Frequently Asked Questions

HomeGuide's national range is $1.50 to $5.00 per square foot of coverage, or about $1,500 to $5,000 for 1,000 square feet, and most jobs carry a $1,000 to $2,000 minimum. A rim joist runs about $2,000 to $2,500 in HomeGuide's figures. We measure first and give you a written price for each area.

Yes. It costs more than blown-in, the house must be empty while it cures, and it is hard to remove later. Closed-cell foam on a roof deck can also hide a slow roof leak, so the roof has to be sound first. That is why we only recommend foam where it clearly beats the alternatives.

The concern is mostly about foam that was installed badly: off-ratio foam that smells, foam that pulls away from framing, or foam sprayed over a roof deck that was already leaking and now cannot be seen. Foam that is mixed and applied correctly, to the right thickness, on a dry surface, does not carry those problems. We note the product and depth on your paperwork so a future buyer can see what was done.

Usually because it was the wrong foam in the wrong place, such as open cell sprayed on a cold surface where moisture collects, or because it was poorly installed. Some owners also remove it to repair framing or a roof. Removal is slow and HomeGuide puts it at $1.00 to $2.50 per square foot, which is a good reason to get the plan right the first time.

Closed cell is dense, rated about R-5 to R-7 per inch, and slows vapor, so it suits rim joists, crawl space walls and roof decks. Open cell is soft, about R-3.5 to R-3.8 per inch, and lets vapor pass, so it suits interior cavities and attic rooflines with a vapor plan. Many Holland jobs use both in different places.

Ottawa County is in Climate Zone 5A, where the Department of Energy recommends R-60 for an attic with no insulation, or adding R-49 over 3 to 4 inches that are already there. We seal the attic floor first, then bring it up to depth.

Closed-cell foam has the higher R-value per inch, about R-5 to R-7 in HomeGuide's figures, compared with roughly R-3.5 to R-3.8 for open cell. Total R-value depends on thickness, so we write the depth and resulting R-value on the estimate.

HomeGuide advises leaving for at least 24 hours while foam cures and the space is ventilated. For a cottage, we often schedule foam between visits so it has time to air out.

Closed-cell foam at normal thickness slows water vapor and does not absorb water, so it keeps damp air off cold surfaces like rim joists and crawl space walls. It does not stop liquid water from a leak, which has to be fixed first.

Not in the usual way, because foam has to be sprayed into open cavities. For closed walls we normally fill with dense-pack cellulose through small holes, or open the wall if it is being remodeled anyway.

Michigan's energy code sets ceiling insulation for new construction by climate zone, and the 2021 IECC that the state has been moving toward calls for R-60 in Zone 5. For existing homes there is no requirement to upgrade, but the Department of Energy recommends R-60 for an empty Zone 5 attic or adding R-49 over 3 to 4 inches.

Only if it is wet, moldy, contaminated by animals or in the way of air sealing. Dry, clean insulation can stay and be topped up. If it looks like vermiculite, it should be tested before anyone disturbs it.

Sealing the attic floor and insulating it to depth removes most of the warm air that melts roof snow, which is the main cause of ice dams. Roof shape and ventilation matter too, and we check both.

For an open attic floor, sealing plus blown-in is usually the better value. Foam under the roof deck makes sense when the attic holds ducts or a furnace, or is becoming living space.

For a year-round house, a sealed and insulated crawl space usually stays drier and warmer. A cottage on open piers or a space that cannot be closed is better handled by insulating the floor above.

HomeGuide puts encapsulation at $3 to $10 per square foot, or $3,000 to $15,000 for a typical job, and a vapor barrier alone at $1,200 to $4,000. Water management, if needed, is extra.

Foam does not kill mold, but closed-cell foam keeps humid air off cold surfaces, which removes the condensation mold needs. Existing mold and its moisture source have to be dealt with first.

Sealing and insulating the walls and rim keeps the crawl space much closer to house temperature, which is the most reliable way to protect pipes that run through it.

Two to three inches of closed-cell is common, which gives about R-10 to R-21 using HomeGuide's R-5 to R-7 per inch. We write the thickness on the estimate.

We usually pull them out. Foam needs to stick directly to the wood to seal it, and batts often hide moisture or mice.

Finishing a basement usually needs a permit; insulating a rim joist on its own often does not. Your local building department makes that call, and we can tell you what they typically ask for.

Closed-cell foam keeps humid indoor air off the cold wall, which stops condensation. It does not stop water leaking through the foundation, which needs to be fixed first.

After. Electrical, plumbing and any blocking should be done and inspected before walls are foamed, because foam makes later changes much harder.

Yes. Dense-pack cellulose is blown in through small holes from inside or under lifted siding, and the holes are patched.

In a closed wall, dense-pack is usually the practical choice and slows air well. Foam adds more R-value per inch and seals better, but it needs the wall to be open.

It can if the outside of the wall leaks. We check flashing, gutters and siding first and tell you about anything that needs repair.

Usually because it was the wrong type for the spot, such as open cell on a cold surface, or it was mixed or installed badly and smells or has pulled away. Removal is slow, which is why getting foam right the first time matters.

No, not if it is dry and clean. It only needs to come out if it is wet, moldy, contaminated or in the way of air sealing.

Most attics take a day to vacuum out, plus time for sealing and new insulation.

Have it tested before anyone disturbs it. If it contains asbestos, a licensed abatement contractor has to remove it.