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Top 10 Questions to Ask Your Kansas City Insulation Company

Top 10 Questions To Ask Before Hiring a Kansas City Insulation Company

Have you recently moved into an older home and found your energy bill is higher than you expected—indicating there may be an insulation problem? Or maybe you’re building a new home or commercial building and need Kansas City insulation installation services for the first time.

Either way, choosing the right Kansas City insulation company is crucial for ensuring your inspection, removal, replacement or new installation is done right, thereby improving the energy efficiency of your home, keeping you and your family warm and undisturbed from outside noise, and reducing your energy bill. 

But how do you know you’ve chosen the right Kansas City insulation contractor? Koala Insulation of South Kansas City is part of the larger Koala Insulation community that has proudly served communities across the United States for over 15 years. Based on the wealth of experience we have accumulated throughout these years, we suggest asking yourself the questions below before making an appointment for Kansas City insulation services. 

Kansas City Insulation: 10 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Contractor

1. How Much Insulation Do I Need?

Before hiring an insulation company in Kansas City, you should establish a fairly certain idea about exactly what you need them for. There are several different types of insulation on the market today, each with pros and cons depending on where you intend to place the product and your local climate. 

When determining exactly how much insulation you need, look at the R-value guidelines. In the simplest of terms, the R-value is the amount of thermal resistance that a material has. The higher the R-value, the more resistant the material will be to heat (or cold). Greater energy efficiency can be obtained by using the correct material and the correct R-value for your climate. 

R-value guidelines are prescribed according to regional climate zones. Kansas City straddles climate zones 4 and 5, which gets the best results from R38 to R60 for attics, R13 to R21 for walls, and R25 to R30 for a crawl space and flooring. To reduce your utility bills as much as possible, you’ll need enough insulation to meet these R-values.  

2. Should I Get a Home Energy Evaluation?

Many Americans have never even heard of home energy evaluations, let alone ever used one. But this is a great resource for reducing your energy costs, making it something worth taking advantage of. 

Home energy evaluations, also known as energy audits, are a great way to find out exactly how energy efficient your home is, and whether there is potential for energy saving changes. During an energy audit, a consultant will evaluate your home or commercial building, perform tests for energy efficiency, and make recommendations for improvements you can make to increase energy efficiency. During the evaluation and testing stages, they will look at your HVAC system and your insulation. 

In addition to obtaining an understanding of your own home and allowing you to take the appropriate steps to reduce your energy bill, a home audit can also come in handy when you decide to sell your home. You’ll be able to show prospective buyers just how energy efficient the home is and give them peace of mind that they won’t have to pay for costly repairs in the near future. 

3. Do They Offer Free Estimates and Inspections?

Regardless of whether you opt for an energy audit or not, you’ll want to look for an insulation company in Kansas City that offers free estimates and inspections—and puts the results in writing. If you’ve ever gone with a home services company who didn’t provide this, you know just how much of a mistake it is when you get your final invoice.

A Kansas City insulation company that will conduct an inspection and provide a free, no-obligation quote is one that shows they stand behind their work. They’re able to be honest and upfront about pricing with you because they have nothing to hide and believe in the value of their services. 

Having the opportunity to agree to the service or pass based on the results of the inspection and quote also allow you to avoid making a split decision you’ll regret down the road. The results of an inspection can be unpredictable. No-obligation quotes and inspections allow you to take the time to consider the recommendations of the contractor and choose the proper product for your space and budget. 

4. What Insulation Services are Offered?

It helps to have a basic idea about insulation installation methods and types in advance of hiring an insulation company in Kansas City. With this knowledge, you can assess the legitimacy and quality of the services provided by the Kansas City insulation experts you are considering hiring. 

There are four main insulation materials used in commercial and residential buildings: 

• Fiberglass Insulation: Made from tiny glass fibers, this material is that fluffy pink stuff you’ve seen in unfinished basements. 
• Cellulose Insulation: Composed mainly of recycled paper and denim that has been treated with a fire retardant to make it safe for use. 
• Spray Foam Insulation: The high R-value of spray foam insulation makes it incredibly energy efficient, but it is not recommended for an attic space due to its susceptibility to moisture. 
• Mineral Wool Insulation: Also called rock wool, this material is made of steel byproducts and spun until it reaches a wool-like consistency. 

Each of these materials have their own benefits and drawbacks, but are all great insulators. The most popular materials used in Kansas City homes are fiberglass and cellulose. Fiberglass is generally preferred for many properties over cellulose, but a consultant can help you pick the type best suited for your needs.. 

In addition to material, insulation can be installed in the following two ways:

• Batts: Batt insulation comes in pre-cut rolls or sheets, making them easier for DIYers to install themselves. 
• Blown-In: Blown-in insulation requires the use of a special machine to fill a space with loose material. It works the best for small and irregularly shaped spaces but can’t easily be done without the help of a professional Kansas City insulation company.

