Receiving high energy bills has happened to many of us at one point or another, and it’s never a fun experience. You’re not alone, the 13 largest U.S. metropolitan areas have seen higher bills this year. After receiving a high energy bill, we wonder how does this happen and how do we fix the problem. Everyone can save energy in their home. Saving energy or becoming more energy efficient, makes our homes more comfortable and saves homeowners money.
Audit Your Home’s Energy Efficiency
The first step to improving savings and comfort of your home is obtaining a Energy Assessment, also known as a Home Energy Audit. Knowing where energy is potentially being wasted is important. If you’re not testing, you are guessing. Professionals will use interviews, inspection of the home, and diagnostic tools. The process should take about one hour to complete. The professional will review findings and make recommendations for improvement.
Air Sealing
Among the greatest sources of energy loss in a home is air leaks. Imagine driving down the freeway on a hot afternoon with the vehicle’s air conditioner on high. We feel pretty comfortable, right! Now roll down the windows. All of sudden we are hot again. Our homes work the same way. We want to keep air that we pay to heat and cool on the inside of the home. One of the best money saving task you can perform to your home is to caulk, seal, or weatherstrip all cracks, openings, and seams to the outside. A homes conditioned space are areas and rooms in the home that the air conditioning system serves. Unconditioned space is the outside, and sometimes is found in our homes: vented attics, kneewall spaces, room above garages, or crawl spaces. According to the Department of Energy, sealing uncontrolled air leaks, you can save 10%-20% on heating and cooling bills. First Defense Insulation provides expert air sealing services.
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- Source of Air Leak
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- Air Sealing Leak
Insulation
After air sealing, the second most energy saving task is looking at the homes insulation. Insulation is an essential piece of limiting heat flow through a homes outer shell (building envelope). Insulation is a home’s thermal boundary, separating outside from inside. The greater the difference between the outside and inside of a home temperature, the more energy it will take to maintain a comfortable environment inside the home. R-value is a measure of insulations resistance to heat flow. The higher the value, the more effective the insulation is at slowing heat flow. So how much insulation do we need? The U.S. is broken up into 8 climate zones. Homeowners in south Texas are in Zone 2. U.S. Department of Energy recommends attic insulation to be between R-30 and R-60. Local and state codes also have an effect on minimum accepted R-Values. If you need help determining the correct R-value for your home, First Defense Insulation comfort specialist can help you. First Defense Insulation provides different options with regards to insulation products.
Heating and Cooling
35%-40% of a homes energy usage comes from heating and cooling. You can save money and increase comfort by properly maintaining, using, and upgrading your HVAC equipment. Air ducts are very important. They are in charge of delivering heated or cool air to the home. Improperly sized, poorly sealed, or poorly insulated, they are likely contributing to higher energy bills. As discussed previously, a home has a inside and outside. Duts located in a vented attic are considered to be outside. This is not ideal placement. Ducts that leak, are literally leaking air you pay to heat and cool to the outside, never to be seen again. Underinsualted ducts do not have a good resistance to heat flow. Remember that the under insulated ducts are located in the “outside”, the same outside that gets incredibly hot in Texas. The 55 degree air that is supposed to be inside the duct can’t stay cool long as the Texas heat bakes the air before distributing to the home. Imagine placing your duct work through an oven and hoping you get cool air at the end, you don’t. The same principles apply during cold months. 155 degree air is cooled by a cold vented attic space. Ducts perform better and save money when air sealed, better insulated beyond current offerings, or located on the inside of the home. Houston area homeowners are turning to spray foam insulation for superior air sealing and R-Value properties. Spray foam can be used to better insulate ducts or be used to convert the attic to unvented, thus allowing duct work to remain on the inside of home and protected from the Texas heat.
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- Duct In Vented Attic
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- Duct Encap
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- Vented Attic
Window Solar Film
Tinting windows from the inside is an economical way to boost energy efficiency. Solar film absorbs or reflects up to 99% of UV rays. This helps keep rooms cooler during the summer and reduces the chance of interior furnishings fading. There are considerations before just installing the film as not all film is compatible with all types of window glass. Before installing, a simple check with the window manufacture is recommended.
