Spray Foam Insulation in Berkeley, CA

Spray Foam Insulation in Berkeley deals with older houses in one of the East Bay's foggiest cities. Wikipedia notes that Berkeley's position directly opposite the Golden Gate lets fog blanket it more often than its neighbors, and summers are cooler than a typical Mediterranean climate. Average annual precipitation is 25.40 inches, with February the wettest month. Uninsulated floors and walls feel that cool, damp air for much of the year.

Growth after 1906

Berkeley's slow early growth ended with the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, when thousands of refugees came across the Bay. On September 17, 1923, a major fire swept down from the hills and burned around 640 structures. Today's housing mixes pre-1923 houses, homes rebuilt after the fire, and later infill.

Common work

Older Berkeley houses usually need attic sealing and depth, floor insulation over the crawl space, and dense-pack walls. We check for knob-and-tube wiring and vermiculite first.

Fault and hills

The Hayward Fault runs along the base of the Berkeley Hills, and elevation rises quickly east of it. Hill homes get warmer, sunnier afternoons and benefit from attic sealing as much as from floor insulation.

Sound

Student neighborhoods and busy streets make sound control a common request. Open-cell foam in walls opened during remodels cuts noise noticeably.

Zone

OpenEI lists Alameda County in climate zone 3C. ENERGY STAR recommends R-49 for an uninsulated zone 3 attic and R-19 under floors.

Shared walls and duplexes

Many Berkeley lots hold duplexes and small multi-unit buildings. We insulate within each unit and can quote units separately for owners who rent out part of the building.

We visit and quote each area in writing. Get a free estimate