Home Comfort Insights from Connecticut's Insulation Experts

Most people think insulation is just about keeping warm in the winter and cool in the summer. And yeah, that’s part of it. But here’s what nobody tells you:

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Pick the wrong insulation—or install it wrong—and you’re basically inviting moisture, mold, and rot into your home like they’re old buddies.

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We’ve seen it happen more times than we can count. So let’s walk through where things go sideways—and how to keep your home bone-dry and mold-free.

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Insulation vs. Moisture: The Hidden Battle

Good insulation does more than trap heat. It plays defense against moisture sneaking into places it doesn’t belong.

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A solid insulation setup should:

• Keep warm, humid air from hitting cold surfaces (that’s how condensation happens)
• Let trapped moisture escape so it doesn’t sit and fester
• Work with ventilation to keep humidity levels balanced year-round

Miss any of those, and you're asking for trouble—like mold behind the walls or soggy insulation that stops doing its job.

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Not All Insulation Plays Nice with Moisture

Here’s where things get real. Some insulation materials handle moisture like a pro. Others act like a sponge or a sealed jar. Either way, that’s bad news.

🚩 Fiberglass: The Damp Sponge

• The Problem: Fiberglass batts are basically fluffy mats that absorb water if it gets in—and they hold onto it like a grudge.
• The Risk: Trapped moisture = mold city. Once it starts, good luck getting it out without tearing open your walls.
• Mike’s Advice: If you have to use fiberglass, pair it with a solid vapor barrier. Otherwise, don’t be surprised when you smell mildew by fall.

🚩 Spray Foam: The Airtight Trap

• The Problem: Closed-cell spray foam seals everything tight—which is great unless moisture gets in. Then it’s trapped with nowhere to go.
• The Risk: You can end up with hidden rot behind the foam, and you won’t even know it until it’s a major repair job.
• Mike’s Advice: Spray foam is high-performance stuff, but it’s not forgiving. If your installer cuts corners, you’ll pay for it later.

✅ Cellulose: The Moisture Whisperer

• The Best Bet: Blown-in cellulose is like the Swiss Army knife of insulation—it manages moisture naturally.
• Why It Works: It’s vapor-permeable (lets humidity move), treated with mold-fighting borates, and doesn’t freak out when it gets damp.
• Mike’s Take: If you live in Connecticut and care about long-term comfort and mold prevention, cellulose is your best friend.

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How Mold Creeps In

Mold needs three things:

1. Moisture (from condensation, leaks, or bad ventilation)
2. A food source (wood, drywall, insulation—basically your whole house)
3. Warm temps (yep, that’s your attic and basement)

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When insulation’s done wrong, you’re basically giving mold the VIP pass.

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Common Offenders:

⚠️ Attic Mold:

• Warm air rises from the living space
• Hits a cold roof deck
• Condensation forms, wood stays wet, mold moves in

⚠️ Basement & Crawlspace Mold:

• Summer humidity + cold concrete walls = condensation
• Fiberglass down there just soaks it all up

⚠️ Wall Cavity Mold:

• Poor spray foam or fiberglass jobs leave gaps or trap water
• You don’t see it—but it’s definitely growing

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Mike’s Moisture-Proof Insulation Combo

Here’s what we use to keep houses dry, tight, and mold-free:

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✅ Blown-In Cellulose

• Regulates moisture
• Treated with borates (so mold and pests hate it)
• Fills every nook and cranny

✅ Rigid Foam Board

• Perfect for basements and crawlspaces
• Doesn’t soak up water
• Durable and long-lasting

✅ Proper Air Sealing + Ventilation

• Keeps humid air out
• Lets moisture escape
• Keeps indoor air fresh, not funky

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Why Nealon Insulation?

We’ve been insulating Connecticut homes since 1977. We’ve seen every moisture mess you can imagine—and more than a few we wish we hadn’t.

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When you work with us, here’s what you get:

✔ Moisture-smart insulation assessments – We don’t just quote. We investigate.
✔ Cellulose installed the right way – Dense-packed and dialed in.
✔ Air sealing and ventilation solutions – Because insulation is only half the battle.

