Blown-in insulation is loose-fill fiberglass or cellulose that gets installed by blowing it through a hose into attics, wall cavities, and floor spaces. For attic insulation in Panama City, blown-in is almost always the right choice — faster, cheaper, and more thorough than batting on a flat attic floor.
When Blown-In Is the Right Call
Blown-in is the go-to for:
- Attic floors — laid on top of existing insulation to reach modern R-value, or installed from scratch in uninsulated attics
- Retrofit walls — blown into existing closed walls through small access holes, no drywall removal
- Irregular cavities — spaces that batting can’t fit cleanly
- Over-batting top-ups — adding depth to older batting that has compressed below target R-value
Fiberglass vs Cellulose
Both materials are commonly used for blown-in work. They have different tradeoffs:
Fiberglass blown-in is spun glass fiber — non-combustible, doesn’t settle much over time, and resists moisture. R-value is roughly R-2.2 to R-2.7 per inch, so reaching R-38 in the attic takes about 14–16 inches of depth. It’s the material we recommend for most Panama City attics.
Cellulose blown-in is recycled paper treated with borate for fire and pest resistance. R-value is slightly higher at R-3.2 to R-3.8 per inch, so you need less depth to hit target — about 10–12 inches for R-38. Cellulose handles sound dampening slightly better, but it can settle 10-20% over time, which affects long-term performance. It also weighs more, which matters on older ceilings with marginal framing.
We’ll walk you through the right choice for your specific attic during the estimate. Most new Panama City installs use fiberglass. Some older-home retrofits and noise-sensitive applications use cellulose.
R-Values and Depth
Department of Energy recommends R-38 to R-60 for attics in Climate Zone 2 (Panama City, Destin, Tallahassee). Most Panama City homes benefit from R-49 or R-60 — the diminishing returns on going higher are real, but so is the impact on summer cooling bills when you go from R-19 (a common “original” attic value) to R-49.
In practice, that means:
- Fiberglass blown-in to R-49: about 18 inches deep
- Cellulose blown-in to R-49: about 14 inches deep
- Fiberglass over existing R-19 batting to reach R-49: about 11 inches of new material on top
We use depth markers stapled to rafters so anyone (including your next home inspector) can verify the install is to spec.
Retrofit Walls — Insulating Without Tearing Things Apart
A surprising number of older Panama City and Destin homes have uninsulated exterior walls. It’s common in construction from the 1950s and earlier, and in additions built before modern code. The fix is usually blown-in cellulose dense-pack through small access holes drilled from the exterior, then patched — no drywall demo, no major disruption to the interior.
Dense-pack wall retrofits can add R-13 to R-15 to a previously uninsulated wall, and the impact on both summer cooling and winter heating loads is noticeable from the first power bill.
Typical Pricing
Blown-in insulation in Panama City runs roughly $1.50–$3.00 per square foot installed, depending on depth, material, and prep work. A typical attic top-off on a 2,000 sq ft home to reach R-49 lands in the $2,500–$4,500 range. Full attic install from bare joists is closer to $3,500–$6,000. Wall retrofits are priced per linear foot of wall and scope out during the estimate.
Our Process
- Free estimate — Brian walks the attic, measures existing insulation depth, and talks through R-value targets
- Quote within a day or two — fixed price based on coverage and target depth
- Prep — baffles on soffits, dams around recessed lights and chimneys, attic access sealing
- Install — most attics are 4-8 hours of blow time depending on size
- Verification — depth markers installed, photos taken for your records
Related Services
- Batting insulation — for walls, floors, and new construction
- Insulation removal — before new install in damaged or contaminated attics
- Destin blown-in insulation
- Tallahassee blown-in insulation
- Dothan blown-in insulation
Free Estimates
Call 850-814-7581 or request an estimate online. Brian will schedule a visit, scope the attic, and give you a straight quote.