Types of Insulation

Types of Insulation

The right insulation doesn’t just keep you comfortable; it can also help lower energy bills and help protect your home from the elements for years to come.

Not All Insulation Performs the Same—Especially in a Maine Winter

Insulation isn’t one-size-fits-all. Different insulation materials have different strengths and uses. That’s why Evergreen is the home insulation company near you that takes a careful, building science-based approach, like choosing the right insulation for the job that will help you get the most out of every upgrade.

One type of insulation we don’t use is fiberglass – it underperforms in cold climates, settles over time, and is a favorite nesting site for critters. Instead, we use materials that are proven to work in Southern and Coastal Maine homes.

Maine house with patchy snow on the roof and icicles on the side of the roof
Cellulose insulation in gloved hands

The Materials We Use – and Why

Cellulose Insulation

Often used in: Attic floors (loose blown); roof slopes, floor cavities, and wall cavities (dense packed)

We use Beno-Therm cellulose, made from recycled newspaper and treated to resist fire, pests, and mold. It’s one of the most cost-effective and high-performance insulations available, and it’s a go-to for many Maine homes.

  • Excellent thermal and sound insulation
  • Fire- and mold-resistant
  • Non-toxic and eco-friendly
  • Can be blown in as loose-fill or dense-pack

Made in Maine Wood Fiber Insulation

Due to popular request, customers can now request TimberFill insulation from Timber HP, a Madison, Maine-based company. TimberFill works similarly to cellulose and is primarily blown in loose in attics, or in some cases dense packed in roof slopes and walls. 

Mineral Wool (Rock Wool) Insulation

Often used in: Chimneys, masonry walls, or areas exposed to moisture or heat

Mineral wool looks like fiberglass, but don’t be fooled—it’s denser, tougher, and more resistant to moisture, pests, and fire, making it a great choice for basements and utility areas.

  • Strong fire and moisture resistance
  • Durable and long-lasting
  • Excellent sound dampening

Closed-Cell Spray Foam Insulation

Often used in: Basement walls, rim joists, crawlspaces, and hard-to-seal areas

Closed-cell spray foam expands on contact, filling cracks, gaps, and cavities before hardening into a solid, airtight layer. It acts as both insulation and an air and moisture barrier. We use spray foam for very specific jobs to deliver lasting performance in tough conditions.

Because it’s a chemical product, spray foam needs to be installed with safety and care, and your family will need to vacate the home during installation and curing.

  • High R-value and rigid structure
  • Acts as an air, moisture, and vapor barrier
  • Ideal for old foundations or stone walls

Foil-Faced Rigid Foam Board

Best for: Poured concrete basement walls or crawlspaces

Rigid foam boards offer a clean, finished look. As an experienced local basement insulation company, we use rigid foam board because it delivers high insulation value, moisture protection, and fire resistance.

  • Long-lasting performance
  • Air and moisture resistant
  • Fire-rated white foil facing for a clean aesthetic

Helping You Choose the Right Material—And Installing It the Right Way

The material is just one piece of the puzzle. How it’s installed is what makes it perform.

Since 2006, Evergreen has helped more than 4,500 homeowners choose the right basement, wall, and attic insulation in Portland, Rockland, and the rest of Southern and Coastal Maine. We’re your local insulation guide, walking you through your options, explaining the tradeoffs, and recommending the best fit for your home, budget, and long-term comfort.

Evergreen team member installing blown insulation in attic
Evergreen Home Performance Team Installing Attic Insulation

Insulation Incentives Available Now

No matter the insulation material, insulation incentives are available that can help save you thousands when you improve your home. Evergreen is the leading Efficiency Maine program contractor for insulation and air sealing upgrades and can help you qualify for:

  • Efficiency Maine rebates up to $8,000
  • Federal tax credits up to $1,200/year
  • Low-interest financing starting at $50/month

Evergreen will help you find the right insulation for your Maine home – and install it the right way. Call 207-594-2244 or contact us online to schedule your free consult.

The right insulation makes all the difference. We’ll help you choose what your home really needs.

BOOK YOUR FREE CONSULT TODAY

Working with Evergreen was a dream! Professional, knowledgeable, and super clean work. Communication was fast and service impeccable. The bedroom floors in our 1960's split ranch will be warm with the new insulation between them and the garage. Bring on the snow! (not really, but sort of)

Jess Dee Proctor

Professional, friendly and hard-working staff. The product/approach they use for insulation is top notch. We felt the difference immediately, both from added warmth and eliminating drafts. The team and management were easily available to answer our questions or coordinate meeting times. Highly recommended.

Kevin J.

