Home Comfort Insights from Connecticut's Insulation Experts

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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P.s. Calculate how much R-Value your home needs

Keeping your house comfortable year-round can feel like a game of tug-of-war with the weather. Too hot in the summer, too cold in the winter, and your HVAC system’s working overtime to keep up.

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The root problem? Heat transfer. It’s science-y, yeah, but understanding how heat sneaks in and out of your home is the first step to fixing it.

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There are three ways heat moves: conduction, convection, and radiation. Let’s break it down the way your house would explain it—if it could talk.

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No time to read? Listen instead!

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1. Conduction: Heat’s Sneaky Shortcut Through Solid Stuff

Conduction is heat sliding through solid materials. Think walls, floors, your attic—anywhere you don’t have proper insulation, heat is using those surfaces like an escape tunnel.

• In winter, the warm air inside your house leaks out through the walls and roof.
• In summer, that same pathway brings in the heat like an unwanted houseguest.

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The Fix:
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Dense-pack cellulose insulation (like we install) slows that transfer way down. It builds a thick thermal barrier that says, “Not today, heat.”

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2. Convection: Drafts, Air Currents, and the Cold Sneaking In

Convection is when heat moves around via air. Warm air rises, cold air sinks, and if you’ve got gaps in your home—attics, rim joists, around windows—you’re basically inviting the outside air in for dinner.

• Drafty room? That’s convection doing its thing.
• Uneven temps between floors? Same culprit.

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The Fix:
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Seal up the leaks. Then insulate. We air-seal the problem areas and dense-pack insulation in the walls and attic to keep your HVAC air inside where it belongs.

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3. Radiation: Sunlight Cooking Your Roof (and You)

Radiation is heat traveling in waves—like sunlight streaming through your windows or beating down on your roof in July.

• In summer, your attic turns into an oven.
• In winter, your heat radiates outward if there’s no insulation keeping it in.

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The Fix:
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Use reflective barriers and solid attic insulation. Cellulose handles radiant heat better than fiberglass and keeps your house from feeling like a toaster.

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So What’s the Point?

Heat wants out in winter. Heat wants in during summer. Insulation is the bouncer at the door, saying no to both.

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How Heat Transfer Shows Up in Different Parts of Your Home

Now that we’ve talked about how heat moves, let’s talk about where it actually causes problems. Because heat transfer isn’t just some abstract physics concept — it’s the reason your bedroom’s freezing, your AC won’t quit in July, and your energy bill looks like a car payment.

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Here’s how it plays out, room by room:

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🏠 Attics: Heat’s Grand Central Station

Your attic is the biggest highway for heat loss and gain in your home.

• In winter, warm air rises and escapes straight through the roof via conduction and convection.
• In summer, sunlight pounds your shingles, turning the attic into an oven that radiates heat back down.

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Without proper insulation and airflow (read: high R-value + baffles), your HVAC system is basically fighting nature — and losing.

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🧱 Walls: The Slow Leakers

Walls might not feel drafty, but they’re silent heat movers.

• Conduction lets heat slip through under-insulated wall cavities.
• Convection takes over if there are air gaps or poorly sealed outlets and framing.

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A poorly insulated wall lets out warmth like a slow leak in a tire. Dense-pack cellulose stops that in its tracks.

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🧊 Basements & Crawlspaces: Where Cold Lives

Basements are magnets for convection — cold air sinks and finds its way in through gaps, rim joists, and concrete walls.

• In winter, your floors feel like ice.
• In summer, moisture creeps in, adding humidity to the mix.

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Spray foam or rigid foam boards can cut conduction through concrete and stop that cold air from creeping up into your living space.

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🚪 Windows, Doors & Rim Joists: The Draft Factories

These are the Swiss cheese of most homes.

• Gaps = convection highways.
• Thin materials = fast conduction.

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Air sealing is your best friend here, followed by targeted insulation where it makes sense.

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In short? Every part of your home has a different heat transfer problem — and a specific fix. Knowing which type of heat movement is happening where helps us pick the right strategy, the right insulation, and the right R-value to get the job done right.

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Common Heat Transfer FAQ's

How do I know which type of heat transfer is causing the biggest problem in my home?

