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Serving Reno, NV and surrounding areas(775) 491-3183
Most Reno homes built before 1990 are running significant insulation deficits that show up on every NV Energy bill. Blown-in material fills attic floors and closed wall cavities completely, reaching Nevada's required R-49 without demolition or disruption to your finishes.
Blown-in insulation in Reno uses compressed air to propel loose-fill cellulose or fiberglass into attic cavities and enclosed wall voids, filling around joists, wiring, and pipes that batt insulation cannot seat against cleanly — most attic jobs are completed in a single day with no required vacate period.
The Reno housing stock is older than many homeowners realize. The median construction year for homes in this area sits around 1989, which means a large share of the city's houses were built under energy codes that asked for a fraction of today's R-49 attic requirement. Those homes are losing heat through ceilings that are either barely insulated or carrying degraded material that has settled over decades. Blown-in insulation is the most practical way to close that gap without significant disruption, since it is applied directly over whatever is already there.
For open attic floors, the process is straightforward. For enclosed wall cavities in older Reno homes, dense-pack blown-in is installed through small holes drilled in exterior siding or drywall — the same technique that makes this the preferred upgrade path for the pre-1980 homes concentrated in Midtown and the University District. If your project also involves attic insulation work in the same scope, combining both services in one visit reduces total cost and disruption. For homes where the exterior walls are the main concern, wall insulation services can be scoped separately.
Reno's winters at 4,500 feet are genuine, with overnight lows regularly dropping into single digits from November through February. If your NV Energy heating bills keep climbing, an under-insulated attic is typically the first place to check — heat rises directly through inadequate coverage and is gone before your furnace can replace it.
When one part of your house is noticeably colder or warmer than another, the insulation in the surrounding structure is usually inconsistent or missing. Blown-in material fills the irregular gaps around joists, pipes, and wiring that batt insulation routinely bridges, evening out the thermal performance across the whole floor assembly.
Floors over unconditioned spaces are among the most overlooked insulation gaps in Reno homes. If your feet are cold in a room directly above the garage, there is likely little or no insulation in the floor joist bays below — an area blown-in material can fill without requiring demolition.
Homes constructed in Reno before the mid-1990s were built under older energy codes that set R-value minimums far below today's standards. The median construction year for Reno housing sits around 1989, meaning a large share of existing homes are running significant thermal deficits that were baked in at the time they were built.
Reno Insulation installs both loose-fill cellulose and blown-in fiberglass across residential attics, floor assemblies over unconditioned spaces, and enclosed wall cavities throughout the Truckee Meadows. The right material and method depend on where the insulation is going and what conditions it needs to perform in.
For open attic floors — the most common job in Reno's existing housing stock — we begin with comprehensive air sealing of top plates, plumbing penetrations, and attic bypasses. Skipping this step is the most frequent reason blown-in insulation underperforms; stack-effect-driven air movement circulates through loose-fill and undermines the effective R-value even when depth is correct. After sealing, we set depth-indicator rulers as required by federal FTC rules, then blow material to the settled depth needed to reach R-49 or whatever target your project specifies. Both cellulose and fiberglass loose-fill are available. Cellulose provides a slightly higher R-value per inch, around R-3.5 compared to roughly R-2.5 for fiberglass, and fills gaps more aggressively due to the fine particle size. Fiberglass settles less and some homeowners prefer it for allergen reasons. We can walk through both options during the on-site assessment.
For enclosed wall cavities — the situation in most pre-1980 Reno homes where opening walls is cost-prohibitive — dense-pack cellulose is the standard approach. The material is injected at higher density through small holes drilled in the siding or drywall, where it packs tightly enough to resist future settling and to meaningfully reduce air infiltration through the wall assembly. This technique is referenced in attic insulation projects as a companion service when the whole envelope needs attention, and it is the core of wall insulation scopes where the primary concern is the exterior walls. The NAIMA Insulation Institute provides technical standards for both open-attic and dense-pack applications that our crew follows on every project.
Best for existing homes where the attic floor is accessible and the goal is reaching R-49 in one visit without removing existing material.