High Energy Bills? We Can Help
First Defense Insulation
713-808-9853
Social Accounts:
https://www.facebook.com/FirstDefenseInsulation
I’ve known the owner John Blackwelder awhile. Will not meet or do business with a better guy which is why this company is successful, offers great service, and does great work.
Thomas Wiggins
1713030340
Hired them to insulate the crawlspace on a pier and beam home, it was a great experience. John responded to my inquiry very quickly and even came out for a quote during the weekend. When it came time to do the job, the crew showed up on time, and with a supervisor who helped ensure that the job went smooth from start to finish. The supervisor texted me photos, videos, and progress updates throughout the day, which provided great peace of mind. Definitely would recommend to a friend. You might be able to find a cheaper quote somewhere else, but you won’t be getting the same quality of work, communication, customer service, and punctuality. Save yourself the headache and hire these guys.
Maverick Quiros
1709570991
John is one of the most professional and punctual guys I know. Whenever he is on one of my projects, I have no worries about his scope of work. Top notch service from a top notch person!
RYT Construction
1704313373
This company was highly recommended,I met John Harper at my store. He was very knowledgeable, thorough and explained the entire process of spray foam insulation, how it helps and how it works. I immediately knew I could trust them for the job, which was a very large/difficult job. These guys did a great job, it took longer than expected,they had a few hiccups, but at the end of the day, these guys made it right!!!Thank you JP and John Harper, yall are AWESOME!!These guys are still contacting me, checking in with me making sure everything is OK. This company is all about making things right and that’s exactly what they did!!HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS COMPANY
BARBARA’S RESALE SHOP LLC
1698190133
The team were very responsive during the entire process from estimate to completion of the job today. The job was small in comparison to others I’m sure, but First Defense Insulation came through in a big way, just as if it was a big job. Thanks First Defense Insulation team, job well done!
Paul Sims
1695164657
Was very spectacle about hiring a company for spray foam on my Brando builds with having bad luck in the past.This company is by far the best subcontractor I have ever hired. Their attention to detail was beyond great. They leave the place cleaner than it was before. They will ALWAYS do my insulation on my custom homes.
Joshua Parker
1693506725
The experience with this company was great. Their guys were very professional and cleaned up after themselves very well.
Alice Enloe
1691786429
These guys are the best! John came for the initial inspection/quote and answered ALL of the questions I had (which were many!) — he was able to fully describe and help me understand the process of Crawl Space Encapsulation. He even answered a few follow-up questions I had after meeting with other companies and doing my own research. He really knows his stuff and is an expert! Out of all 3 companies I received quotes from, John was the most honest, knowledgable, and had the best price.Today was installation day and the guys showed up on-time and were incredibly kind. When it was time for them to leave, they locked our driveway gate and moved everything back to the way it was. It was cleaned up like they weren’t even there. The payment process was also extremely straightforward.If you are looking for high-quality work, a communicative and knowledge company, punctuality, and kind service — First Defense Insulation is the way to go!
Blake Mudd
1690911160
The company did a great job replacing a roof and installing new insulation, and went to great lengths to clean up once the work was completed. It was easy to ask questions and communicate, and everything was explained very well. I would recommend to anyone.
Bryan
1687367437
John, Shad and their team did an excellent job with my attic spray foam job. Extremely professional, great communication and easy to work with. They executed the plan they laid out to meet my expectations. They earned my trust, which is the most important thing to me!
Sam Gerges
1684620966
John, at First Defense, personally attended to every detail of my project! His crew was punctual, attentive to every detail and gave expert advice to better accomplish what was needed than I had thought. Upon completion of the install the supervisor, William, ensured that a thorough clean-up was done and that I was completely satisfied with their work before heading to their next job. I highly recommend First Defense Insulation for all your home or business insulation projects.
Robert Engel
1682982733
John and his team did an excellent job installing spray foam insulation to the roof of my attic! They were professional, on time and answered all of my questions. I interviewed a couple of companies before deciding to go with First Defense Insulation LLC. I used the word interviewed because for me it wasn’t about a quote and the cost, but more about finding a company that I could trust to do the job! I highly recommend this company.
