Home Comfort Insights from Connecticut's Insulation Experts

If your house feels like a sauna in July and a walk-in freezer in January, your gut reaction might be: “We need a bigger HVAC system.”

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Not so fast.

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Before you drop five or ten grand on a new furnace or A/C, there’s a smarter, way more cost-effective move: upgrade your insulation. Insulation takes a huge load off your heating and cooling system—so much so that you might not need a new system at all. Or, if you do, it could be a smaller (cheaper) one that runs less and lasts longer.

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Let’s break it down.

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1. A Bigger HVAC System Can’t Fix a Leaky House

This one’s a heartbreaker: folks spend thousands on a new HVAC unit, and the house still feels uncomfortable. Why? Because the real issue isn’t the equipment—it’s that your home is bleeding heat in the winter and sucking in hot air in the summer.

✔ In the winter, warm air escapes through your attic, walls, and floors like air leaking from a pinhole in a tire.
✔ In the summer, heat sneaks in and overstays its welcome, forcing your A/C to grind all day.

You can buy the fanciest system on the market—it won’t matter if your insulation’s failing. You’re basically cooling (or heating) the outdoors.

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2. Better Insulation = Smaller HVAC System (and Smaller Price Tag)

Here’s the part the HVAC sales guy might not tell you: your system is sized based on how much heating or cooling your home needs. Improve your insulation, and your home needs less of both.

✔ That means you can get a smaller system.
✔ Smaller = cheaper to buy, cheaper to run, and longer lasting.
✔ Oversized systems are a waste. They cycle on and off constantly, wear out quicker, and don’t even regulate temps well.

Insulate first, and you just might save yourself from buying a Cadillac when a Honda will do the job just fine.

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3. Lower Bills. Longer Lifespan. Fewer Headaches.

Upgrading insulation is like giving your HVAC a break. It doesn’t have to work as hard, which means:

💰 Lower utility bills
🔧 Less maintenance and fewer breakdowns
⏳ A longer system life before you’re shelling out for a replacement

It’s a no-brainer. Keep your system alive longer and make it actually work better in the meantime.

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4. Real Comfort Comes from Stopping the Leaks

New HVAC systems are great—but if your insulation stinks, you’ll still deal with:

❄️ Cold floors and drafty corners in the winter
🔥 Bedrooms that never cool down in the summer

That’s not a furnace problem—it’s an insulation problem. Patch the leaks with proper insulation, and suddenly your home feels like it should. Even temperatures, all year round. Peace and quiet. No more duct tape “solutions.”

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5. Insulating First = Big Savings

Still on the fence? Here’s the money talk:

✔ Insulation usually costs less than replacing your HVAC system.
✔ It pays off every month in lower heating and cooling bills.
✔ Rebates are available—Connecticut’s EnergizeCT program helps cover the cost.

Spend less now, save more later. That’s how you build a smarter home.

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So, What’s the Best Insulation?

At Nealon Insulation, we’re big fans of dense-pack cellulose for one reason: it works. Better than fiberglass, less invasive than spray foam, and built for real-world conditions here in Connecticut.

✅ Stops air leaks cold
✅ Made from 85% recycled materials
✅ Treated with borate (pest-resistant and mold-resistant)
✅ Perfect for attics, walls, basements—where most energy loss happens

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Bottom Line: Insulate First, Then Decide on HVAC

Upgrading your insulation first gives your current HVAC system a fighting chance. And if you do need to replace it? You’ll need a smaller, more affordable one—because your home won’t demand nearly as much from it.

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👉 Ready to give your HVAC a break? Let’s talk insulation first.

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Winter on the Connecticut shoreline? It’s beautiful—until your toes are frozen, your living room’s a wind tunnel, and your heating bill reads like a ransom note.

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Here’s the good news: you don’t need to crank the heat or go broke just to stay warm. These quick, cheap (or totally free) fixes will help you fight back against drafts and cold spots—without calling the oil guy twice a week.

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1. Stop Drafts at the Door (Cost: $0–$15)

Drafty doors and windows are like open invites for cold air. Even tiny gaps can make your furnace work overtime.

✔ Free fix: Roll up a towel and stuff it at the bottom of your door. Not glamorous, but it works.
✔ Budget fix: Grab a door sweep or some weatherstripping from the hardware store—usually under 15 bucks. Seal it, and feel the difference.

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2. Use Curtains Like a Pro (Cost: $0–$20)

Curtains aren’t just for blocking nosy neighbors—they can help trap heat, too.

