sitting at R-11 or R-19 (we see this constantly in Montecito Park and Adams Hill), going to R-38 is going to transform how your house feels in August.

Built for Glendale's Older Homes (1920s-1960s)

Spanish Revival bungalows in Rossmoyne. Craftsman homes in Adams Hill. Mid-century ranches scattered across Verdugo Woodlands. These houses have character. They also have attics that weren't designed for modern insulation.

Blown-in handles these challenges better than any other option:

• Your plaster ceilings stay untouched: We blow from the attic side. Your 1920s crown molding and original details? Safe.
• Weird joist spacing isn't a problem: Pre-war homes didn't follow today's 16-inch standard. Blown-in doesn't care - it fills whatever's there.
• We work with what you've got: That old rock wool from 1948? We can blow right over it. No need to tear out what still works.
• Fills the gaps old insulation leaves: Insulation settles over 50+ years. Blown-in fills those voids and restores your R-value.
• Nothing changes about how your house looks: No drilling through stucco. No visible modifications inside or out.

We've insulated hundreds of older Glendale homes - in Chevy Chase, Glenoaks Canyon, Sparr Heights, and throughout the historic neighborhoods. It's what we do.

What You'll Actually Notice After Installation

• Your AC won't run constantly in July and August anymore
• Upstairs bedrooms stay comfortable - no more 85-degree nights
• That January cold snap? You'll barely notice it inside
• Street noise from Glenoaks or Brand gets noticeably quieter
• Less dust floating around - the attic's sealed better now
• Your HVAC runs less, so it'll last longer (and cost less to maintain)
• Home value goes up - buyers pay more for energy-efficient houses
• We're done in one day. You won't even need to take time off work