Deborah Sanders
1680631824
Experience was great overall with getting insulation in our crawl space. John came out and was able to look at the property, come up with a plan, and sent over the estimate in a timely manner. Wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but he went through in detail of what was needed in the area and recommendations. Once the estimate was approved, we got on the schedule. The day of installation, I got notification that they were coming out and the team was out early and worked quickly on getting ready. Installation of the insulation went well and the team cleaned the area and then cleaned up on their way out. I would use them again if the need arises. Highly recommend.
Patrick Smith
1678299115
First Defence replaced the roof on my house and detached garage. They stripped the old roofing down to the wood decking. They inspected my wood decking for damage and deterioration. Then installed state of the art materials ( not felt paper). John left nothing to chance as he was there to inspect every detail. Very good crew and quality materials!
Michael Woodard
1677961320
First Defense Insulation performed an excellent work. We are very satisfied with their performance. They are courteous, onetime, hardworking people. They are also cost-effective.
Sonny Mukherjee
1675467593
Insulation and sealing in attic
Steve Degner
1675191267
Absolutely an amazing experience! The communication and attention to detail was outstanding. I cannot say enough good things and highly recommend! Extremely satisfied with the sprayfoam experience at my house.
braxton peterson
1675023116
I contacted multiple service providers in Houston, to request quotes and assessment for spray foam insulation in the crawlspace area of our pier-and-beam home. John Harper at First Defense was the only one to give a thorough assessment of both the crawlspace area, and the rest of the home, viewing the attic, roof, doors, windows, etc. I never experienced an over-sell at all, but just a thorough assessment, and proposal for the best solution. He identified that First Defense’s proposal would not necessarily be the lowest bid (true), but I definitely felt the most assured from his proposal. Other groups either retracted their bid (unwilling to enter the crawlspace area), or generated a bid without even seeing the home. In my experience over a couple of weeks’ worth of winter temperatures, there is definitely a noticeable improvement in the floor-level temperatures on our ground floor. I’ve already recommended FD to neighbors and friends – their service was prompt, communication was clear, and the product has seemed to make an impact as desired.
Daniel Harrington
1674749014
From the first communication, John and Shadrick were professional in every way. They attentively listened and looked at our situation and responded with expert recommendations, advising us how to best meet our needs. Their knowledge of insulation, specifically the spray foam business, and knowledge of building science is remarkable. First Defense Insulation is highly recommended for providing excellent work with an honest, professional interchange. I would use this company again without hesitation.
amanda Pelletier
1668804870
Contractors who truly care about the products that go into your home! John and Shad helped me remove a bad spray foam application when a family in need had no one else to turn to. Spray foam is most definitely a specialty application and should only be installed by a trained professional. These guys are the real deal.I would recommend this company to anyone!
Colony Insulation
1667603864
Cannot say enough about the knowledge an professionalism that First defense Insulation possesses. There business model an whole building approach is the only way to properly address a building s thermal envelope. We attempt to mimic First defense insulation in every way tru leaders in the thermal envelope industry.(If your not testing your guessing)
Mark Gordos
1667580082
Extremely knowledgeable, Very pleased!
Todd Bolton
1667576479
John at First Defense Insulation did a fantastic job for us. We gave him a challenging project retrofitting a 110 year-old historic house. We needed help reducing indoor humidity, correcting insulation problems and increasing energy efficiency. First Defense proposed practical solutions, worked hard to solve our issues and did high quality work. They were friendly, communicative and went above and beyond our expectations. We highly recommend First Defense Insulation.
Catherine Runner (Runner Family)
1665094072
Great job by First Defense on all the work they did on my insulation project. They also picked a great subcontractor to do some ductwork and install an AC unit in my garage. High quality work product and great communication about the project’s progress throughout. I am a happy customer and would definitely call them again.
