When the insulation work is completed, most good insulation companies in Santa Clara County in the major cities of Palo Alto, Cuptertino, Gilroy, Campbell, and Morgan Hill will give you a written invoice that details the finished work. This invoice usually will include:

• An itemized list of the gutter protection system and the gutter guard supplies purchased.
• The name, physical address and license number of the contractor.
• A list of all services performed.
• Any applicable warrantees or guarantees provided by the insulation system manufacturers and the company.
• The total cost for insulation services, including the amount due for labor.

It’s a good idea to compare the finished work to what was promised on the written invoice. Ask your company representative to walk through the job site with you and show you the work. Check what was done against the invoice. During the walk-through, ask if there are any special instructions for maintaining your new insulation. If you have questions about the work that was done or the materials used, now is the time to ask.

The majority of good insulation contractors offer some type of warranty on their work or on the materials they’ve used. All warranty details should be provided to you in writing during the contract phase or at the job’s completion. This written warranty information should include the following:

• The contractor’s name and physical address.
• Your responsibility in the case of product failure, including actions you must take in order to redeem the warranty. (i.e., if you have to pay for labor or materials, or if you are required to pay a prorated amount).
• If the warranties are will transfer to the new owner if you sell your home.
• What products and services are covered. This should also include whether the insulation expert will replace or repair parts in the event of a product failure.
• Terms, limitations and exclusions on the insulation, materials and workmanship.

The top 10 requests for residential and commercial insulation services in Santa Clara County are listed below.

Crawl Space Insulation
Insulating the area of limited height which is under a floor or a roof, which is usually where the wiring and plumbing access is.

House Insulation
Applying insulation to a building that lived in by a household or family for the purpose of in thermal, acoustic, or fire insulation.

Spray Foam Insulation
A very specialized two component mixed which comes together at the top of a gun to form an expanding foam which can be sprayed into wall cavities, concrete slabs, and other places insulation is needed.

Insulation Foam
An expanding foam mixture made up of isocyanate and resin which can be sprayed onto roof tiles or wall cavities, among other places.

Basement Wall Insulation
Applying insulation to the walls of the room that is either completely or partially below a ground floor.

Attic Insulation
Installing  approved insulation products, such as rock, wool, fiberglass, and cellulose, evenly across the unconditioned attic area to attain the preferred levels of thermal resistance.

Installing Insulation
Adding insulation to a commercial building or a residential home in the walls, ceiling, or floors.

Basement Insulation
Applying insulation to  the basement of a home or business for thermal, acoustic, or fire insulation.

Spray Insulation
Applying insulation that is forced out of a can or other container onto the walls, ceiling, or floors of a business or home for thermal, acoustic, or fire insulation.

Blown Insulation
A method of applying insulation by mechanically blowing it into the walls, ceiling, or floors of a business, or home for themal, acoustic, or fire insulation.

Below are key insulation company terms and descriptions that will help you research, hire and deal with new installation services from start to finish.

Always be sure you understand the terms, products, materials and installation techniques your insulation installer is using. If you don’t understand, ask for clarification until you do.

adhesive
A substance that is used to bond insulation materials by exterior attachment.

attic insulation
The installation of approved insulation products (rockwool, fiberglass, and cellulose) evenly across the unconditioned attic area to achieve desired levels of thermal resistance.

Also known as: attic insulation installation, attic door insulation, blown attic insulation, attic stair insulation, cellulose attic insulation, attic stairs insulation, foam attic insulation, reflective attic insulation, attic insulation types

attic insulation removal
Removing visible soot and char from the surface of insulating materials sufficient enough to attain an acceptable appearance. Working in attics and endeavoring to eliminate loose soot and char particles off of the  insulation is one of the most difficult jobs.

Also known as: removing attic insulation, remove attic insulation, attic insulation, fiberglass insulation removal, insulation removal, attic insulation types, attic insulation installation, blown attic insulation, types of attic insulation, attic insulation r value, removing blown in insulation, installing attic insulation

basement insulation
Applying insulation to the basement of a home or business for thermal, acoustic, or fire insulation.

Also known as: basement wall insulation, attic insulation, how to insulate a basement, basement foam insulation, insulating basement, basement ceiling insulation, home insulation, basement insulation tips, insulation types, insulate basement walls, basement floor insulation, house insulation

basement wall insulation
Applying insulation to the walls of the room that is either completely or partially below a ground floor.