You can identify the main type of heat transfer in your home by its symptoms: drafts suggest convection, cold walls or floors indicate conduction, and hot upstairs rooms point to radiant heat from the attic. An energy audit can pinpoint the exact source and recommend solutions.

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Can heat transfer problems still exist in a newer home?

You can identify the main type of heat transfer in your home by its symptoms: drafts suggest convection, cold walls or floors indicate conduction, and hot upstairs rooms point to radiant heat from the attic. An energy audit can pinpoint the exact source and recommend solutions.

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Is radiant heat loss really a big deal in the winter?

Yes, radiant heat loss is a big deal in winter—especially with poor attic insulation. Heat radiates through the roof, wasting energy. Installing dense cellulose insulation helps absorb and reflect radiant heat, keeping warmth inside your living space and reducing heating costs.

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What’s the best insulation to stop all three types of heat transfer?

The best insulation to stop all three types of heat transfer is a combination of dense-pack cellulose and air sealing. Cellulose slows conduction and radiation, while air sealing blocks convection. In basements or crawlspaces, spray foam or rigid foam handles all three effectively.

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If I can only fix one area, where should I start?

If you can only fix one area, start with your attic. It causes the most heat loss and gain due to rising warm air and direct sun exposure. Proper attic insulation and air sealing deliver fast energy savings and improved comfort, making it the top priority for most homes.

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What's the Bottom Line?

Bottom line? Heat transfer isn’t just a science lesson—it’s the reason your energy bills are high, your upstairs feels like a sauna, and your toes are frozen in February. But the good news is, it’s fixable. With the right insulation in the right places—and a little help from folks who know how to spot the leaks—you can turn your home into a fortress against the elements.

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We’ve been battling heat loss and gain across Connecticut homes for nearly five decades. We know where it hides, how it moves, and exactly what it takes to shut it down.

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👉 Ready to stop heating the neighborhood or baking your attic? Contact Nealon Insulation for a no-pressure consultation and let’s get your home working with you—not against you.

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We hear this one every summer: "My AC's been running non-stop, but the house still feels like a sauna."

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If your air conditioner sounds like it’s working overtime but your home still feels sticky and hot, you’re not imagining it. And no, you don’t have to immediately shell out for a brand new system. There are a few common reasons your AC might be underperforming—and insulation is one of the biggest (and most overlooked) culprits.

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Let’s break it down.

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1. Your Insulation Is Letting You Down

Here’s the deal: insulation isn’t just for keeping you warm in winter. It’s also what keeps cool air inside when the summer heat cranks up. If your attic’s poorly insulated or if your basement is basically a wind tunnel or if your walls are empty—you’re leaking that cold air faster than your AC can pump it out.

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What to do:
Upgrade your insulation, especially in the attic. We use borate-treated cellulose that seals better, performs better, and helps keep your AC from dying of exhaustion. Cooler house, lower bills. Boom.

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2. Your Air Filter Looks Like a Dust Bunny Convention

If your filter’s clogged, your AC can’t breathe. And if it can’t breathe, it can’t cool. Simple as that.

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What to do:
Pop that filter out and check it. If it’s grey, fuzzy, or looks like it’s been through a dust storm, swap it out. Every 1–3 months is the sweet spot for most homes.

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3. You’ve Got a Refrigerant Leak

If your system is low on refrigerant, it’s like trying to chill a six-pack with an empty cooler. Not gonna happen.

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What to do:
Call an HVAC pro. This one’s not DIY—handling refrigerant requires proper tools and training (and a license).

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4. Your Ductwork’s a Leaky Mess

Even if your AC is running fine, cool air could be disappearing through gaps, cracks, or crushed ductwork—especially in older homes. It’s like trying to fill a kiddie pool with a hole in the hose.

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What to do:
Get your ductwork inspected and sealed. It’ll boost your system’s performance and help every room feel like it’s actually getting some AC love.

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5. Your Thermostat’s Set Weird

We’ve all done it. You bump the thermostat, or it somehow gets switched to “heat” or “fan” mode—and suddenly the AC “isn’t working.”

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What to do:
Double-check it. Make sure it’s set to cool, set to auto, and sitting somewhere between 72–78°F. That’s your efficiency sweet spot.