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If your home has drafty corners, mystery odors, or suspicious spots on the ceiling, it might be time to take a closer look at your insulation—and your moisture game.

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📞 Give Nealon Insulation a shout. We’ll make sure your home stays warm, dry, and worry-free.

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Insulation isn’t one of those “set it and forget it” jobs. If it’s done right, your home runs like a well-oiled machine—quiet, cozy, and energy-efficient. If it’s done wrong? You’re looking at drafty rooms, sky-high energy bills, and maybe even mold or rot down the line.

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That’s why experience matters. And not the “we watched a few YouTube videos” kind. We’re talking decades in the field, solving real problems in real homes.

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At Nealon Insulation, we’ve been doing this since 1977. Nearly 50 years of crawling through attics, sealing up basements, and dialing in insulation systems across the Connecticut shoreline. Here’s why that kind of experience makes all the difference.

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1. Connecticut Homes Are No Joke

Insulating a shoreline home in Connecticut isn’t the same as working on a condo in Phoenix. We’ve got a full four seasons to deal with—and they don’t mess around.

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What we’ve learned after 48 years here:

• Moisture is enemy #1. Coastal humidity will sneak into your walls and rot your framing if your insulation isn’t moisture-smart.
• Cold snaps and heat waves are real. Your insulation has to pull double duty—keeping heat in during winter and out during summer.
• Local codes matter. And they’re strict. An experienced contractor doesn’t just meet code—they design to perform.

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Bottom line: you don’t want someone learning on your house. You want someone who’s already made—and learned from—the mistakes. That’s us.

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2. Rookie Mistakes Cost You

Want to know the fastest way to ruin a perfectly good insulation job?

• Skip the air sealing. Without it, insulation just becomes expensive fluff.
• Compress the batts. That flattens your R-value faster than a pancake.
• Use the wrong material. Spray foam in the wrong spot, or fiberglass in a crawlspace? Enjoy your future mold problem.
• Ignore moisture control. Say hello to black spots on your ceiling.

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We’ve seen these screw-ups again and again. And the fix usually costs more than doing it right the first time. Lucky for you, that’s our specialty.

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3. We Know Which Materials Actually Work

Not all insulation is created equal. And not every contractor understands when to use what.

Here’s what we lean on at Nealon:
✅ Cellulose insulation – Our go-to. It’s dense, air-sealing, mold-resistant, and made from recycled materials.
✅ Borate treatment – Keeps pests and mold at bay without harsh chemicals.
✅ Material matching – We choose the right stuff for the right spot—attics, basements, walls, crawlspaces. No guesswork.

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We don’t do cookie-cutter installs. We build high-performance systems that work for your house.

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4. We’ve Got Receipts

Experience is great. But you know what really proves it? A long line of happy customers.

After nearly five decades, we’ve built:

• A wall full of five-star reviews
• Repeat customers who call us back for every project
• Relationships with builders, HVAC pros, and inspectors across Connecticut

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We’ve earned trust the hard way—by showing up, doing great work, and standing behind it.

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5. We Help You Get Paid (Thanks, EnergizeCT)

Rebates and incentives are nice—but they’re also a pain to figure out on your own. Newer contractors usually skip them altogether. Not us.

As a certified EnergizeCT contractor, we:💰 Lower your upfront costs with real rebate dollars
📋 Handle the paperwork so you don’t have to
✅ Make sure you qualify by doing things the right way

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Don’t leave money on the table. We’ll help you cash in while you tighten up your home.

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6. We’re Still Here Tomorrow

Insulation isn’t a one-and-done thing. Homes settle. Codes change. You might need tweaks or upgrades down the line.

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With Nealon, you’re not just getting a contractor—you’re getting a long-term partner. We’ve been doing this since bell bottoms were a thing. We’re not going anywhere.

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The Bottom Line

When it comes to insulating your home, experience isn’t a nice-to-have—it’s the whole game. The difference between a warm, efficient home and a money pit often comes down to who installs your insulation.