Also known as: basement wall panels, basement insulation, insulate basement walls, insulation for basement walls, basement floor insulation, insulation basement walls, insulating basement walls, basement wall construction

batt
A piece of stretchy to semi-rigid type insulation with a specific width and length. It may or may not have vapor retarder facing.

Also known as: batt insulation, batting

blanket insulation
A nearly flat and stretchy insulation in sheet form furnished in units of considerable area.

Also known as: fiberglass blanket insulation, space blanket insulation, basement blanket insulation, fiberglass insulation, fire blanket insulation, insulated blankets, weather blanket insulation, thermal blanket insulation, insulating blankets, ceramic blanket insulation

block insulation
Rigid insulation that is formed into rectangular units.

Also known as: concrete block insulation, block wall insulation, cinder block insulation, foam block insulation, insulated concrete block, exterior insulation, insulated concrete blocks, thermal block insulation, under slab insulation

blown insulation
A method of applying insulation by mechanically blowing it into the walls, ceiling, or floors of a business, or home for themal, acoustic, or fire insulation.

Also known as: blown foam insulation, blown in insulation, blown cellulose insulation, green fiber blown insulation, blown in insulation attic, insulation r value, home insulation, insulation types, cellulose insulation, blown fiberglass insulation, blown in insulation types

caulk
The process of sealing and making a space watertight or airtight. Caulking is an important part of residential insulation services.

crawl space insulation
Insulating the area of limited height which is under a floor or a roof, which is usually where the wiring and plumbing access is.

Also known as: crawl space insulation installation, insulation crawl space, crawl space moisture, insulation for crawl space

energy code
Requirement in a particular area that will outline the minimum level of insulation and/or other energy-efficiency methods  for construction. These codes will be updated on an ongoing basis. Minimum levels of insulation are set by allowing for the cost of energy and the level that provides a reasonable payback.

fiberglass insulation
Fiberglass is a fibrous material made by spinning molten glass. It is used as an insulator and retardant of heat loss. Fiberglass insulation is a popular choice for homes and businesses.

high-performance insulation
Insulation that is made of fiber glass with densely packed fibers. It results in higher R-values for a specified thickness. This is mainly used in confined spaces like walls or cathedral ceilings.

Also known as: high performance insulation, attic insulation, home insulation, spray insulation, high temperature insulation, insulation contractors, fiberglass insulation, insulation types, cellulose insulation, garage door insulation

house insulation
Applying insulation to a building that lived in by a household or family for the purpose of in thermal, acoustic, or fire insulation.

Also known as: house insulation types, house insulation materials, old house insulation, house wrap insulation, house wrap insulation, types of house insulation, home insulation, insulation r value, basement insulation, insulation, spray foam house insulation, wall insulation

installing insulation
Adding insulation to a commercial building or a residential home in the walls, ceiling, or floors.

Also known as: installing attic insulation, installing insulation in attic, installing fiberglass insulation, installing insulation batts, installing home insulation

insulating cement
A mixture of several insulating fibers along with binders and water to form a moldable paste insulation which can be applied to fittings or irregular surfaces.

Also known as: cement insulation, insulation cement, aerogel insulation, fireproof insulation, vermiculite insulation, high temperature insulation, insulation materials, duct insulation, sound proof insulation, ceramic insulation

insulation
The act of being insulated or the state of being insulated. Insulation also refers to the material used in insulating services.

Also known as: attic insulation, installing insulation, basement insulation spray insulation, blown insulation, blow in insulation, crawl space insulation, house insulation, insulate, insulation r values, spray foam insulation, cellulose insulation, fiberglass insulation, insulation foam, spray in insulation, basement wall insulation, home insulation, attic insulation types, garage door insulation, thermal insulation, insulation types, insulation r value

insulation foam
An expanding foam mixture made up of isocyanate and resin which can be sprayed onto roof tiles or wall cavities, among other places.

Also known as: insulating foam, spray insulation foam, insulation foam spray, wall insulation foam, attic insulation foam, insulating spray foam, sound insulation foam, rigid foam insulation, insulation foam board, foam insulation, pipe insulation foam, spray foam insulation r value, spray foam

insulation removal
Process of removing insulation because of mildew and mold.

Also known as: attic insulation removal, insulation removal equipment, asbestos insulation removal, blown insulation removal vacuum, loose fill insulation, removing attic insulation, insulation removal machine, insulation removal bags

pipe insulation
Form of insulation that is appropriate to apply to cylinder surfaces.