✔ Open them during the day on south-facing windows to soak up that free sunlight.
✔ Close them at night to keep the warmth inside.
✔ Pro tip: Thick thermal curtains work best, but even an old blanket pinned up gets the job done in a pinch.

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3. Flip Your Ceiling Fan (Cost: Free!)

Ceiling fan in winter? Yep—just flip the switch.

✔ Set it to clockwise on low, and it’ll push warm air back down where you actually live (instead of letting it camp out by the ceiling).

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4. Seal Outlets and Light Switches (Cost: $5–$10 a room)

Believe it or not, cold air can sneak in through your electrical outlets. No joke.

✔ Pick up some foam gaskets (they’re cheap). Pop off the outlet cover, stick the gasket on, and screw the cover back. Boom—draft sealed.

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5. Check Your Vents (Cost: Free!)

If you’ve got a couch parked over your vent or a bed blocking a radiator, you’re literally heating your furniture.

✔ Move stuff away from vents and radiators so that warm air can actually move around the room like it’s supposed to.

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6. Layer Rugs Like a Pro (Cost: $0–$30)

Hardwood and tile floors might look nice, but they’re iceboxes in the winter.

✔ Got extra rugs? Throw them down.
✔ Don’t have any? Find a used one for cheap—it adds insulation and keeps your feet from turning into popsicles.

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7. Close Off Unused Rooms (Cost: Free!)

Why heat the guest room no one’s using or the laundry dungeon you dread walking into?

✔ Close the doors to unused rooms. Keep the warm air where you actually hang out.

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8. Add Moisture to the Air (Cost: Free–$20+)

Dry winter air = cold-feeling air. Add a little humidity and the same temperature suddenly feels way more comfortable.

✔ Free fix: Place a bowl of water near a heat source (like a radiator).
✔ Cheap fix: Pick up a humidifier for 20 bucks or less. Aim for 30–50% humidity.

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9. Bake Something—and Leave the Oven Door Open (Cost: Free + Cookies)

Old-school move: when you’re done baking, turn off the oven and crack the door open.

✔ That residual heat will warm the kitchen.
✔ Bonus: your house smells like cookies, which is basically peak winter happiness.

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10. Want a Long-Term Fix? Insulate. (Cost: Varies—but worth it)

All the hacks above help, but nothing beats proper insulation for long-term comfort and energy savings.

✔ Our cellulose insulation seals out drafts, holds heat like a champ, and helps your heating system chill out.
✔ It’s fire-resistant, pest-resistant (shoutout to borate), and made from 85% recycled materials.
✔ Keeps shoreline homes cozy without needing to mortgage the oil tank.

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Warmth Without Wasting Cash

If you’re looking to stay warm without burning through your paycheck, start with these simple, DIY tricks. And when you’re ready for a permanent upgrade that pays for itself? Give us a shout.

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👉 Contact Nealon Insulation for a free consultation and let’s make your home winter-ready—for real.

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Living near the Connecticut shoreline is the dream—until you hear scratching in your walls at 2 a.m. and realize you've got unexpected roommates. Cute in cartoons, a nightmare in real life. Mice don’t just raid your pantry and chew wires—they can wreck insulation, carry disease, and turn your attic into their Airbnb.

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If you’ve been battling these little freeloaders, here’s how to keep them out—and how the right insulation can be a serious game-changer.

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1. Seal the Sneaky Entrances

Mice are escape artists. If there’s a hole the size of a dime, they’re getting in.

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Start by checking:

✔ Around pipes and utility lines
✔ Cracks in your foundation or siding
✔ Gaps under doors and garage frames
✔ Openings in attic vents and eaves

Fix it with: steel wool, caulk, hardware cloth—stuff they can’t chew through. Skip the spray foam; they’ll just gnaw through it like it’s a snack.

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2. Cut Off the Buffet

Mice aren’t just looking for shelter—they’re sniffing out snacks.

✔ Store dry food in glass or metal containers.
✔ Clean up crumbs and spills immediately (yep, even the ones behind the toaster).
✔ Keep trash sealed tight.
✔ Don’t leave pet food out overnight—unless you're feeding the mouse too.

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3. Clear the Clutter

Mice love cozy, quiet hiding spots. That pile of boxes in the basement? Prime real estate.

✔ Declutter storage areas—less junk, fewer hideouts.
✔ Keep firewood and yard debris away from your foundation.
✔ Trim back shrubs and tree limbs that let them scale your house like a jungle gym.

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4. Rethink Your Insulation (Seriously)

Here’s what most people don’t realize: your insulation could be a mouse hotel.
Fiberglass? Feels like a warm sleeping bag to a rodent. They tunnel through it, nest in it, and trash it.