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Nealon Insulation brings:✅ Nearly 50 years of boots-on-the-ground expertise
✅ The best materials, installed by pros
✅ Knowledge of Connecticut’s wild weather and tighter-than-ever codes
✅ A track record of getting it right, every time

Don’t roll the dice on your comfort or your energy bills. Call Nealon Insulation and get the job done right the first time.

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👉 Free consultation. No pressure. Just honest advice.

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Let’s cut to the chase: if your house is drafty in the winter and sticky in the summer, it probably doesn’t have enough insulation—or the right kind. A lot of folks think insulation is just fluff in the attic. It’s not. It’s your home’s armor against brutal New England winters, swampy summers, and soul-crushing energy bills.

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The key to getting insulation right in Connecticut? Understanding R-value.
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Let’s break it down like a contractor who actually works on houses (not just writes blogs about them).

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What Is R-Value and Why Should You Care?

R-value is just a fancy way of measuring how good insulation is at resisting heat flow.
Higher R-value = better performance.

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Think of it like SPF for your house—except instead of blocking sunburn, it blocks your hard-earned heat from leaking out all winter and keeps hot, muggy air from sneaking in all summer.

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In Connecticut, we don’t mess around with mild weather. If your insulation isn’t pulling its weight, your HVAC system is working overtime, and your wallet is taking the hit.

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How Much Insulation Do Connecticut Homes Need?

Connecticut sits in Climate Zone 5 (translation: cold enough that you need solid insulation, but not quite Alaska).

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Here’s what the pros—and the U.S. Department of Energy—recommend:

If your current insulation doesn’t hit these numbers, you’re probably heating the great outdoors.

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Signs Your Home Needs More Insulation

You don’t need a thermal camera to know something’s off. Just look for the usual suspects:

🚩 Energy bills climbing like they’re training for Everest
🚩 One room’s freezing, another’s a sauna
🚩 Drafts that make your socks curl
🚩 Cold floors, especially above the garage or crawlspace
🚩 Icicles hanging from your roof like medieval torture devices (aka ice dams)
🚩 Bare spots in the attic where you can see the joists—yeah, that’s not enough insulation

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If this sounds familiar, it’s time to bulk up your insulation game.

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Best Insulation for Connecticut Homes (Spoiler: It’s Not Fiberglass)

At Nealon Insulation, we’ve tried it all. We’ve installed fiberglass, foam, cellulose—you name it. After 48 years of doing this, here’s our honest take:

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🥇 Cellulose Insulation (Our MVP)

• Stops air leaks better than fiberglass
• Made from 85% recycled paper (and a little contractor-grade magic)
• Treated with borates to stop pests from making it their Airbnb
• Handles New England’s freeze-thaw-humidity circus like a champ

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Other Options (Fine, But Not Our Favorite):

• Fiberglass batts – Cheap upfront, but leaks air like a busted screen door
• Spray foam – Great air seal, but pricey and tough to remove later
• Rigid foam board – Solid for basements or foundation walls, not for every spot

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If you’re aiming for high performance and fewer headaches, cellulose is king—especially in our neck of the woods.

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Want to Save Money? EnergizeCT Can Help

You don’t have to foot the insulation bill all by yourself. Connecticut’s EnergizeCT program offers some solid rebates—if you know how to get them.

Here’s how it works:

✅ We send a pro to check your home’s insulation levels (part of a Home Energy Audit)
✅ You get instant discounts on cellulose insulation upgrades
✅ You pocket the long-term energy savings—and get a more comfortable home while you’re at it

Nealon Insulation is a certified contractor with EnergizeCT, which means we do the paperwork, file the rebates, and help you pay less upfront.

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Why Nealon? Because We’ve Been Doing This Since Jimmy Carter Was President

That’s not a joke—we’ve been insulating homes since 1977.

✔ We know Connecticut homes inside and out
✔ We hit the right R-values the first time
✔ We use materials that actually work
✔ We help you qualify for every rebate you're eligible for
✔ And we don’t ghost you after install—we’re around for questions, upgrades, and tune-ups

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Don’t Guess. Get an Expert to Take a Look.

