Across the river from downtown

Spray Foam Insulation in Covington, KY

Twelve historic districts and a lot of houses built before 1940.

Free in-person estimates
Written quote with material, thickness and R-value for each area
Leaks, damp framing and old wiring flagged before anything is covered

Old Homes on the Kentucky Side

Spray foam insulation in Covington usually means working on a house built before World War II. ACS data on Point2Homes shows about 44% of Covington's housing dates from 1939 or earlier, with a median year built of 1947. The city sits on the south bank of the Ohio River where the Licking River joins it, directly across from Cincinnati, and has 12 historic districts, mostly in its northern part, including the Riverside Drive district.

Rowhouses and narrow lots

Much of older Covington is attached or closely spaced brick and frame houses on narrow lots. Rowhouses share party walls, so the exposed surfaces are the roof, the front and back walls and the floor over the basement. That makes the attic or roof and the basement the main targets. Many have low-slope roofs with little or no attic, where foam under the roof deck may be the only practical way to insulate.

Solid brick and balloon frames

As in Cincinnati, solid brick walls should generally not be insulated from inside, while balloon-frame cavities benefit from sealing at the top and bottom before anything else. We look at how each wall was built.

Kentucky code

Kentucky's residential energy requirements follow the 2009 IECC, and the Insulation Institute's Kentucky summary lists R-38 ceilings, R-13 wood-frame walls and R-19 floors for Climate Zone 4. Those values are lower than Ohio's, but for an existing attic the Department of Energy still recommends R-60 for an empty attic or adding R-49 over a thin layer.

Rebates

The Kentucky Home Energy Rebates Program lists insulation among the upgrades it will support, but its website says the rebates are not yet available while it awaits federal approval. Check its page before starting a project.

Basements and sills

Older Covington houses often have stone or brick foundations with wood sill plates sitting on top. Those sills and the rim above them leak air along the whole length of the house. Closed-cell foam seals them, but only after we confirm the sills are sound and dry. A rotted sill needs repair first, and we tell you if we see one.

We inspect the attic or roof and the basement and send a written price. Get a free estimate

What to Know in Covington

Pre-war housing. About 44% of housing units date from 1939 or earlier; the median year built is 1947 (ACS via Point2Homes).
Historic districts. Covington has 12 historic districts, mostly in its northern part, including the Riverside Drive district.
Kentucky code values. Kentucky's 2009 IECC-based code lists R-38 ceilings, R-13 walls and R-19 floors for Zone 4 (Insulation Institute summary).
State rebates pending. The Kentucky Home Energy Rebates Program says its rebates, which include insulation, are not yet available.

Attic Insulation & Air Sealing in Cincinnati, OH

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Covington Questions

How do you insulate a rowhouse with a flat roof?

If there is no attic, the options are foam under the roof deck from inside or insulation added on top during a reroof. We look at the roof structure and explain the choices.

Is Kentucky's code different from Ohio's?

Yes. Kentucky follows the 2009 IECC, with an R-38 ceiling value, while Ohio's code lists R-49. For existing homes we use DOE's recommendations as the target on either side of the river.

Are there insulation rebates in Kentucky?

The state's Home Energy Rebates Program says rebates are not yet available. Check its site before you start.

Can spray foam go on an old stone foundation?

On the rim joist and sill above it, yes, once we confirm the wood is sound and dry. Stone walls themselves often stay damp, so we usually leave them uninsulated and focus on sealing and the floors above.

Free Estimates in Covington, KY

Free estimates in Covington.

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