Get an inside look at how RetroFoam injection foam is installed in homes with every common siding type — so you know exactly what to expect.
Get a Free QuoteThe installation process adapts to your home's exterior. Select your siding type below to watch how it's done.
Whether your home has aluminum or vinyl siding, the installation process is the same. Your installer removes a single row of siding around the home's perimeter to expose the sheathing. A 2½-inch hole is drilled into each stud cavity, the foam is injected until full, and the siding is reinstalled — leaving no visible trace once the job is done.
Get a free quote for your home →Brick homes don't require any masonry removal. Instead, three ⅝-inch holes are drilled directly into the mortar joints to reach each wall cavity — one at the top, middle, and bottom — ensuring complete fill without disturbing the brick itself.
After injection, the holes are patched to blend with the existing mortar, and the home looks exactly as it did before.
Get a free quote for your home →The condition of the wood siding determines the exact approach. If the siding is in good shape, your installer carefully removes it to expose the sheathing underneath — holes are drilled into the sheathing, foam is injected, and the original boards go back up.
If the wood is older or fragile, small holes can be drilled directly through it, then patched and painted after installation.
Get a free quote for your home →For concrete block construction, holes are drilled into the center of the wall to access the block cores. Because the cores are aligned vertically, a single injection point fills each core as well as any surrounding gaps and voids — creating a continuous thermal barrier throughout the wall.
Get a free quote for your home →When insulating a stucco home, three ⅝-inch holes are drilled at the top, middle, and bottom of each wall cavity. This ensures the foam reaches the full height of every cavity and leaves no gaps.
Holes are then patched flush with the stucco surface and textured to match — most homeowners can't tell where the work was done.
Get a free quote for your home →When accessing walls from the inside makes more sense — such as in garages, finished basements, or shared interior walls — preparation is key. All surfaces and belongings in the work area are covered in plastic before drilling begins.
Small holes are made in the drywall, foam is injected into each cavity, and the holes are patched and finished. This method also effectively dampens sound transmission between rooms.
Get a free quote for your home →Fiber cement (Hardie board) installation is more involved than vinyl or aluminum, but the result is the same. The crew carefully lifts each board to expose the fasteners and gain access to the wall cavity beneath.
After foam is injected into each stud bay, the boards are lowered back into position and refastened — the finished exterior is indistinguishable from before.
Get a free quote for your home →Cedar shake homes require a careful, methodical approach. Each shake is either carefully removed or scored at the top for controlled access to the wall cavity beneath.
After the foam is injected, shakes are reinstalled in their original positions. The finished exterior looks exactly as it did before — the character of your cedar shake home is preserved.
Get a free quote for your home →Answers to the most common questions about the installation process.
Yes. In some cases, accessing the wall from inside is the better option — for example, in garages with shared walls, or when a homeowner prefers not to have their exterior drilled into. Your installer will assess which approach is best for your home and discuss it with you before work begins.
No. The installation requires small access holes — roughly the size of a quarter — which are professionally patched after the foam is injected. In most cases you won't be able to tell where the work was done once the job is complete. The exact patching method varies by siding type, but your installer will walk you through what to expect before starting.
While it's rare, minor drywall movement can occur as the foam fills the cavity and expands. If you have any concerns — particularly with older or already-cracked drywall — bring it up during your pre-install walkthrough so your installer can take extra care in those areas.
Most installs on exterior walls are completed in a single day. Larger homes or projects involving multiple building types (garage, addition, main house) may take longer. You can stay in your home the entire time — there's no need to vacate.
If there's existing fiberglass batt in your walls, the injection foam will compress it as it fills the cavity. RetroFoam works around and through old insulation — there's no need to remove it first.
A few ways to check: ask the previous owner if you bought recently; remove the cover plate of an electrical outlet and look into the gap around the box; or drill a small exploratory hole somewhere inconspicuous, like inside a closet. Your Cascade RetroFoam installer can also assess this during your free quote visit.
We bring the same process used in tens of thousands of homes nationwide — to yours.
Most installations are complete in a single day. You stay in your home the entire time — no hotel, no construction zones, no weeks of disruption.
Vinyl, aluminum, brick, wood, stucco, Hardie board, cedar shake, or concrete block — we've installed RetroFoam in homes with all of them.
RetroFoam is the only wall insulation backed by a lifetime warranty — for as long as you own your home. It doesn't settle, shrink, or degrade over time.
“My house feels so much warmer, and my furnace doesn't run constantly anymore. I highly recommend going with RetroFoam for your insulation needs.”— Ryan W., RetroFoam Homeowner
Get a free assessment and quote from Cascade RetroFoam — we serve the Seattle area and Portland/Vancouver metro.