But cellulose insulation—especially the kind we install at Nealon—is a whole different story.

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Why Cellulose Insulation Keeps Mice Away:

✔ It’s treated with borate, a natural mineral that pests hate.
✔ Mice won’t nest in it. Doesn’t feel cozy. Doesn’t smell right.
✔ It’s dense and air-sealing, which means fewer gaps for critters to sneak through.
✔ Bonus: It’s energy-efficient and eco-friendly—so you’re saving money and solving a mouse problem.

If you’ve got activity in your attic or walls, upgrading your insulation could be the long-term fix you didn’t know you needed.

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5. Handle What’s Already Inside

Already hearing scurrying overhead? Time to evict.

✔ Snap traps – Old-school but effective.
✔ Live traps – Good if you’re the humane type (but take them far away).
✔ Call the pros – If the situation’s out of control, bring in a pest control expert. No shame in it.

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Shoreline Homes Deserve Better Than Mice

We’ve been insulating homes around the Connecticut shoreline since 1977, and trust me—we’ve seen what mice can do. If your insulation’s trashed, or you’re tired of patching holes every winter, it’s time for a real solution.

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👉 Contact Nealon Insulation today for a free consultation—and let’s seal the place up for good.

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When choosing insulation, energy efficiency is just one factor to consider. If you want to reduce your home's carbon footprint, it's important to look at the environmental impact of the insulation materials themselves. Some insulation types require more energy to produce, while others are made from recycled or renewable materials with a lower carbon impact.

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The Best Low-Carbon Insulation Options

A few insulation materials have an extremely low environmental impact, but they are not widely available in Connecticut:

• Cork – A natural, renewable material that provides good insulation and soundproofing. However, it’s expensive and not commonly used in residential insulation.
• Hempcrete – Made from hemp fibers and lime, hempcrete is breathable, mold-resistant, and has a negative carbon footprint. However, it’s more common in specialized eco-friendly construction.
• Straw Bale – This renewable insulation has excellent thermal performance, but it requires specific building methods and is rarely used in existing homes.

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The Best Practical Choice: Cellulose Insulation

While cork, hempcrete, and straw bale have great sustainability benefits, they are not widely available or practical for most homeowners. The best low-carbon insulation choice that balances performance, affordability, and sustainability is cellulose insulation.

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According to Green Maine Homes, cellulose insulation has the lowest carbon footprint of the commonly available insulation options. Here’s why:

• Made from 85% recycled paper – Unlike fiberglass or foam, cellulose is primarily composed of recycled materials, reducing landfill waste.
• Low energy production – It requires far less energy to manufacture compared to fiberglass or spray foam, meaning lower emissions.
• Excellent thermal performance – By reducing heat loss in winter and heat gain in summer, cellulose helps lower energy use and carbon emissions.
• Biodegradable and non-toxic – Unlike spray foam, which contains petroleum-based chemicals, cellulose is a safer, eco-friendly option.

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Why Choose Nealon Insulation?

At Nealon Insulation, we specialize in cellulose insulation, making homes along the Connecticut shoreline more energy-efficient while reducing environmental impact. With 48 years of experience, we understand how to properly insulate homes to maximize comfort and savings while using sustainable materials.

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If you want to insulate your home with an eco-friendly, high-performance material, contact Nealon Insulation today to learn more about cellulose insulation!

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👉 Contact Nealon Insulation to reduce your carbon footprint and stay cozy in the winter.

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Credit for picture: https://greenmainehomes.com/blog/choosing-the-right-insulation

Let’s say your house is drafty. Your energy bills are climbing. And your insulation—if you even have any—isn’t cutting it. But the thought of ripping out drywall in every room? No thanks.

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Here’s the good news: you don’t have to tear your house apart to fix it.
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At Nealon Insulation, we do this all the time—upgrading insulation in finished homes without leaving a trail of dust and demo behind. If you’re living in an older home along the Connecticut shoreline (and odds are you are), here’s how we get it done.

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1. Drill & Plug Dense-Pack Cellulose

This one’s our bread and butter.

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We drill small holes (about the size of a doorknob) into your drywall or siding, blow in dense-pack cellulose insulation, and patch the holes when we’re done. From the inside or the outside, depending on what makes more sense for your home.

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How it works:
✔️ We drill access holes
✔️ Pack the walls full of cellulose
✔️ Plug or patch the holes—clean finish, no mess

✅ Great for: Empty walls or insulation that’s settled over the years
✅ Why it works: Adds serious R-value, cuts drafts, dampens sound, and tightens up your thermal envelope without touching the drywall (except a few little holes we patch up like it never happened)

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2. Injection Foam Insulation

Another slick option for finished walls.

