Floor Joists · Rim Joist · Removal · Encapsulation
Master Attic fits new batt insulation between the crawl space floor joists and seals the rim joist across Carteret, New Jersey, in two-family houses standing since the borough's waterfront workforce years and in crawl spaces framed much more recently alike. Free estimates anywhere in Middlesex County.
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Ask why a Carteret floor stays cold in January and the answer is usually sitting right under it: a crawl space, often tucked under a rear addition on one of the borough's two-family houses, that was framed without a single scrap of floor insulation. That was ordinary practice through the decades this housing stock went up, not a defect, but it still leaves the rooms above working against a cold, uninsulated void no matter how tight the rest of the house is sealed.
The joists and subfloor get looked over before anything goes in, mainly to catch whether something already down there, sagging or wet material from an earlier repair, needs to come out first rather than get buried under fresh batts. From there it's a matter of fitting insulation snugly bay by bay, with real attention paid to the rim joist, the band around the whole perimeter that lets outside air past more of a Carteret crawl space than any other single spot.
Batts handle temperature, not moisture, and Carteret's ground has both the Arthur Kill and the Rahway River working against it, tidal on two sides instead of just one. Where a crawl space has a track record of dampness, encapsulation gets discussed alongside the insulation rather than left for a separate call later. Either way, the free inspection comes first, and what actually gets recommended is built around that specific crawl space, not a default package.
What tends to ride along with a fresh install in a Carteret crawl space, all six priced during the same no-cost walk-through.
What usually explains an uninsulated crawl space under an older Carteret house.
Carteret's two-families and capes mostly date to the 1920s through the 1950s, an era when nobody expected an unheated crawl space to carry insulation of its own, leaving floors that stay cold no matter how tight the rest of the house is sealed.
Batts alone rarely hold up under a Carteret crawl space for long, since the tidal water table keeps pushing moisture back at anything installed without a barrier to stop it, and the lower sections toward the Arthur Kill feel that hardest.
A crawl space left open and unfinished under a rear addition rarely stays empty. Mice and other small animals settle into whatever insulation is already there long before we get called, which pushes removal and exclusion ahead of new material on the job order.
A crawl space built under a Carteret two-family's later addition usually has less headroom than the original house ever did, and that cramped framing dictates how the crew stages material and works batts in around existing plumbing and ductwork.
Dry ground. Sealed walls. Cleaner air upstairs. Lower bills.
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Master Attic did a phenomenal job with our attic insulation and duct replacement. We had a loss from smoke damage from a neighboring fire and we were met with compassion and excellent customer service from Danny Jones and Jorge Diaz. We chose them for their quality of work, expertise and fair pricing and they got the job done promptly. Thank you for the excellent work and we will be recommending you highly!
We just had our attic insulation replaced, and the entire experience was pleasant from start to finish. Robert is knowledgeable, honest and easy to work with at the initial estimate period. Roberta and his crew did a great job replacing the attic insulation for our house. They were very professional, efficient and respectful. They did everything that needed to be done and left the space clean and in excellent condition. I am very happy that I chose Master Attic and would highly recommend them.
Dan Jones and the Ronald crew did a great job from start to finish! I had original insulation in my attic with no electricity, not an easy job. Our upstairs was very hot in the summer and cold in winter. With having central air, we still needed AC units and space heaters to manage. Dan set up a great plan to eliminate that. He and his crew were able to come and finish the job shortly after we first met. They were quick, clean and managed to crawl into small spaces to remove old insulation and install fresh insulation. We have already noticed a major difference! Highly recommended!!
We hired Master Attic to clean out debris, mice, old insulation, and replace with new insulation in both our attic spaces. Roberto and his crew did a phenomenal job. They were extremely professional, polite, and did a fantastic job. They invited my husband to see the attic after each step, and took pictures on their phone to show me since I could not get up in the attic. They took the time to protect the space with plastic sheeting before the job up in the attic, and then cleaned up everything perfectly afterwards. I highly recommend them!
Great job by the team. Cleaned out the entire attic and replaced all the old insulation with new fresh insulation. Made a huge difference. Alex was great to work with and was very professional. Would highly recommend.
Awesome experience from start to finish. Rob provided a great assessment and capabilities overview, arrived on time and was very generous and thorough in explaining the work. I signed on the spot. A crew of six arrived (again, on time) and completely transformed our attic space - thoroughly cleaned out the old insulation (looked spotless afterwards), sanitized the space, sealed it/rodent proofed it, added baffles and of course, replaced the insulation and added more in areas that needed it. Completed the whole job in half a day and we are delighted with the result. Thank you, Master Attic team, for a job very well done! Highest recommendation.