Yarmouth

Evergreen came back this year to finish insulating our house. We have been remodeling and renovating an 1850s cape for several years. Their employees are very professional and pleasant to deal with. Over several years Brian Robinson has been able to schedule us in for several small areas that needed addressing and finally turning a room we used to close off in the winter into a comfortable usable space. We primarily heat with wood and since Evergreens great work our furnace has only come on ONCE this winter. Fantastic. Really satisfied customer in Thomaston.

Chris F.

Thomaston

Evergreen completed the work at my home thoroughly and professionally. An inspector from Efficiency Maine came to inspect afterwards and described it as "state of the art" and "outstanding". The crew was very pleasant and considerate during the project. Their cleanup each day was perfect. Communications with the office were easy and reliable. I am very satisfied.

Catherine H.

South Portland

Evergreen is a terrific company to deal with. Polite and efficient crews, meeting deadlines and major reduction in our heat bills. They corrected a lot of issues we suffered from doing work with a shoddy building contractor. We would recommend them to anyone.

Mary Carey

In the final stages of selling our home, and with a closing date set, an inspection came across an unanticipated issue in our attic. We quickly called in contractors, but nobody was able to identify the source of the problem. Then we thought of Evergreen. Brian Robinson was on site the next morning and immediately identified the source (a faulty roofing job completed three years earlier which had effectively sealed up portions of the ridge vent and restricted air flow - not easily visible with a quick inspection).

Robin McIntosh

Camden

I highly recommend Evergreen! 1st, I had a home efficiency inspection (that was free) & Bryan P. was great! He took the time needed, asked & listened to what I thought were priorities, explained clearly what he thought were priorities & why, then gave me numerous options. No pressure whatsoever. Then I had my attic sealed & insulated as the 1st step & Bryan came along on day 1 to introduce everyone & make sure we were all on the same page. Bruce's team (inc. Kelsey & Roland) did the work - they were exceptional!!

Melissa M.

Kennebunk

The crew members from Evergreen Home Performance each made sure to greet us every day, while maintaining their distance in this time of the pandemic. Their work took a total of nine days, spread over three weeks. Even though they were working in multiple rooms of our house, as well as the basement and attic, they were unobtrusive and always cleaned up after themselves every day. The on-sight manager kept us informed of their daily schedule so we'd know which parts of the house they'd be working on.

Bob & Sue

Whitefield

I cant say enough about this company and the benefits that it created for our family. They are very professional and have effectively re-insulated our home. The heating bill proves the point.

Bob O.

Springvale

They were highly recommended. I found them to be very knowledgeable and so helpful, with practical ideas. Despite my not living within their service area, they were generous with their knowledge, describing the usual solutions to correct leaks in my basement, and what the result is likely to be by following path A, B or C, and why. I was discouraged. Talking with Evergreen helped me see that my basement problems are far from insurmountable and really, fairly common in 100-year old homes. There are proven solutions.

Rosalind J

Damariscotta

Greetings one and all! I am writing to express my gratitude to all involved in my insulation project.  From start to finish, I appreciate the universal theme which was maintained by each and every one of you, to ensure that my home was insulated and protected from freezing pipes as if it was your home. Andrea, thanks for helping me navigate my way to the project. Nate, thanks for the thorough initial assessment and the time you took to explain this project to me, step by step. Brian, thanks for setting up my project - so happy

Michele

Evergreen did a fantastic job replacing 28 windows in our house. They were friendly, courteous, and very detail oriented. Brian did a great job planning, estimating and executing the project. Our energy use has dropped significantly since the work was done.

Alex B.

Kittery

The folks at Evergreen did a great job fixing a rather major insulation problem in my house, which they helped identify with a great audit. When the work began, they were thorough, upbeat, and -- dare I say it -- efficient. I strongly recommend them.

Michael Williams

Several years ago Brian Robinson evaluated the crawl space at my summer home on Islesboro where I knew moisture was becoming a problem. I had done quite a bit of work in the space many years prior with mixed results. When Brian offered some suggestions, they were ideas that incorporated work previously done, and would be a relatively low cost effort to improve the situation. He offered this advice over several phone conversations of some length, informally, and at no charge.

Cliff R.

Islesboro

We absolutely loved our experience with Evergreen. The team was incredibly kind, professional and great to work with. We're very impressed with the quality of work of the Evergreen team and how easy they made everything! Our house had barely any insulation ahead of this project and the results are amazing. Insulating the attic, walls and basement with Evergreen allowed us to tear a 50-year-old furnace, ductwork and oil tank out of the basement and now heat the home with new heat pumps. Evergreen also added 100 sq ft of clean, new storage space to the attic!

Nick S.

South Portland

Portland Buy Local
Efficiency Maine
EPA Lead-Safe Certified
Building Performance Association
BPI Certified