Insulation isn’t just about staying warm—it’s about doing more with less energy, saving money, and avoiding headaches later.

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📞 Contact Nealon Insulation for a free consultation. We’ll check your current R-values, give you a straight answer on what you need, and show you how much you can save with EnergizeCT.

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Warm in winter, cool in summer, dry all year. That’s how a Connecticut home should feel. Let’s make it happen.

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Let’s cut to it—insulation’s one of the best bang-for-your-buck upgrades you can make to your home. But most folks aren’t sure what type to get, where to put it, or how it actually affects the comfort of their place.

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After 40+ years of crawling through attics and tearing out fiberglass that raccoons used as a five-star hotel, we’ve heard just about every insulation question there is. Here are ten of the big ones—with answers that won’t make your eyes glaze over.

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1. How do I know if my home needs more insulation?

Easy. If your home was built before TikTok existed (or even MySpace), it probably needs more. But here are some dead giveaways:

✔️ Your energy bills could qualify for a college loan
✔️ It’s drafty in winter and sweltering in summer
✔️ Rooms feel like they belong to different time zones
✔️ Floors are cold enough to store meat on
✔️ You get ice dams on the roof every winter

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If any of these sound familiar, an insulation upgrade will help. And fast.

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2. What kind of insulation should I use?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer here, but let’s break down the big three:

• Spray foam – Great for air sealing, long-lasting, but pricey. Like “Yikes” pricey. And hard to remove if you change your mind later.
• Cellulose – Made from recycled newspaper, treated for fire and pests, and great for retrofits (this is our specialty). Blown-in cellulose seals up nooks and crannies better than your old caulking gun ever could.
• Fiberglass – Cheap, familiar, and still used a lot, but not the best at stopping airflow. Mice love it. We don’t.

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Truth is, the best option depends on your home, budget, and goals. We do all three—so we’ll steer you straight, not just push what’s on the truck.

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3. Will insulation really lower my energy bills?

Yes. And not by a couple bucks—up to 30%. Insulation keeps warm air in during winter and the hot stuff out in summer. That means your HVAC system gets to relax, and your wallet does too.

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4. Where should I insulate?

Start at the top and work down:

✔️ Attic – #1 place for heat loss (and gain).
✔️ Walls – Especially if you live in a drafty old beauty from the 1920s.
✔️ Basement/crawl space – Helps keep floors warmer and stops cold air from creeping in.
✔️ Attached garage – If there’s a bedroom over it, trust me, you’ll feel the difference.

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5. How long does insulation last?

A solid 20–30 years if it stays dry and untouched. Cellulose tends to age better than fiberglass, and spray foam sticks around forever (which is both a pro and a con, depending on who you ask). But water, pests, or poor installation can cut that lifespan way down.

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6. What’s R-value, and does it really matter?

R-value measures how well insulation resists heat. Higher R = better insulation. But here’s the kicker—air sealing is just as important. You could have sky-high R-value, but if there are gaps, you're still heating the great outdoors.

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That’s why dense-packed cellulose or closed-cell spray foam can give you a real edge. They insulate and seal air leaks.

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7. Can insulation make my house quieter?

You bet. We’ve had clients call back and say they didn’t realize how loud the neighbor’s lawnmower was until it stopped waking them up. Insulation in your walls and attic cuts down outside noise and keeps things peaceful inside.

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8. Will insulation keep pests out?

Some types, yes. Cellulose is treated with borate—a pest deterrent that mice and bugs hate. Fiberglass? Not so much. Rodents see that stuff as prime real estate. We’ve pulled out more mouse condos from fiberglass than I care to admit.

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9. What does insulation cost?

Here’s the rough ballpark for Connecticut homes:

• Blown-in cellulose or fiberglass – $1.00–$1.50 per sq. ft.
• Spray foam – $2.00–$6.00 per sq. ft.
• Batt fiberglass (those pink rolls) – $0.50–$1.25 per sq. ft.

