Insulation Before & After in Palo Alto, CA
Photos beat promises every time. Below you’ll find real jobs we’ve completed across Palo Alto and nearby neighborhoods, each with the problem we found, the work we performed, and the documented result. Every project includes a written scope, a flat price agreed to beforehand, and a photo record delivered when we leave. If we performed air sealing, you’ll also see the before-and-after blower-door numbers that prove the envelope tightened.
Recent Transformations
Attic Insulation Removal & Replacement, Old Palo Alto
The homeowner called after a home energy audit flagged temperature swings between the first and second floors. We found 6 inches of compressed, rodent-contaminated fiberglass sitting atop original 1950s rock wool, with visible gaps around chimney chases and unsealed top plates letting conditioned air escape into the attic. We removed all existing material, sealed every penetration with fire-rated foam and rigid blocking, then blew in new Owens Corning fiberglass to R-38. The blower-door test read 3,800 CFM50 before sealing and 2,200 after - a 42% reduction in envelope leakage. The second floor now holds temperature within 2 degrees of the thermostat setting.
Crawl Space Encapsulation & Vapor Barrier, Professorville
This 1920s Professorville crawl space had a thin, torn 6-mil poly sheet over bare dirt, with seasonal standing water wicking into floor joists and musty air migrating upward through gaps in the subfloor. We removed the failed barrier, graded and prepped the soil, then installed a 20-mil reinforced vapor barrier with sealed perimeter piers and walls. Closed-cell spray foam went on the rim joists to stop stack effect at the base of the house. The homeowner reported the first floor felt warmer within 48 hours, and the musty smell disappeared entirely.
Spray Foam Insulation, Wall Retrofit, Barron Park
A Barron Park homeowner renovating a 1948 addition discovered empty stud bays and remnants of old knob-and-tube wiring during drywall removal. We coordinated with their electrician to verify all active circuits were removed or updated, then applied Icynene open-cell spray foam to fill each cavity completely. The foam acts as both insulation and air barrier, eliminating the convection loops that made the room feel drafty despite the heating system running constantly. The blower-door reduction on this isolated section was 680 CFM50 - significant for a single-room retrofit.
Attic Air Sealing & Blown-In Insulation, Midtown
Midtown homes from the 1960s often have good insulation depth but terrible air sealing, and this one was typical. We found twelve unsealed can lights, open soffit chases pulling attic air into wall cavities, and 3/4-inch gaps around every duct boot where the flex connected to the ceiling grille. We built rigid dams at the soffits, sealed the can lights with fire-rated covers, foamed every duct boot and wire penetration, then blew in GreenFiber cellulose to a consistent R-38 depth. The blower door dropped from 4,150 CFM50 to 2,400 - and the homeowner’s PG&E bill dropped 23% the following winter.
Radiant Barrier Installation, Southgate
A Southgate homeowner with a south-facing dark composite shingle roof was seeing attic temperatures hit 140°F in July, overwhelming their HVAC and shortening the life of ductwork running through the space. We installed a perforated radiant barrier across the rafter bays, which reflects radiant heat rather than absorbing it. Unlike spray-on coatings that degrade, this is a physical aluminum product that maintains performance for decades. Attic peak temperature dropped to 108°F the following summer, and the air handler stopped short-cycling on the hottest afternoons.
Attic Cleaning & Rodent Proofing, Crescent Park
Crescent Park’s mature tree canopy makes it prime territory for roof rat activity, and this attic showed the evidence: tunnels through fiberglass, nesting material packed against a furnace flue, and entry gaps at three eave returns where fascia met soffit. We removed all contaminated material, HEPA-vacuumed and sanitized the deck, then sealed every entry point with galvanized steel mesh and foam that rodents can’t chew through. New Knauf EcoFill blown-in fiberglass went to R-38 after sealing. The homeowner received the full photo record showing every sealed gap, and we haven’t been back for rodents since.
What Every Job Includes
Whether your project looks like one of these or involves a combination of services, the deliverables don’t change. Under Haven Standard Clause 1, you get a flat written price and written scope before anyone lifts a tool. The crew arrives in uniform, background-checked, and on schedule - you’ll get a text when they’re on the way. We document every visit with photos you receive automatically, and on air-sealing jobs, we publish before-and-after blower-door numbers so you can verify the result in a single figure. Our 365-Day Done Right Promise means if it’s not done right, we make it right.
What happens when you call
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A real person answersNo phone trees - you reach a local pro.
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You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched.
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A background-checked tech heads outLicensed & insured, dispatched right away.
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You approve before work beginsNothing starts until you say go.
Want Results Like These?
Call (650) 352-3577 to schedule a free assessment. We’ll inspect your attic or crawl space, explain what we find, and deliver a written price before any work starts. No voicemail loops - a live person answers, day or night. Serving Palo Alto and surrounding communities since 2016.
Written by Wes Okafor, Owner at Topside Attic Insulation Palo Alto, serving Palo Alto since 2016.