Also known as: pipe insulation wrap, hot water pipe insulation, foam pipe insulation, heating pipe insulation, pipe wrap insulation, pipe insulation material, fiberglass pipe insulation, piping insulation, water pipe insulation

polyethylene
Material for insulation that is closed-cell and thermoplastic.

radiant barrier foil
A thin aluminum film which works to reflect the  heat gain. Typically it will be fastened to the underside of a roof or in an attic space. It prevents the heat that is absorbed by hot roofs from transferring to the inside of the home.

Also known as: radiant barriers, radiant barrier, radiant heat barrier, radiant barrier foil insulation, attic radiant barrier, radiant barrier spray, radiant barrier attic foil, efficient attic systems, efficient attic systems, reflective radiant barrier

radiant barrier spray
This spray is a coating which is applied to structures for insulation and other purposes. Spray polyurethane foam (SPF) is the most popular barrier spray. It provides a sealed thermal barrier for residential and business applications. These products are engineered for a diversity of uses which include roofing and fire control. This product is also used to block radiant heat from the sun.

Also known as: radiant barrier paint, radiant barrier foil, radiant barrier, spray on radiant barrier, radiant barriers, attic radiant barrier

R-value
This is the measure of resistance to heat flow. Insulation materials will have very small pockets of trapped air, and these pockets will resist the transfer of heat through material. The capacity of insulation to slow down the transfer of heat is measured in R-values. The better the insulation material’s ability to resist the flow of heat through it, the higher the R-value.

Also known as: r value, insulation r value, r value insulation, fiberglass r value, r value glass

spray foam insulation
A very specialized two component mixed which comes together at the top of a gun to form an expanding foam which can be sprayed into wall cavities, concrete slabs, and other places insulation is needed.

Also known as: spray in foam insulation, spray in foam insulation kits, spray on foam insulation, spray foam insulation equipment, foam insulation, spray foam insulation r value

spray insulation
Applying insulation that is forced out of a can or other container onto the walls, ceiling, or floors of a business or home for thermal, acoustic, or fire insulation.

Also known as: spray insulation, spray in insulation, diy spray insulation, spray foam insulation kits, spray foam insulation equipment, spray foam insulation r value, spray insulation types, spray home insulation, spray foam insulation

Q: Why choose a Diamond Certified home insulation company?
A: Diamond Certified helps you choose a home insulation contractor with confidence by offering a list of top-rated local companies who have passed the country’s most in-depth rating process. Only insulation companies rated Highest in Quality earn the prestigious Diamond Certified award. Most companies can’t pass the ratings. American Ratings Corporation also monitors every Diamond Certified company with ongoing research and ratings. And your new insulation purchase is backed by the Diamond Certified Performance Guarantee.

Q: What’s the purpose of insulating my home?
A: Insulation will keep the house cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter since insulation will resist the flow of heat. Heat, a form of energy, will always look for a cooler area. This means it will flow out of the house in the winter and into the house in the warmer months. If you can reduce the  heat flow, a well-insulated house uses less energy to heat and cool. Insulation will also acts like a sound absorber With so much noise in our environment today, more are soundproofing their houses.

Q: What parts of a house should be insulated?
A: Attics and external walls are not the only places for insulation. Insulation should be put in  other areas of a house, like attics, basement walls, ceilings that are vaulted, floors over unheated garages or porches, and in between internal walls, particularly the bathroom, lofts or floors.

Q: What does u-value mean?
A: U-Value means the amount of the rate of heat loss. The greater the insulating power, the lower the u-value will be. U-value is how insulation is identified and labeled

Q: Where can I find u-value information when I am buying insulation?
A: Insulation manufacturers always print the u-values of their products on labels or bags of the product.  Most of the time, u-values will be printed on the facings of fiber glass batts and rolls.

Q: How can I get the best performance from my new home insulation?
A: The installation of the insulation is the most important ingredient for performance. Regardless of the insulation type, the full u-value can only be achieved with proper installation. Make sure to choose a certified home insulation contractor.

Q: When adding insulation to your home, do you need to remove the old insulation?
A: Since u-values are cumulative, There is no need to remove any current insulation because u-values are cumulative.

Q: Why and how can sound be controlled with the installation of new insulation?
A: The limiting of sound from one area of the house to another requires the application of special insulation plus standard insulation to enclose the noise generating source. Then it forms a sound barrier between the source and the surrounding area. The purposes of controlling sound is to reduce obnoxious noise (like machines), to reduce the noise level, and to provide for good working conditions.

Q: What options do I have when choosing insulation?
A: You can choose from many types of insulations, such as: cellulose, foam, cotton, and fiber glass. For residential homes, the most common types are fiber glass and cellulose.