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Don’t forget—if you live in CT, EnergizeCT rebates can shave a big chunk off those costs. We help homeowners access those programs all the time.

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10. Should I insulate before replacing my HVAC?

Absolutely. If your insulation is lousy, you’re throwing good money after bad with that shiny new heat pump. Insulate first, and you might be able to downsize your HVAC—or run it less, save cash, and extend its life. That’s what we call a win-win-win.

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Wrap-up

Insulation isn’t sexy. You don’t show it off at dinner parties. But you sure notice when it’s missing. Your home’s comfort, energy efficiency, and even resale value all depend on getting this stuff right.

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Want to figure out what your home really needs? That’s what we’re here for. We’ve been insulating Connecticut homes since bell bottoms were in style (the first time). Reach out for a no-BS assessment and we’ll steer you right.

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👉 Contact us here to answers for more insulation related questions!

Insulation’s not the sexiest topic in the world, but if you care about comfort, energy bills, or not freezing your tail off in February, it matters—a lot. But here’s the kicker: good insulation is only as good as the folks putting it in.

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Pick the right crew, and you’ll stay cozy for decades. Pick the wrong one, and you’re left with drafty rooms, lumpy attic fill, and a bill that hurts more than the cold.

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Here’s how to tell the pros from the pretenders—straight from a team that’s been doing this for nearly 50 years on the Connecticut shoreline.

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1. Look for Experience (Not Just a Truck and a Ladder)

Insulation isn’t paint. You can’t just slap it up and hope for the best. Every home has quirks—especially the older colonials and beach houses around here.

You want a team that understands building science, not just how to blow fluff into an attic.

Ask:

• How long have they been doing just insulation?
• Do they actually specialize, or is this just another checkbox service?
• Do they know how coastal homes breathe, leak, and shift?

At Nealon, this is our bread and butter. We’ve been insulating Connecticut homes since 1977—longer than some companies have been alive. We know what works here because we've seen it all: storm surge crawlspaces, sagging batts, and 100-year-old rafters that don’t follow the rules.

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2. Ask What Materials They Use (and Why)

Insulation isn’t a one-size-fits-all job. A good company won’t just give you one option—they’ll walk you through what’s best for your house.

Here’s the short version:

• Cellulose: Our go-to. It’s recycled, dense, good at sealing air leaks, and holds up in messy New England weather.
• Fiberglass: Cheap. Works okay if installed right, but that’s a big “if.”
• Spray Foam: Great air seal, but pricey and not so easy to undo if something goes sideways.

Bottom line: if the company can’t explain the pros and cons in plain English, you probably don’t want them jamming materials in your walls.

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3. Make Sure They’re Licensed, Insured, and Legit

This seems obvious, but you'd be surprised. If they can’t show you a license or proof of insurance, show them the door.

Ask for:

• Their Connecticut contractor license
• Proof of liability insurance
• Workers’ comp coverage

Because let’s be real—if someone falls through your attic ceiling and they’re not insured, you could end up holding the bag. No thanks.

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4. Check the Receipts (a.k.a. Reviews)

Real companies leave a paper trail—and I don’t mean the invoice.

Look at:

• Google reviews (read the bad ones too)
• Their BBB profile
• Testimonials from real customers

We’re proud of our track record, but we always tell folks: don’t take our word for it. Ask around. Chances are we’ve worked on your neighbor’s house, or your cousin’s place in Guilford.

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5. Ask About Energy Rebates

If you’re in Connecticut, EnergizeCT offers rebates to help cover the cost of insulation. But here’s the catch—you need a certified contractor to qualify.

We’re part of the EnergizeCT Insulation Installers Network, which means we know how to get you the biggest bang for your buck. We even help handle the paperwork, because who’s got time for that?

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6. Get a Proper Estimate (Not Just a Guess)

A pro doesn’t quote you over the phone without seeing your house. They show up, check everything out, and walk you through the plan.