What a great experience I had with this company and its employees. It started with initially interacting with Joe who came out for the estimate. He was funny because he came down from my attic and said "have you seen up there". I laughed because I had and I knew it was bad. He was no pressure and no nonsense. Gave me an estimate and said if I wanted we could have the work done next day. I wasn't ready for that but after some schedule juggling I told him we could be ready. Joe had his guys out next morning with the best part being Jorge calling me to advise he was about thirty minutes out. I appreciate when I am given a heads up as to ETA. Three of them arrived Jorge set out plastic and covered exposed furniture. Jorge, Angel and Gonzalo were all polite and worked hard to complete the task. They worked efficiently and were done quickly. Jorge made sure he included me in each step of the process and when I saw the finished product I was amazed. I can actually use my attic for storage if I choose to do so. I did not realize when they were here that they also do work on crawlspace areas. I will be calling them back to see what they can do for my crawlspace which easily rivals the diasaster called my attic. I recommend at least giving this company and its employees an opportunity to help you.
Great company to work with. From beginning to end, Dan came out, spent plenty of time with me going over everything that needed to be done, and the process of everything that needed to be updated it both attics. His professionalism was top notch, answered all my question and concerns. When it came time for George and his six-man crew to do the work their quality of workmanship was well above average, they were here the whole day, and I don't think they even had a lunch break (hopefully I don't get him in trouble). They all worked and everyone knew what their job was, they removed all the insulation, cleaned, spray foamed all holes and top plates, re-insulated both attics and cleaned up like they weren't even here. Will definitely use them again.
Master Attic remediated a bat issue for us back in October and I can’t say enough about what a wonderful job they did. The work was guaranteed and they encouraged us to call if we say any further evidence of bats. Well, there were a few droppings in the attic and they quickly responded to our concerns. Jose’s crew came out on a SUNDAY, inspected the attic, and sealed up several spots that could be entry points. They were professional, efficient, and kind. I would highly recommend them. You will not be disappointed.
Every joist bay gets a snug batt, and the rim joist running the perimeter is sealed and insulated right alongside it, closing off the biggest single draft path in most crawl spaces. If material already down there has failed, which happens often in the rear-addition crawl spaces under Carteret's two-family houses, that gets pulled first.
Two variables drive it: how big the space is, and whether anything has to be pulled out before the new material goes in. A clear crawl space with nothing to remove moves fast. One that needs cleanup or old insulation hauled out first runs longer. Either way, we confirm the real number after walking the space ourselves, not by guessing over the phone, and it lands on your estimate in writing.
Possibly. Carteret's electric utility is PSE&G, and New Jersey's statewide clean energy incentive program has funded insulation work before, crawl spaces included, though eligibility shifts based on the specifics of a given project. Rather than promise something that may not apply to your house, we'll pull up what's actually active when we're there for the estimate.
In the two-family houses and capes that make up most of what we insulate here, yes, and the difference is usually noticeable within the first cold stretch. An empty joist bay does nothing to stop a dirt-floor crawl space from chilling the boards directly overhead, so filling every bay properly is what households actually feel change underfoot.
Moisture history is the deciding factor, not how big the space is or its age. No record of standing water usually means new insulation on its own does the job, but a crawl space sitting closer to the Arthur Kill or the Rahway River typically needs a vapor barrier added, since batts alone won't hold up against that kind of ground moisture. The free inspection settles which situation you're in.
Only when it has failed, soaked through, sagging away from the joists, or carrying signs that mice moved in. Batts that are still dry and intact don't need to come out, they can be worked around instead. What we find most often under Carteret's older two-family additions leans toward needing that removal step first.
Pretty much the whole surrounding stretch of Middlesex County: the Woodbridge Township sections next door, meaning Port Reading, Avenel and Sewaren, plus Linden across the Rahway River and Edison a little further along. The same uninsulated, decades-old crawl space construction that keeps our Carteret schedule full shows up all through that area, so the work is familiar territory.
Not if it's still doing its job. An intact barrier over a dry floor gets left alone, and new batts are installed right above it. Replacement only comes up when the inspection shows the barrier has already failed, which happens more often on Carteret's older foundations near tidal ground than it does further inland.
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