Joe Meuth
1664236444
Great experience using FD insulation from initial contact through completion. John is the one that came out to look at our project and provide the initial quote; and I have nothing but good things to say. He was far more thorough than the other 2 companies that looked and actually took the time to understand how our house was currently setup and what would be needed to get it properly insulated. They did exactly what they said they would and we are quite happy with the job done.
cboren7
1663627173
WOW! WOW! Such an amazing group of professional, friendly, hardworking, efficient, dedicated crew. This company and their amazing crew installed insulation in crawl space and attic and We are very satisfied customers . Thanks John & John. You guys made my husband and I feel so comfortable and trusting of you and your company. We are satisfied with your amazing service. I RECOMMEND this company for all the services they offer. THE VIBES IS RIGHT!😊😊
Yvonne Buddo
1663248320
From the first phone call to inquire about foam insulation I felt completely comfortable and confident that this was the company for us. Our custom built 1970’s house was going to bee a challenge because of it’s flat roof. Our project was no challenge for this team. My husband I I were presented with a plan, offered financing, and scheduled our project to be completed in two days. Our family of five and three dogs were given housing for the two days at no additional cost! After the project was complete we came home to a perfectly clean home. We were impressed with the entire process. When I woke up the next morning I could not believe how crisp and clean the air felt. I thought I was imagining it until I asked my husband and teenagers. They also said they slept great and woke up refreshed. I was shocked. I do not only highly recommend this company but insist.
Rachel Adams
1661705735
Finally a contractor I can trust! I messaged John about issues with other my primary bedroom being warmer than the rest of the house. Luckily he was in the area and came over within hours. While reviewing my cooling issues we talked about my fireplaces. I mentioned I was having issues with my bedroom one and was quoted $10k to repair. After looking at it for a few minutes he diagnosed the problem as my gas logs being oversized. He removed the larger logs and we lit the fireplace. No exhaust fumes! None. Saved me $10k!! The other contractor “misdiagnosed” my issue and was prepared to charge me $10k. How convenient. We’ve all been taken my shady contractors. John is a guy you can trust!!
Tina Strong
1659541053
Can’t say enough good things about this business. We are building our own house and had them install blown-in open cell insulation. John and his team were very professional and went to great lengths to explain the entire process and answer all of our questions. We appreciate everything right down to the small details of cleaning after they finished the job. Thanks John!
Cathy Orlando
1653319204
We enjoyed working with Shad- we were confident after meeting him that he would do a good job with the insulation work we needed done in our attic. His communication is excellent and his team was quick and efficient.
Kristina Pontious
1651178063
First Defense Insulation did an EXCELLENT job for us! They are Very knowledgeable about their products and professional in their work.John inspected our home beforehand and recommended the best solution for our home. John was careful to thoroughly explain how his recommendation was appropriate for our needs.The price was reasonable and job was completed on time as promised. ALL their employees were courteous throughout the entire installation process.We HIGHLY recommend the First Defense Insulation team for your needs.
Daniel Hammock
1643835182
John and his crew came out and removed existing insulation in my attic and replaced it with new. The guys were punctual, polite, courteous, and did an excellent job for me, going above and beyond to ensure I was well taken care of by closing a couple of openings that rodents could gain access to the attic through and working around a few other issues we had.We can already tell a difference in how often our central unit needs to kick on and I am looking forward to seeing a reduced utility bill now that our insulation is done right.Thank you First Defense Insulation for not only treating us right, but going above and beyond. We appreciate you and highly recommend!!-Hunter Family
Adriane Hunter
1639695198
We’ve worked with Shad before when his crew installed foam insulation on our main house, and we were happy to be a repeat customer for our addition. He is pleasant and professional and his crew does great work. We highly recommend this business.
Dawne Adams
1634337466
If you are looking to convert your home from a traditional insulation attic to a conditioned attic like I was… look no further. It started with the utmost professionalism and friendliness from one of the owners Shad, and continued all the way through the process with his team until the very end. You won’t find a more knowledgeable contractor when it comes to spray foam insulation. There is a lot more that goes into this process than just spraying the foam… and First Defense Insulation considers and informs you of all of them. The icing on the cake is how good of a job they do. You won’t have to worry if the job was done as good as it should, it will be done perfect. I crawled around every inch of my attic and couldn’t find one thing to not be fully satisfied about. I could not recommend this company more highly, and have already to my coworkers.