You should expect:

• A free inspection
• A detailed breakdown of costs
• Clear expectations around savings and comfort

If a company’s vague or pushy, that’s a red flag. You want honest advice, not someone trying to hit their sales quota.

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7. Pay Attention to How They Treat You

Do they call back? Show up on time? Take their shoes off when they come in?

The best companies treat your home like it’s their own—and they back up their work with a warranty.

At Nealon, we don’t do hard sells or ghost you after the install. We stick around. Because the work we do is supposed to last for decades—and so is the relationship.

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Why Homeowners in Connecticut Trust Nealon Insulation

Here’s what you get when you work with us:

✅ 48 years of experience
✅ Specialists in cellulose and spray foam insulation
✅ Certified with EnergizeCT to help you save money
✅ A crew that shows up, cleans up, and does the job right
✅ Local to the shoreline—and proud of it

If you're ready to insulate smarter and skip the runaround, we’d love to chat. Start with a free quote right here:
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👉 Give the team that's been trusted since 1977 to insulate homes across the state of Connecticut!

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Let’s say your house was built back when gas was under a buck and insulation was more of a “maybe” than a must. Odds are, your exterior walls are either barely insulated—or not insulated at all. That’s bad news for your wallet, your comfort, and your sanity every time the weather swings 40 degrees in a day (which, in Connecticut, happens a lot).

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Good news: you don’t need to rip your drywall out to fix it. There’s a clean, smart method called drill-and-fill that gets the job done with minimal mess and maximum payoff.

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Let’s walk through it.

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Why Bother Insulating Exterior Walls?

It’s not just about being cozy in February (though that’s a big perk). Adding insulation to those empty wall cavities makes your home:

✅ Cheaper to run – You’ll use less heat in the winter and less A/C in the summer. Energy bills drop.
✅ More comfortable – Say goodbye to random cold spots and that draft that hits you like a slap every time you walk past the hallway.
✅ Quieter – Street noise, barking dogs, leaf blowers—insulation helps block all of it.
✅ Better protected – Insulation helps deter pests and slows down moisture buildup, which means less risk of mold or mildew.
✅ More valuable – Energy-efficient homes are more attractive to buyers. Simple as that.

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The Drill-and-Fill Method: A Step-by-Step Walkthrough

This is how we insulate walls without trashing your interior:

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Step 1: Pop Off Some Siding

We gently remove a few pieces of your home’s exterior siding. No sledgehammers. No chaos. Just enough to get access to the wall cavities behind it.

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Step 2: Drill Holes in the Sheathing

We drill small, evenly spaced holes in the sheathing between the studs—basically creating access ports into those empty wall cavities.

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Step 3: Blow in the Insulation

This is where the magic happens. We use high-pressure equipment to blow dense-pack cellulose into every nook and cranny of those walls. It fills the space tight, seals up air gaps, and won’t settle over time.

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We can also use fiberglass, but it’s not as good at blocking air. Spray foam works too, but it’s way more expensive and a lot more invasive for existing walls.

Cellulose is our go-to—made from recycled paper, treated to resist fire and pests, and killer at sealing up leaks.

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Step 4: Seal the Holes

Once the walls are fully packed, we plug and seal each hole tight. No leaks, no loose ends.

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Step 5: Reinstall the Siding

We carefully pop the siding back on. When we’re done, you won’t even know we were there—aside from how much warmer and quieter your home feels.

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What’s the Best Insulation for Exterior Walls?

If we’re talking existing homes here in Connecticut, dense-pack cellulose is usually your best bet. It performs like a champ in older construction, it seals up air leaks like a boss, and it plays nicely with our wet coastal weather.

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Fiberglass? It’s cheaper, sure, but not as airtight.
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Spray foam? Great stuff in new builds, but not worth the hassle (or price) for most retrofits.

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Bottom line: If your walls are hollow, you’re paying extra every single month to heat the outdoors. Drill-and-fill insulation fixes that—quietly, cleanly, and without turning your home into a construction zone.

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👉 Want to learn if this makes sense for your place? Reach out here and we’ll take a look.

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