Best for pre-1980 Reno homes with closed wall cavities where opening the walls is not practical or cost-effective.
Reno sits at roughly 4,500 feet in the Truckee River valley, where IECC Climate Zone 5B conditions produce winter overnight lows that regularly fall into single digits and summer highs that push past 100 degrees Fahrenheit. That range demands insulation that actually performs in both directions, and Nevada's 2021 IECC adoption sets the minimum attic standard at R-49 to reflect it. For the large share of Reno homes built before the mid-1990s under far lower requirements, blown-in upgrades are often the fastest path to compliance.
The neighborhoods with the highest density of under-insulated homes are concentrated in central and south Reno: Midtown, Old Southwest, and the streets surrounding the University of Nevada campus. These areas contain a mix of homes from the 1950s through 1980s where attic floors may hold as little as 2 to 4 inches of settled fiberglass batt. The outer growth corridors — including Sun Valley and Lemmon Valley — tend to have newer homes that may still benefit from topping up to the current code standard. Reno's semi-arid climate keeps moisture-related risks in the attic low, which makes blown-in cellulose and fiberglass both reliable choices without the added complexity of vapor management that humid climates require.
In Sparks and the broader Truckee Meadows, Reno Insulation handles the same range of retrofit and new-construction blown-in projects. Homeowners throughout the metro who are preparing for inspection under a pulled permit, pursuing an NV Energy rebate, or simply trying to get ahead of the next heating season will find the same crew and the same process regardless of which side of the city line their address falls on.
Reach Reno Insulation by phone or through the online form. We respond within 1 business day to gather details about your attic or wall cavities and schedule a convenient time to visit.
A licensed technician visits your home, measures existing insulation depth, identifies any conditions that need to be addressed first — such as air bypasses, ventilation gaps, or wiring clearances — and produces a written estimate. The visit is free with no obligation. We also confirm permit requirements with the Washoe County Regional Building Department if your project scope triggers review.
Our crew sets up depth-indicator rulers per FTC requirements, seals attic bypasses and penetrations before the first bag is loaded, then blows material to the specified settled depth. Most attic jobs are completed in a single day, and you remain in your home throughout — unlike spray foam, there is no required re-occupancy window.
We leave all product bags and their FTC-required coverage labels on site, document the completed installed depth, and provide the records needed to support an NV Energy rebate application or an IRS 25C tax credit claim if your project qualifies.
Free on-site assessment, no obligation. We confirm permit requirements and NV Energy rebate eligibility at no charge during the visit.
(775) 491-3183Our Nevada State Contractors Board license is active and searchable through the NSCB's public lookup tool. Nevada law requires this credential for any insulation project valued at $1,000 or more — it is your primary legal protection if a dispute arises.
The most common reason blown-in insulation underperforms is skipping the air sealing step. Our process addresses top plates, plumbing penetrations, and attic bypasses before the blower is turned on, so the R-value you pay for is the R-value that shows up on your energy bill.
Federal law requires installers to place depth-indicator rulers in the attic before blowing so coverage can be verified. We follow this requirement on every job — not as a formality, but as a practical quality check that protects you from under-depth installations.
We have completed blown-in attic upgrades in homes across Reno's established neighborhoods — including pre-1990s homes in Midtown and the University District where thin or damaged original insulation is the norm, not the exception.
These specifics matter because blown-in insulation is one of those services where the difference between a good job and a poor one is invisible after the crew leaves. Proper air sealing, correct depth, and compliant documentation are not visible from the attic hatch — but they determine whether your energy bills actually drop. Homeowners who want to verify the work can check the depth rulers we leave in place and review the product bag coverage charts we leave on site as required by the FTC R-Value Rule.
Full-service attic insulation covering assessment, air sealing, and installation to the R-49 minimum required by Nevada's adopted energy code for Climate Zone 5B.
Learn moreDense-pack blown-in insulation for enclosed wall cavities in existing Reno homes — installed through small drilled holes, no drywall removal required.
Learn moreReno Insulation provides free on-site estimates with same-week scheduling available. The sooner you call, the sooner your NV Energy bills reflect the upgrade.