Insulation Before & After in Pasadena, CA
You can read about R-values and air sealing all day, but nothing beats seeing what a proper insulation job actually looks like. These projects represent the kind of work we do across Pasadena, Altadena, San Marino, and South Pasadena. Homes built here in the 1920s through the 1970s were rarely insulated well, and many attics we open up haven’t been touched in decades. Bryce Holloway has pulled out newspaper from the 1960s, nests that predate his crew, and fiberglass so compacted it might as well have been cardboard. That’s the starting point. What follows is where these homes end up.
Recent Transformations
Attic Insulation: 1920s Bungalow in Bungalow Heaven
Before
AfterThe attic in this Bungalow Heaven home had maybe R-4 of settled, dusty fiberglass. The owners said the upstairs bedroom was ten degrees hotter than the rest of the house every August afternoon. Our crew vacuumed out the old material, air-sealed the top plates and can light penetrations, then blew in Owens Corning fiberglass to R-38. The bedroom temperature difference dropped to two degrees the same week. That’s the number that matters.
Blown-In Insulation: Flat Roof Midcentury in Upper Hastings Ranch
Before
AfterFlat roof homes present a particular headache: the roof cavity is often too shallow for batt insulation, so the old stuff sags and leaves bare spots. This Upper Hastings Ranch home had exactly that. We removed the failing batts and blew in GreenFiber cellulose to R-30 throughout the entire attic plane. Cellulose settles into the weird corners of flat roof framing in a way batts simply can’t. The homeowner told us the furnace kicked on noticeably less the following winter.
Insulation Removal: Garage Conversion in Northeast Pasadena
Before
AfterA garage conversion can go wrong a dozen ways, and bad insulation is the one you feel every single day. This Northeast Pasadena garage had fiberglass batts crammed into walls with zero air sealing and visible rodent damage. We stripped everything out, disposed of it properly, and prepped the walls for a clean install of Johns Manville batts with a proper vapor barrier. The client was a contractor who brought us in specifically to undo the previous owner’s DIY job. The look on his face when he saw the stud cavities clean was worth it.
Attic Insulation: Two-Story Craftsman Near the Rose Bowl
Two-story homes near the Rose Bowl get hit with direct afternoon sun and the heat just climbs. This Craftsman had an attic that topped out at about R-8 in spots and a gable vent that wasn’t doing anything useful. We pulled the old layers, sealed every penetration we could reach, added proper baffles to keep the soffit vents clear, and blew in CertainTeed fiberglass to R-38. The second floor held the thermostat setting for the first time in the homeowner’s memory. That’s what a correct depth of blown-in does.
Insulation Removal: Rental Turnover in Northwest Pasadena
Landlords don’t always want to spend money on attics until a tenant complains. This Northwest Pasadena rental had a tenant who complained about cold floors and a $300 gas bill in January. The landlord called us. The attic was a patchwork of three different insulation types from three different decades, including one section that was just plywood. We removed all of it, air-sealed, and installed Knauf batts to R-30 with a clean, documented install. The gas bill dropped by almost a third the next month.
Attic Insulation: Hillside Ranch in San Rafael Hills
Wildfire-adjacent homes in the San Rafael Hills come with a different conversation. This house sits on a slope where embers are a real concern, so the homeowner specifically asked about Rockwool. We removed the old fiberglass and installed Rockwool batts throughout the attic and the knee wall cavities. Rockwool carries a high fire resistance rating and it’s a product we’re happy to stand behind. The 365-Day Done Right Promise applies here just like any other job, but this homeowner sleeps a little easier knowing what’s above their ceiling.
Want Results Like These?
Every one of these projects started with a phone call and a free estimate. You get the written price before any work starts, and the install comes with our 365-Day Done Right Promise in writing. If it’s not right within a year, we come back at no charge. Call Alden Insulation Pasadena at (626) 628-2368 and tell us what your attic looks like. We’ll take it from there.
Written by Bryce Holloway, Owner at Alden Insulation Pasadena, serving Pasadena since 2002.