Crawl space insulation in Petaluma CA - warmer floors, done in the right order
Cold floors and a drafty house often start in the crawl space. We fix it from below so the rooms above stay comfortable.
Get your crawl space looked at
We're open until 11 PM on weeknights, so you can call (707) 238-6044 after dinner or send the form whenever it suits you.
Why are my floors so cold, and will crawl space insulation fix it?
Crawl space insulation in Petaluma means adding insulation under the floor above your crawl space or on its foundation walls, so the rooms over it stay warmer and quieter.
If the whole family wears socks indoors all winter, or the room over the crawl space never quite warms up, the heat is usually slipping out through the floor. What you'll pay mostly comes down to how much floor sits over the crawl space, whether we insulate the floor or seal the space and do the walls, how much old insulation has to come out and how easy it is to move around down there. The schedule turns on those same things plus whether the city wants a permit, and you'll get your own figures from the estimate once I've been underneath. If it's a tight squeeze, don't worry, I've been fitting into those since I was handing my dad tools.
Why Petaluma homeowners call Evergreen about their crawl space
The owner looks, then checks
I'm the one who goes under your house and writes the estimate, then checks the finished job with you, so what I promised is what you get. I've run it this way since 2017.
Licensed and fully insured, every job
We're licensed and fully insured, so if someone gets hurt in your crawl space or something gets damaged, you're not the one stuck with it. Ask anyone you're comparing to show you the same.
Built to Petaluma's code, permit or not
Petaluma holds all work, permit or not, to state and city building codes, so we plan to them from the start. We find out what the city wants and handle the permit when it applies.
Down there, the order of the work matters more than the brand of insulation. When you're ready, reach us on the contact page and I'll set a time to come look.
How we handle crawl space insulation
I start by laying out both choices side by side, insulating the floor above the crawl space or sealing the space up and insulating its walls, because which one pays off depends on what's under your house. If you have a gas or oil furnace or water heater, I ask about it before we seal anything, since tightening up a house can change how those appliances vent. Then our crew clears out any old insulation that's wet or falling down, seals the gaps around pipes, wires and ducts so the new insulation isn't fighting a draft, and only then puts the insulation in, snug against the floor or the walls with full coverage out to the edges. That sealing step gets done before the insulation goes in, so ask any contractor you're comparing whether their quote includes it.
My dad used to say the crawl space is only half the story, and he was right. If drafts upstairs come from around windows, outlets and the attic hatch, our air sealing services take care of those, and if the outside walls of an older house are hollow, wall insulation is next on the list, though I'll tell you plainly if it can wait.
Insulating the floor above
This keeps the crawl space vented and puts insulation snug against the underside of your floor. It suits a crawl space with no ducts or furnace down there, and it's usually the less expensive way to warm up cold floors.
Sealing it up and insulating the walls
We close the space off, treat it more like a basement and insulate the foundation walls, which suits houses with ducts or a furnace under the floor. Any foam on those walls should meet the local code office's fire rules.
Clearing out old insulation first
When what's down there now is wet, moldy or falling apart, it comes out before anything new goes in. Putting fresh material over it only buries the problem.
How do you know your crawl space insulation needs work?
Cold floors underfoot
The floors feel cold through your socks all winter. That usually means the insulation below is missing, thin or has dropped away, and until it's fixed you're paying to heat the dirt.
Insulation sagging or fallen
If you peek through the hatch and see batts drooping or lying on the ground, they've stopped doing their job. The longer they sit there, the more moisture they soak up.
A damp, musty smell
A musty smell drifting up through the floor usually means moisture is coming up from the ground. Left alone, it soaks the insulation and works its way into the wood framing.
Drafts along the baseboards
Cold air at the baseboards or around pipes coming through the floor points to gaps nobody sealed. Every month it waits, your heater runs longer and the power bill shows it.
What happens when you call us about your crawl space?
Call and I come look
Call or send the form and we'll set a time for me to come out. I crawl under the house, talk through what I see and give you an estimate.
Permit first, then the work
If the city wants a permit, we handle it, and most Petaluma permits take a few weeks, sometimes months. Then our crew lead and installers do the work.
I check it with you
Before we call it done, I go back under with a flashlight and look it over with you. If you'd rather not crawl, I'll bring photos up instead.
Crawl space questions we get
These are the questions people ask me most often standing at the crawl space hatch. If yours isn't here, call and ask about your own house.
What is the best way to insulate a crawl space, the floor or the walls?
An older federal energy fact sheet favors sealing the crawl space and insulating its foundation walls over the usual floor insulation in a vented space. Sealing treats the crawl space like a basement, so the real choice is whether to close yours up or keep it vented. Since that guidance is national and a few years old, I show you both for your own house before you decide.
How much does crawl space insulation cost in Petaluma?
Across the US, insulating a crawl space usually costs about $3 to $6 per square foot, and that's a national figure because there's no Petaluma price to point to. Where yours lands depends on the size, the method, how much old insulation comes out and how much sealing it needs. I'll give you your own number once I've been down there.
How do I find out if I need a permit for crawl space insulation in Petaluma?
Petaluma keeps a list of projects that need building permits, says that list isn't complete, and answers permit questions at building@cityofpetaluma.org. We find out what the city wants for your job and handle the permit when one's needed. If we're not sure, we ask the building office before we start.
Is it safe to seal a crawl space if I have a gas furnace or water heater?
It can be, but it needs checking, because sealing can sometimes make gas or oil appliances that vent on their own draft push combustion gases back into the house. National energy guidance suggests having a Home Performance Contractor test those appliances before and after sealing. That's why I ask about yours before we seal anything.
Do I need a vapor barrier in a crawl space with a dirt floor?
If the floor is bare dirt, you want a vapor barrier, a sheet that slows moisture, because without one, or with one that's torn, ground vapor and soil gases come up into the space. Ask whether yours is there and still working, and I'll check it while I'm underneath. When it's missing, we can put in a crawl space vapor barrier.
What license does an insulation contractor need in California?
California has a C-2 Insulation and Acoustical license class for contractors who install insulating materials. Ask anyone you're thinking of hiring which license class they hold, since that tells you what work their license covers.
Book your free crawl space estimate
Tell us your address, about how big the crawl space is and whether you have gas or oil appliances, and we'll reply within one business day. I'll come out, look underneath and give you a free estimate, with no obligation.
Crawl space work, up close
Work that often goes with it
Wall insulation
If the outside walls feel cold to the touch in winter, insulating them closes the other big gap in an older house after the floor is done.
Learn moreAir sealing services
When you still feel cold air moving in rooms the crawl space work didn't touch, sealing those leaks keeps the heat you've paid for inside.
Learn more