Demilec Attic Insulation: The New Braunfels Owner’s Guide
Demilec attic insulation in New Braunfels typically runs $2.80-$4.20 per board foot for open-cell spray foam and $4.50-$6.80 for closed-cell, with most retrofits in the 1,200-2,400 square foot range landing between $3,200 and $7,800 installed. We stock Demilec-compatible formulations on our truck and can usually diagnose and quote same-day. Most homeowners realize something’s wrong when their upstairs rooms won’t stay cool in July despite the AC running nonstop, or when they spot yellowing, crumbling, or shrinkage in foam that was sprayed five to ten years ago.
Which Demilec Models This Applies To
Demilec produces several product lines, and the one in your attic matters for matching. The SEALECTION 500 open-cell foam, common in Texas builds from 2010-2018, has a nominal density of 0.5 pounds per cubic foot and an R-value of 3.7 per inch. Heatlok Soya, their closed-cell bio-based option, runs 2.0 pounds per cubic foot with R-6 per inch and was specified more often after 2015 when code tightened. Heatlok XT, the higher-density closed-cell variant at 2.5 pounds, shows up in conditioned attic conversions where structural rigidity matters.
Check the spray foam surface for a stamped or handwritten batch code, usually found on a tag near the access hatch or on the original invoice. If you can’t locate it, we measure existing thickness and density in the field to match the replacement. Demilec’s open-cell and closed-cell products are not interchangeable; putting open-cell where closed-cell was specified leaves you under-R-valued and potentially vapor-wrong for our humid New Braunfels summers. We also carry Reflectix radiant barrier products for hybrid systems where foam plus reflective assembly was originally installed.
Topside Attic Insulation New Braunfels is an independent service provider, not affiliated with Demilec.
Signs Your Demilec Attic Insulation Is Failing
- Uneven room temperatures upstairs. When Demilec open-cell shrinks or pulls away from rafters, thermal bridging lets attic heat radiate through gaps. Your bedroom reads 78 while the hallway thermostat says 72, and the AC never catches up.
- Yellowing or brown discoloration in the foam surface. This indicates UV degradation if the foam was left exposed, or chemical breakdown from roof leaks. Demilec foam is not a food source for mold, but moisture trapped against it will breed growth on adjacent sheathing.
- Crumbly texture or visible shrinkage. Open-cell foam can lose adhesion and pull back from framing members, sometimes 1/2 inch or more. That gap is an uninsulated highway for conditioned air to escape.
- Spiking summer electric bills with no rate change. A blower-door test we ran last month on a home off River Road near the Guadalupe showed 3,800 CFM50 before re-sealing and 1,900 after. The homeowner’s July bill had jumped $140 year-over-year because their original Demilec install had separated at the top plates.
- Draftiness or dust from ceiling fixtures. Insulation doesn’t fix air leaks; it hides them. If your can lights, bath fans, or drywall seams weren’t sealed before the foam went in, you’re losing air through the foam itself or around it.
Before
AfterReplacement Cost & What’s Included
Most Demilec re-insulation jobs in New Braunfels fall between $3,200 and $7,800, with smaller partial repairs starting around $1,800. What moves you up or down: accessibility (cathedral ceilings with limited crawl space add labor), whether we’re removing failed foam or going over stable substrate, and whether the job includes air sealing of top plates, can lights, and penetrations before new product goes in. We don’t blow anything over an unsealed attic floor; that’s not upsell, it’s sequence.
Every quote is a written price before any work starts, per Haven Standard Clause 1. The scope includes material, labor, disposal of removed product, and a Documented Photo Record. On applicable jobs, you’ll receive before-and-after blower-door numbers so you can verify the air-sealing result in CFM50, not adjectives. Our 365-Day Done Right Promise covers the installation.
DIY or Call Us?
Homeowners can safely inspect their attic access panel, look for visible foam discoloration or gaps, and check for moisture stains on the rafters or sheathing. What you should not do: spray, cut, or remove polyurethane foam yourself. The isocyanates in two-component spray foam require respirators with organic vapor cartridges, full skin coverage, and controlled ventilation. Once cured, cutting or grinding foam releases respirable particles. And if you’re considering adding batts or loose fill over existing Demilec foam, you may trap moisture against the deck and void any remaining warranty.
We’re not going to sell you a kit. Call (830) 243-6352, we’ll come out, measure what’s there, and give you a written price. Estimates are free.
FAQs
Properly installed Demilec spray foam should perform for the life of the building, but Texas attic conditions accelerate visible aging. In New Braunfels, where roof deck temperatures regularly exceed 150°F in August and humidity cycles are sharp, we’ve seen open-cell foam show shrinkage or UV damage in 8-12 years if the original install left any surface exposed. Closed-cell formulations hold longer. Call (830) 243-6352 and we’ll assess what’s actually happening in your attic rather than guess based on age.
Localized separation or shrinkage can sometimes be addressed with targeted removal and re-spray of the affected bays, provided the substrate is dry and the original foam type is matched. Widespread degradation, moisture intrusion, or chemical breakdown usually calls for full removal and reinstallation. We won’t know which you’re facing until we inspect. Bring us any written estimate you’ve received; we offer a Free Second Opinion and will read it with you.
Most residential attic jobs in New Braunfels run one to two days: half a day for prep and air sealing, half a day for spray application and cure monitoring. Larger homes or conditioned attic conversions may stretch to three days. We don’t rush cure times; foam needs to reach full rise and set before we close the access. You’ll get a text when your named technician is on the way, under Haven Standard: Arrive on schedule.
We carry Demilec-compatible open-cell and closed-cell formulations on our truck, sourced through our regular supply chain alongside Owens Corning, Johns Manville, Knauf, Rockwool, CertainTeed, Icynene, and GreenFiber products. No proprietary lock-in means we match what’s appropriate for your assembly, not what we need to move. Same-day diagnosis is standard; material availability for full replacement is typically next business day.
The number on the blower-door printout tells you what the insulation did. Everything else is just talk.
Written by Wes Okafor, Owner, Topside Attic Insulation New Braunfels at Topside Attic Insulation New Braunfels, serving New Braunfels and nearby areas.