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6. Your AC Is Too Small (Or Just Old and Tired)

If your system was undersized when it was installed—or it’s over a decade old—it might be flat-out unable to keep up with demand. Age and wear take their toll, and a small unit can’t cool a big space no matter how hard it tries.

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What to do:
Have a pro size your home and system. If it’s time for an upgrade, look for a high-efficiency unit that fits your space properly.

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Insulation: The Unsung Hero of Summer Comfort

All of these issues matter—but if your house isn’t sealed right, your AC is fighting a losing battle.

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What Are the AC Challenges in Different Parts of the Home?

Let’s break it down room by room — because your AC isn’t just battling the outside air. It’s battling your home’s weak spots. Some areas are just harder to keep cool, especially if the insulation or air sealing is lacking.

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🏠 Attic: The Heat Magnet

Your attic bakes in the sun all day, and without solid insulation, that heat radiates straight down into your living space. It’s not uncommon for attic temps to hit 130°F or more in summer — basically turning your upstairs into a slow-roasting oven.

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AC challenge: It can’t keep up. You lose cool air up, gain hot air down.
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Insulation fix: Add high R-value cellulose (R49–R60) and proper baffles for airflow. Cool stays in, heat stays out.

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🧱 Walls: The Silent Heat Movers

Walls in older Connecticut homes often have little or no insulation. That means conduction is happening 24/7 — heat from outside seeps in, and your conditioned air seeps out. Worse if you’re dealing with sun-facing walls.

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AC challenge: The system has to work overtime to maintain even temps.
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Insulation fix: Dense-pack cellulose fills gaps, slows heat flow, and keeps the cool where it belongs.

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🧊 Basements & Crawlspaces: The Cold-Hot Trap

Basements and crawlspaces can act like heat sinks — or worse, they pull in humid outside air that spreads through the house. If your ductwork runs through a crawlspace? That cold air’s getting zapped before it even reaches the vents.

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AC challenge: Humidity spikes, uneven cooling, overworked system.
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Insulation fix: Spray foam the rim joists and insulate crawlspace walls. Keeps air clean, dry, and efficient.

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🚗 Garages: The Radiant Oven Next Door

Attached garages, especially with a bedroom or office above, are notorious heat sources. Without insulation in the garage ceiling or shared walls, that space soaks up the sun and dumps heat right into your house.

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AC challenge: That room above the garage never cools down.
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Insulation fix: Dense-pack the garage ceiling and shared walls. It’s a game-changer for comfort and system efficiency.

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Bottom line? Your AC isn’t failing — it’s fighting a war on too many fronts. Targeted insulation in the worst-performing areas gives your system a break, lowers energy bills, and helps every room feel like it’s actually getting the cool air you're paying for.

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Which Insulation Is Right for You?

Not all insulation is created equal—and not every home needs the same solution. Here’s a quick guide to picking the right material for your situation:

• Cellulose Insulation: Best for older homes with drafty attics and uneven framing. It's dense, eco-friendly, and great at sealing air leaks. If you want solid performance in both winter and summer, cellulose is your workhorse.
• Spray Foam Insulation: Ideal for hard-to-reach areas or when you want a full air seal—think crawl spaces, rim joists, and cathedral ceilings. Closed-cell foam adds structural strength and moisture resistance too. It’s pricier, but airtight.
• Fiberglass Insulation: A budget-friendly option for large open spaces with good ventilation, like new construction or well-vented attics. Just make sure it’s properly installed—it doesn’t seal air leaks like the others.

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At Nealon Insulation, we’ve been helping shoreline homeowners seal up and cool down for 48 years. We install high-performance cellulose insulation that stops air leaks, cuts down on heat transfer, and helps your cooling system actually do its job.

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👉 Sweating through another summer? Let’s fix that. Contact Nealon Insulation today for a no-pressure consult. We’ll help you keep the cool air where it belongs—inside your house.

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P.s. Calculate your homes R-Value

Let’s cut through the fluff—literally. When it comes to blown-in insulation, you’ve got three main players: cellulose, fiberglass, and mineral wool. They all technically “do the job,” but one of them does it better, cleaner, and smarter—especially if you care about your energy bill, the environment, and keeping your house comfortable year-round.

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Here’s the breakdown, straight up.

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1. Cellulose Insulation – The Heavyweight Champ 🥇

Made from shredded-up recycled newspaper and treated with borates (a natural fire retardant), cellulose insulation doesn’t just look like it means business—it actually does.