Companies that offer several types of products and services can provide their customers with more choices. This also increases the likelihood that your contractor’s service recommendations are based on your unique needs rather than simply what they are able to offer. 

5. Does the Company Work on Residential or Commercial Buildings?

While insulation works the same way in both residential, commercial, and industrial buildings, the right insulation solution will differ according to building type. Noise reduction and pest control may be particular concerns for commercial buildings, potentially making certain materials better than others for commercial installations. 

You’ll want to make sure you hire Kansas City insulation contractors that regularly work on the type of building you’re looking to be serviced. One of the best ways to check what types of buildings the contractor works on is by taking a look at testimonials on their website, or Google reviews. This not only demonstrates their level of expertise, but also verifies that they can provide what you need. 

6. How Much Will the Service Cost?

In a perfect world, you wouldn’t have to think about money when improving the energy efficiency of your home. Unfortunately, we do not live in a perfect world and your budget is something you have to take into consideration. 

Different insulation options can have different prices, and the cost of your service will be affected by more than just material costs. The type of service you need, the state of your existing insulation, and many other factors with your property could affect the price of your services. To complicate things further, the cost of materials can fluctuate depending on supply chain interruptions and change in demand. For those reasons, it’s difficult to provide an accurate, upfront estimate without first inspecting your property. That’s another reason why it’s so important to confirm whether or not you can get an estimate and inspection.

To ensure you’re getting the best price, look for Kansas City insulation companies that are transparent about the cost of materials and labor. A company that promotes their efficiency is also likely to have a lower service cost, as it should take their insulation contractors less time to complete the installation. 

7. How Do the Contractors Demonstrate their Professionalism?

Insulation licensing requirements vary according to state. In Missouri, insulation contractors are not required to be licensed at the state level. Furthermore, contractors are not required to complete any sort of schooling program. In other words, there is no guarantee that they have been professionally trained. How then do you separate the insulation pros from the duds? The key lies in assessing the professionalism of the service. 

A professional service will place value on the relationship between the company and customers. No-obligation quotes and warranties are used by reputable Kansas City insulation companies to show their customers that their opinion and decisions count. By providing these, the company is effectively agreeing to perform work according to the standards of their greatest critic—you.

Reading customer reviews is also a great way to see whether they stay professional even in the face of conflict. How do they respond to customers with complaints? 

8. How Much Experience Do They Have?

In the face of a lack of accreditation, assessing the level of experience that a company has is another excellent strategy for determining reputability. 

Insulation contractors who work independently out of the back of their own truck and have a very short list of customers may not be the best hire. Giving someone who is just starting out in the industry a chance is an admirable thing to do, but unless they show you an impressive level of professionalism, look to see what your other options are.

Kansas City insulation companies with 10 or more years of experience, or those who are part of a franchise, are companies that have found success. Home services companies, including insulation companies, are most successful when they achieve a high degree of customer satisfaction. 

9. What If I’m Not Happy With the Quality of Workmanship?

Sometimes, even when you’ve done all your research, you still end up with an insulation installation job that you’re not happy with. If this happens and you’ve gone with a reputable team, you should be able to get it fixed for free.

When hiring an insulation company in Kansas City, ask whether they have a quality workmanship warranty or satisfaction guarantee policy, and get this in writing. Insulation contractors who don’t offer this are in the minority, so don’t be fooled by a team that claims they need more money from you to fix their own shoddy work. 

10. Can I Install Insulation On My Own?

If hiring Kansas City insulation contractors sounds like a headache and an unnecessary line in your budget, you may be considering pulling up a YouTube tutorial and installing insulation yourself. While this may be tempting, it’s generally recommended to hire an experienced insulation contractor for the following reasons:

• Batts may not be the appropriate choice for the space you are trying to fill. Choosing the incorrect insulation for your space can cause energy loss and drive up your utility bill, costing you more than it would have to hire a Kansas City insulation company in the first place. 
• If you live in an old home, you may put your health at risk. Contractors have the appropriate safety equipment to avoid touching or breathing in anything behind the walls that can be a health hazard. For this reason, it’s best to avoid doing attic insulation removal on your own. 

Koala Insulation of South Kansas City: A Leading Kansas City Insulation Company

As a locally owned and veteran-operated company, Koala Insulation of South Kansas City is proud to serve the areas of Overland Park, Lee’s Summit, Prairie Village, and more! We base our services on our six core values of expertise, trust, communication, efficiency, courtesy, and accountability. You can depend on our insulation pros to offer fair prices, a lifetime workmanship guarantee, and to leave your home just as clean as we found it. 

We work hard to ensure customer satisfaction in our local community of homeowners in Kansas City. If you’re ready to find out how Koala Insulation of South Kansas City can meet all your insulation needs, give us a call today at 816-929-8255.