Noah
1634254175
John and his crew were very efficient and professional! John was very thorough in explaining the insulation process and payment plans so that I knew what to expect. I have 4 people who work from home and we were thinking we would have to go into the office, but we were all able to stay at home during this process. There was noise but nothing that was extreme and once they finished over our office we could barely hear them. The crew was just amazing and so quick and efficient the first day was vacuuming and was the longest of course and then the other two days they were here at 8 and done before noon. They were always on time and didn’t waste a second. The second day the foam insulation is sprayed and there is a paint smell, but they did their best to contain it by putting plastic around the attic entrance, also we opened the windows and shut the doors of the rooms we were in and smelled nothing.Overall this was the best experience I have had with anyone who has worked on my house and I can’t wait to see the benefits on my electricity bill because we could already feel the difference after the foam was sprayed. Already our A/C does not have to come on as much. I highly recommend First Defense Installation.
Shawn Smith
1632961259
I am blown away by the level of service that I’ve received from First Defense Insulation. From the initial phone call, to the in-home assessment, these guys are True professionals. Their knowledge and expertise has helped me drastically increase the energy efficiency of my home. John showed me the many areas of my home that were seriously lacking, and how I can address those issues. They put together a plan that really improved the comfort inside of my home. I could not be happier with their service. The work was clean, and everything went very smoothly with the job. I highly recommend them!
Jesse Diaz
1632425874
Knowledgeable, professional, flexible. They look at the problem and make sure the solution doesn’t inadvertently create another issue. That’s very helpful when dealing w insulation, floors, attics, HVAC, and overall structure.
Astrid Lange
1631545366
Had open cell foam sprayed into our MASSIVE attic. Very expensive but it completely transformed the attic. It used to be extremely hot and felt dirty and dusty. Feels like part of the house now and is much cleaner (they remove the old “blown in” insulation as part of the job). We’re looking forward to seeing our first electricity bill with the new insulation.Communication was fantastic throughout; before, during and after the job. They addressed our concerns, thoroughly explained the process and what to expect, and kept us informed of progress while the job was being done. When the job was done the house was left spotless. I highly recommend these guys for your insulation work.
Dan E.
1629809763
The staff of First Defense Insulation was on time, professional around me and my children, very time efficient the whole time they were at our house working. Eddie and the other young man did an amazing job at insulating our home, now we can stay cool in this Texas summer and warm in the winter!
Sandra C
1628447714
We met with John Harper and his associate. They were so professional and explained every step of the insulation process. Prior to this we did not realize the importance of starting with the attic and to be sure it is up to the standard in order the the AC to work to the best of its ability. We haven’t had the work done yet and will review again but making me this huge financial decision and feeling comfortable already is a huge relief. Look for another review after the work is complete. John still as so professional and walked us through every step of the process.
Sheryl Warren
1627162847
Great team! They were very engaging and professional from the beginning to the end.
Marvin Ross
1623109619
These guys told me it would take four daysThey were here early and ready to work they finished in two. Very professional and trustworthy. Job was done to perfectionI would highly recommend this company
eric pitre
1619561380
After researching a number of companies, I selected John and his team for a big job removing the old insulation under our house and then spray foaming. The level of service from the time of our first meeting to the completion of the job was awesome. They finished faster than expected and left our home looking just like before they started. I would definitely recommend this company – great owners and team.
Kevin Gugenheim
1619123495
John Blackwell and his crew are amazing. Very quick response when he came to my home to give me my estimate, very fair pricing, high quality materials and his crew was very professional, friendly and showed respect to my home. Thank you for a smooth, easy, affordable service.
CutN Shoot
1617815888
We needed to have some blown in insulation removed from our attic & our contractor recommended First Defense. We called them & set up an appt., & John came out & looked at the job we needed done, & gave us a quote. We knew shortly after we met him, that we wanted First Defense to do the work, & we couldn’t be happier with the job they did!!! His guys showed up early, & they got to work right away. They were all very professional & cleaned up after they were finished. We will be calling them again soon to do an even bigger job, & we look forward to an even more energy efficient home once that job is completed. Thank you John & Shad for making this such a pleasant experience! it was great meeting both of y’all, & we look forward to working with y’all again after the first of the year!!!
Denise Cheney-Coutorie
1608021323
John and his team did a outstanding job at my house. Answered all my questions before during and after the whole process. The guys arrived on time everyday and cleaned up after themselves unlike most companies. They were very polite and professional the whole time. I already noticed the difference in how much less my A/C unite runs now. I highly recommended first defense to my family and neighbors. Thanks guys
Quentin Mellon
1600297898