Why we swear by it:

• Higher R-Value – It keeps heat where it belongs: in during winter, out during summer. More bang for your buck.
• Air Sealing Like a Boss – It fills every little nook, crack, and air gap—no drafts sneaking through.
• Green as it Gets – Up to 85% recycled content, which means less trash in landfills.
• Mold & Pest Resistance – Borates handle mold, mice, and bugs like a bouncer at the door.
• Fire Resistance – Treated to slow down flames if disaster ever strikes.

Bottom line? This stuff works hard—and it works smart.

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2. Fiberglass Insulation – The Lightweight Contender

Ah yes, the insulation most people recognize. Those little pink tufts or white fluffy clouds? That’s fiberglass insulation—made of spun glass fibers.

Pros:

• Cheap and easy to find.
• Decent thermal performance when installed perfectly.

Cons:

• Lower R-value than cellulose—so you’re losing heat and cash.
• Doesn’t seal air gaps well—hello drafts.
• Itches like crazy, and you don’t want it floating around your lungs.

You can do better. Trust me.

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3. Mineral Wool (a.k.a. Rock Wool) – The Tough Guy

This one’s made from actual rock that’s been melted and spun into fibers. Sounds metal. Literally.

Pros:

• Naturally fire-resistant—no extra chemicals needed.
• Great at blocking sound. (Bonus if you’ve got noisy neighbors.)

Cons:

• Expensive.
• Harder to find.
• Heavy as hell—can even require beefing up your framing.

It’s solid—but overkill for most residential jobs. Unless you’re building a recording studio or a medieval castle, you probably don’t need this.

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So… Why Cellulose?

Glad you asked. If you want:

✅ More energy savings
✅ Better indoor comfort
✅ Fewer drafts and moisture headaches
✅ Less environmental guilt
✅ No fiberglass rash or airborne irritants

…then cellulose is your clear winner. Especially here in Connecticut, where we get the full buffet of weather: humid summers, icy winters, and everything in between.

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Common Blown-In Insulation FAQ's

Will cellulose insulation settle over time?

Yes, cellulose insulation can settle over time, but proper dense-pack installation limits this effect. When installed correctly, settling is minimal and factored into the initial application to maintain the target R-value. Poorly installed cellulose loses performance, but professional methods preserve long-term effectiveness.

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Can blown-in cellulose be added over existing insulation?

Yes, blown-in cellulose can be added over existing insulation if the current material is dry, clean, and free of pests. This method is commonly used in Connecticut to improve energy efficiency by topping off old fiberglass with dense-pack cellulose. A professional inspection ensures proper conditions before installation.

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Is cellulose safe to use around electrical wiring and fixtures?

Yes, cellulose insulation is safe to use around electrical wiring and fixtures when installed correctly. It is treated with fire retardants and meets residential safety standards. Installers must follow code requirements, especially near recessed lighting, using IC-rated fixtures or protective baffles where needed.

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How long does blown-in insulation last?

Blown-in cellulose insulation typically lasts 20 to 30 years or more when properly installed and kept dry. It resists mold, pests, and settling thanks to borate treatment and dense packing. Unlike batt insulation, it retains performance over decades, making it a long-lasting solution for energy efficiency and comfort.

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Will blown-in insulation make my home quieter?

Blown-in insulation, especially cellulose, can make your home noticeably quieter by dampening outside noise like traffic, rain, and neighbors. While not designed as soundproofing, its dense composition acts as an effective acoustic barrier, reducing sound transmission through walls, ceilings, and attic spaces.

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The Bottom Line

If you’re still on the fence, let me make it simple: blown-in cellulose hits the sweet spot. It’s tougher than fiberglass, greener than mineral wool, and built to handle everything a Connecticut season throws at your home. You get higher R-values, better air sealing, fewer drafts, and insulation that doesn’t come with a side of lung irritation.

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At Nealon Insulation, we’ve been dense-packing walls and attics since before most folks had cell phones. We’ve seen the gimmicks, and we’ve seen what works—and cellulose keeps delivering.

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👉 Ready to upgrade your insulation? Contact Nealon Insulation and let’s make your home tighter, quieter, and way more efficient. No fluff. Just real results.

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