I come out and look myself
After you call or send a message, we set up a visit and I come out to look at the crawl space in person. I opened this business in Aliso Viejo in 2013, and I've spent plenty of time under houses since.
Crawl space insulation in Aliso Viejo CA - warmer floors over sound framing
Cold floors or a damp, musty space under the house? We fix what's wrong down there first, then insulate where it belongs.
Should you insulate under the floor or along the crawl space walls?
Crawl space insulation in Aliso Viejo goes in one of two places, against the underside of your floor or along the crawl space walls, and that choice decides where your house's insulated shell stops. We help you pick the right spot and do the work in an order that doesn't hide problems.
Most people call us about cold floors, a musty smell coming up into the house or a power bill that seems high for the size of the place. At Quality Aliso Viejo Insulation Services, I start by looking under the floor, because insulation laid over rot, droppings or a damp spot just hides the problem until it gets worse.
The price mostly comes down to the floor area, whether the framing needs repairs first, and whether we're insulating the floor or the walls and closing up the space. The schedule turns on those same repairs and on the days the city allows construction, and my written estimate lists each step and anything that has to happen first, so you see your own number and order before we start.
What happens when you call about your crawl space?
It's a short list, and you'll know at each step who's under your house and why. We're licensed and fully insured.
A written estimate with repairs listed first
I write down what I find, and the estimate lists each step in order along with anything that has to be fixed before insulation goes in. That way you know what the job really involves before anyone picks up a tool.
Our own crew, inside the city's work hours
Our own crew does the work in the order the estimate lays out, and I look it over before we call it finished. Aliso Viejo allows construction from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturdays, with none on Sundays or federal holidays, so we book your days inside those hours.
How we handle crawl space insulation
Before anything goes under the floor, we check the framing for rot and pest damage, and repairs come first because insulation over a bad joist just covers it up. We also ask what heating and cooling equipment and which pipes sit down there, since that decides whether the insulation belongs against the floor or along the walls. Then we close the gaps where pipes, wires and ducts pass through the floor, and only after that does the insulation go up, held tight so it can't sag away from the wood. Closed-cell foam, a dense spray foam that also blocks moisture, costs more and seals air as it goes on, so I suggest it mostly when ducts or equipment live down there, and otherwise sealing the gaps and putting up batts, the pre-cut blankets most people picture, usually does the job for less.
The crawl space is often one part of a bigger draft problem. If air is leaking in around the rest of the house too, our air sealing services close those gaps, and if rooms still feel hot or cold along the outside walls, we can look at wall insulation on the same visit.
- Framing checked for rot and pest damage before any insulation goes in
- Repairs written into the estimate and done ahead of the insulation
- A clear call on floor or wall insulation, based on the equipment and pipes below
- Gaps around pipes, wires and ducts sealed before insulating
- Insulation held in full contact with the floor, with supports suited to batts or blown fill
How the work goes under your house
Each step sets up the next one, so we don't skip ahead even when it would be quicker.
Clear out what shouldn't stay
We cover the path from your door to the crawl space access so what comes out from under the house stays off your floors. Old insulation that's soaked or full of droppings comes out first, because new material laid over it keeps the problem right where it is.
Make the repairs
Rot or pest damage in the framing gets fixed next, since it's much harder to see once insulation is up. If something turns up that wasn't visible at the estimate, I tell you before we go on.
Seal the gaps
We close the openings around pipes, wires and ducts that run up through the floor, which is what air sealing means, closing gaps before insulating. Insulation slows heat but doesn't stop moving air, so a gap left open keeps pulling outside air into the room above.
Insulate and clean up
The insulation goes in next, held tight against the floor or fastened along the walls, depending on the plan we agreed on, and the estimate says which kind of supports we're using. We clean the access and the path through the house before we pack up.
Get a written crawl space plan with the repairs listed first
Tell us about your crawl space and we'll respond within 1 business day to set up a visit, with no pressure to book. I come out, look over the space and give you a free quote on site that lists each step and anything that has to be fixed first. Satisfaction guaranteed.
(949) 619-8040Crawl space insulation questions from Aliso Viejo homeowners
Should I insulate the floor or the walls of my crawl space?
If heating and cooling equipment or plumbing pipes sit in your crawl space, national building guidance says to insulate the crawl space walls rather than the floor above, so those end up inside the insulated shell. That guidance is aimed mostly at hot, humid and cold climates, so I make the call once I've seen what's actually down there.
Is it safe to seal the vents in my crawl space?
Not by itself, because federal guidance warns that closing the vents without the rest of the crawl space work can raise moisture, and with naturally vented fuel-burning equipment down there it can create a deadly situation. Planned as a whole job, with that equipment dealt with before the vents close, federal research found sealed crawl spaces used less energy for heating and cooling and cut humidity by more than 20%. In older homes, wraps on ducts and pipes can contain asbestos, and if they're found, a certified asbestos abatement firm has to inspect them and decide how they're handled.
Who is allowed to install insulation in a house in California?
California's contractor licensing board treats installing any insulation for temperature or sound control as the work of an insulation and acoustical contractor. When you compare quotes, it's fair to ask each contractor which license they hold for the job.
How much does crawl space insulation cost in Aliso Viejo?
Across the US, insulating a crawl space usually costs about $3 to $6 per square foot. That's a national range, not our price, so treat it as a rough guide, and a bigger floor means a bigger total. Your own figure comes from the estimate after I've seen the space and any repairs it needs.
Crawl space work in Aliso Viejo and nearby cities
The City of Aliso Viejo issues building permits in the name of either the licensed contractor or the property owner. Permit questions belong to the city's building office, so we check with them about your job and take care of the permit when one is needed.
The city lists Climate Zone 6 among its building design requirements, and the state energy code ties its standards for a home's outer shell to that zone. We're based in Aliso Viejo and work in cities across Orange County, including Laguna Niguel, Mission Viejo and Laguna Hills, plus plenty more nearby.
Tell us what's under your floor
Call (949) 619-8040, email office@alisoviejoinsulation.com or use the contact form, and if you can, give us the rough floor area and whether any equipment or pipes sit down there so I know what to look for.
If you're not sure your crawl space needs work at all, send a quick note and I'll tell you straight whether it's worth doing.
Tell us about your project