Batt insulation is the right product for framed cavities: exterior and interior walls, cathedral and vaulted ceilings, and the floor system above a crawl space. Installed properly it performs exactly as rated. Installed the way it usually is, compressed around wiring, cut short at the edges, stuffed behind boxes, it does not come close.

The gap between rated and actual on batt work is almost entirely installation quality. That is the part we control. From renovating an older Boulder home to insulating a newly framed addition in Erie, proper installation determines whether batt insulation performs to its rated R-value or falls short.

Where Batt Belongs

Exterior walls

R-21 in a 2×6 exterior wall is the common standard on new construction across our service area. Cut to fit, split around wiring and plumbing rather than compressed over it, and fully in contact with the sheathing and the drywall plane on both sides.

Cathedral and vaulted ceilings

Tight cavities, limited or no ventilation path, and very little tolerance for error. These assemblies need a deliberate strategy, not just whatever fits.

Crawl space ceilings

Batt between the floor joists where insulating the floor is the right answer. We will tell you when it is and when sealing the crawl space instead would serve you better.

Interior walls

Sound attenuation between bedrooms, bathrooms, media rooms, and shared walls in multifamily.

Flash and Batt, and Why Builders Use It

On new construction and gut remodels, the most cost effective way to hit a demanding wall assembly number is frequently a hybrid: a layer of closed-cell foam against the sheathing, then batt filling the rest of the cavity.

The math in a 2×6 wall works out something like this. Two inches of closed-cell foam delivers roughly R-14 to R-15 depending on the product. Three and a half inches of batt fills the remaining cavity and can run as high as R-15. Together that is approximately R-30 in a standard 2×6 wall, in a cavity that would top out around R-21 with batt alone. At a minimum, you get to evaluate two prices instead of just an all closed-cell foam price.

The foam layer also air seals and acts as a vapor retarder, which the batt cannot do on its own. For builders working to a value engineered envelope target, this is usually the cheapest path to the number. We do a lot of it.

From renovating an older Boulder home to insulating a newly framed addition in Erie, proper installation determines whether batt insulation performs to its rated R-value or falls short.

What Separates a Good Batt Install

• Cut to fit the cavity, not folded or forced
• Split around wiring and plumbing so the material sits behind and in front rather than compressed over the top
• Full contact with the sheathing, no gap behind the batt
• Careful work behind electrical boxes, at headers, at corners and around blocking, which is where most of the missed R-value hides
• Correct facing orientation for the assembly and the climate
• Friction fit that will still be there when the drywall goes on

Compressed batt loses R-value in proportion to how much it is squeezed. A gap behind the batt lets air circulate in the cavity and short circuits the insulation entirely. Neither is visible once the wall is closed, which is exactly why it gets done badly so often.

New construction, remodels, additions and retrofit. Homeowners, builders and general contractors. Free estimate and a written scope.

Why Choose Koala Insulation of Boulder

Whether you’re remodeling a historic Boulder home, finishing a basement in Westminster, or building a new home in Erie, we’ll recommend the batt insulation system that best fits your project and your home’s construction.

CCEF Approved Contractor

Koala Insulation of Boulder is an approved contractor with the Colorado Clean Energy Fund. That means our customers can finance insulation work through RENU loans and ClearPath On-Bill financing, with terms built specifically for energy efficiency improvements rather than a generic home improvement loan.

Not every insulation contractor in Colorado carries this approval. Ask us about it on your estimate, and we will walk you through what you qualify for.

Limited Lifetime Warranty

Our work carries a limited lifetime warranty. In practice, it is simpler than that sounds. If we did the work on your home and something is not right, you call us, and we come back and fix it. No claim forms, no argument about what is covered.

Three Certified BPI Analysts on Staff

The Building Performance Institute certifies professionals to assess how a home performs as a complete system: air leakage, insulation, ventilation, moisture, and combustion safety. Most insulation companies do not employ a single certified analyst. We have three.

It is the difference between someone who can install insulation and someone who can tell you why your house is uncomfortable in the first place.