Spray Foam Insulation in Pelham, NY

Spray Foam Insulation in Pelham is prewar work almost by default. The town grew from 5,195 residents in 1920 to 11,851 in 1930, a 128% jump in a single decade, and the houses from that boom still make up most of the streets. Survey data for 2019 to 2023 puts the median build year in the village of Pelham at 1938, with about 59% of its housing built before 1940. Pelham Manor, the town's other village, has a similar character.

What we find in Pelham houses

Houses from the 1910s and 1920s were built solidly, with plaster walls, full basements and generous attics, but with almost nothing to stop air. Common findings are a thin layer of old insulation on the attic floor, unsealed chases around chimneys and plumbing, kneewall rooms on the third floor, and rim joists with daylight showing at the sill. Some homes were designed by architects of note, including C.P.H. Gilbert, who retired in Pelham Manor, and those deserve extra care with millwork and plaster.

Our usual plan

First, seal the attic floor and the kneewall spaces, then insulate to the target depth. Second, foam the rim joist in the basement. Third, if the owner wants to go further, dense-pack the exterior walls from outside, which leaves the interior plaster untouched. That order puts the money where the biggest leaks are. NYSERDA's Comfort Home program uses a similar order, with an attic and rim joist package and a larger one that adds walls and floors.

Along the Hutchinson River

The Hutchinson River runs between Pelham and Mount Vernon. Houses on low ground near a river or a stream are more likely to have damp basements, so we always check for water before insulating foundation walls.

Kneewall rooms on the third floor

The classic Pelham house has a third floor tucked under the roof, with a bedroom or playroom surrounded by kneewalls and small storage spaces. Those spaces are usually open to the floor joists below, so cold air runs under the second floor. Blocking and sealing those joist bays, insulating the kneewalls and treating the small attic above can make the third floor usable year-round, and the second floor warmer too.

Owners and permits

About two-thirds of occupied units in the village of Pelham are owner-occupied. The state energy code applies, with Westchester in Climate Zone 4. Permits go through whichever village you live in.