Insulation with Steve Spoon from Victory Insulation
In this episode, Craig and Kevin talk with Steve Spoon with Victory Insulation. Believe it or not, you should check your attic insulation every 5 years.
Homeowner guide
Attic Insulation and R-Value in Texas
How deep attic insulation should be, what R-value really measures, where spray foam changes an attic, and the sales pitch to walk away from.
What the show has actually said
The attic is where most of a Texas energy bill goes, and it is also where the most confident sales pitches happen, because almost nobody climbs up there to check.
Steve Spoon of Victory Insulation is the reason this page exists. On the first insulation episode he explained R-value in plain terms, cited a US Energy Department study finding that fiberglass which has settled two inches has lost eighty percent of its R-value, and said blown insulation needs to be twelve to fourteen inches deep to reach the number people think they bought. That episode is also where the show's standing advice comes from: look at your attic insulation every five years.
He came back on the Texas insulation episode with the industry side. Pest companies selling insulation, unlicensed installers, batts compressed into a cavity so they are worth less than the label claims, his expectation that R-13 walls give way to R-22, and the construction and energy tax credits being gutted.
A shorter conversation covers the materials themselves, spray foam and cellulose. The spray foam law episode takes up House Bill 3314 on energy efficiency in residential construction, plus what an encapsulated attic does to mold and to the supply and return ducts sitting up there. And the boric acid pest resistant insulation claim gets the treatment it deserves.
The episodes behind this guide
Texas Insulation Scandals with Steve Spoon CEO of Victory Insulation
Show Notes for the Video Episode Overview: In this episode, the hosts dive into a variety of topics ranging from home energy solutions to pest control. The conversation is both informative and engaging, providing listeners with valuable insights into practical solutions for common household issues.
Controversial New Spray Foam Laws and Roofing Licensing
New Spray Foam Laws and Roofing Licensing In this episode Craig and Kevin discuss a couple of controversial new proposed laws for spray foam insulation, and new roofing licensing that is taking place, all in Texas. As you can imagine, there’s a lot of opinions surrounding each of these things.
Insulation, Custom Hats and Watermelon Pickles
Insulation, Custom Hats and Watermelon Pickles In this episode Craig sits down with Steve Spoon from Victory Insulation and Tara Daley from Designworks
Scam Company Exposed, HOAs Under Fire, and College Football Rivalries!
Scam Companies Exposed, HOAs Under Fire, and College Football Rivalries! In Episode 334 of The Homeowner Show, hosts Kevin Hackett and Craig Williams tackle a wide array of topics crucial for today’s homeowners.
Common questions
How much attic insulation do I actually need?
Steve Spoon's number on the first insulation episode is twelve to fourteen inches of blown insulation to reach the R-value most people assume they already have, with local code as the floor. He also pointed at a US Energy Department study finding that fiberglass which has settled two inches has lost eighty percent of its R-value, which is why the depth on install day is not the same as the depth today.
How often should I check my attic insulation?
Every five years, which is the advice the Victory Insulation episode is built around. Nothing about an attic tells you the insulation has gone flat, so it is something you go and look at rather than something you wait to notice.
Is spray foam a good idea in a Texas attic?
The show's coverage is deliberately split. Spray foam does not break down the way blown insulation does, which is the case for it. On the spray foam law episode Craig and Kevin worked through House Bill 3314 and what happens once an attic is encapsulated: it stops breathing the way it used to, mold becomes a real question, and the supply and return ducts are now inside the sealed space. Steve Spoon has also described spray foam changing how an air conditioning system behaves.
Should I buy insulation from the company that sprays my house for bugs?
Steve Spoon spent a whole segment on that on the Texas insulation episode, covering pest companies selling insulation and unlicensed installers doing the work. Craig, who ran a pest control company, has also taken apart the claim that boric acid treated pest resistant insulation is worth paying extra for.
There is a lot more where that came from.
The archive runs to hundreds of episodes on roofs, HVAC, pests, hiring, insurance and everything else a house throws at you. New ones every week.