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We drill small holes, just like with dense-pack, but instead of cellulose, we inject expanding foam into the cavities. The foam finds all the gaps and seals them up tight.

✅ Great for: Homes with tighter wall cavities that need a boost
✅ Why it works: Expands into hard-to-reach places and seals air leaks like a pro

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3. Exterior Sidewall Insulation

Don’t want us touching the inside of your house at all? We can do it from the outside.

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Here’s how:
✔️ We carefully remove the siding
✔️ Drill into the sheathing
✔️ Fill the walls with dense-pack cellulose
✔️ Put the siding back like nothing happened

✅ Great for: Homes with wood or vinyl siding we can easily work behind
✅ Why it works: You get air sealing and insulation without lifting a finger inside the house

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Other Spots You Can Insulate Without Demo

Even if your walls are insulated (or sort of insulated), there are still other weak spots we can tackle—no sheetrock harmed in the process:

• Attic: Blow-in cellulose or fiberglass goes right on top of the existing layer
• Basement & Crawl Space: Spray foam or rigid foam board keeps it dry and sealed
• Garage Ceilings: Rooms above the garage freezing in winter? Drill and plug works there too
• Rim Joists: Big-time air leaks happen here. We seal it up tight with spray foam or foam board

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Why Call Us?

We’ve been at this since 1977. That’s 48 years of crawling through attics, pumping walls full of insulation, and helping Connecticut homeowners make their houses warmer, tighter, and more efficient—without gutting the place.

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Here’s what we do best:

• ✅ Drill & Plug Dense-Pack Cellulose
• ✅ Injection Foam
• ✅ Blown-In Attic Insulation
• ✅ Crawl Space & Basement Air Sealing
• ✅ Smart, non-invasive retrofits that actually move the needle

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Ready to Stay Warm Without the Demo?

Let’s fix your insulation the clean way—and finally stop heating the outdoors.

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👉 Contact Nealon Insulation today for a free consultation.

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If you’re a builder or contractor trying to hit high-performance targets without burning up the budget, it’s time to get familiar with the cellulose dry pac system.

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This method isn’t new, but it’s been quietly outperforming batt insulation for decades. And if you’re building tight, energy-efficient homes—or you’re tired of callbacks from homeowners complaining about drafts and noise—you’ll want this in your playbook.

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So What Is the Dry Pac System?

Short version: we staple up 6-mil poly, dense-pack cellulose behind it, and tape it off clean.
Long version: It’s a smarter way to insulate framed walls, locking in air sealing, soundproofing, and thermal performance all in one go.

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Here’s how the install looks on site:

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Step-by-Step for Contractors:

1. Hang the Poly
   Staple and stitch 6-mil poly over the stud bays after framing. That poly’s your containment.
2. Insert the Blowing Hose
   Cut a small slit in the poly. Feed the hose deep into the cavity. We’re not fluffing—this is dense-pack.
3. Dense-Pack Cellulose
   Use an insulation blower to pack each cavity solid. No voids. No settling later. Just clean, consistent fill.
4. Tape It Shut
   Once the cavity’s full, tape the slit. The poly stays intact and does its job as an air barrier.

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Why This Beats Batts (Every. Single. Time.)

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✅ Higher R-Value Per Inch
Dense-pack cellulose gives you better thermal performance than fiberglass batts, hands down.

✅ Built-in Air Sealing
Done right, this system slows air movement like a champ—no need for extra air-sealing steps inside the wall.

✅ Soundproofing, Too
Your clients won’t hear what’s happening in the next room or outside. Big win for quality of life.

✅ No Settling, No Gaps
Because it’s packed to the right density (3.5–4.0 lbs/cu ft), it won’t sag or settle over time.

✅ Eco-Friendly & Code-Compliant
Made from recycled paper and treated with borate—safe, sustainable, and passes every code requirement you’ll run into.

✅ Mold, Pest & Fire Resistant
The borate treatment keeps critters and mold out, and adds a layer of fire protection your inspectors will like.

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When to Use the Dry Pac System

If you’re working on:

✔️ New builds that need airtight performance
✔️ Additions that need to meet modern code
✔️ Passive house or energy-efficient designs

…this is your system.

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Why Nealon?

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We’ve been insulating shoreline homes and working with builders like you for 48 years. Our team knows the dry pac system inside and out—and we get in, get it done, and get out of your way so you can keep your build on schedule.

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👉 Ready to line up insulation that actually performs? Contact Nealon Insulation for a walkthrough or quote.

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