Attic air sealing in Hoffman Estates, IL - upstairs rooms that hold their heat
Drafty upstairs rooms, cold floors and a high power bill usually start with holes in the attic floor. We close the big ones first.
Why is my upstairs drafty when the attic already has insulation?
Attic air sealing in Hoffman Estates, IL closes the openings in your attic floor where warm air from your house rises out and cold air gets pulled in below, so the insulation you already have can actually do its job.
Most houses around here have some insulation up there, and a lot of owners figure more of it will fix a cold bedroom. Usually it won't, because insulation slows heat but doesn't stop air, and warm air sneaking up through a gap carries the heat right past it. That's why I want to see where the air is going before anyone talks about adding attic insulation.
The price mostly comes down to how big and chopped up your attic is, how much old insulation we have to pull back to reach the leaks, and whether something up there has to be fixed before we seal. The schedule turns on that same question, since any repair comes first. When I come out, I'll tell you what I found and what I'd do first. We also check with the village office on each job and take care of any permit or paperwork the work calls for.
- Old insulation gets moved aside to reach the leaks, then laid back evenly when we're done.
- The attic hatch or pull-down stairs get weatherstripped at the edges and backed with rigid foam board.
- The vents along the eaves stay clear, so the attic keeps breathing once the holes below are closed.
What happens after you call us about your attic?
I come out to look at most attics myself, and our installers do the sealing, so the person who found the leaks is the one who explains the plan. We're licensed and insured, and we've been doing this since 2017.
Call or send a message
Call (847) 380-5407 or use the form, and we'll set up a time for me to come see the house. Before I get there, jot down which rooms run cold or drafty and whether you have a gas or oil furnace or water heater.
I go up and look
I go up in the attic, ask what you've noticed and look for the big leaks and anything that needs fixing before we seal. You'll get a straight answer on what I'd do first, and if the job isn't worth doing, I'll say so.
Our installers seal it in order
Our installers do the work in the order we talked about, with any repair or appliance check handled before the sealing starts. Most of the work happens up in the attic, so you can usually go about your day downstairs.
We go over the finished attic
When the crew is done, I walk you through what got sealed, and I'll take you up there if you want to see it. I'll also tell you whether adding insulation is worth it now, or whether what you have is enough.
What attic air sealing looks like up close
These photos show the kinds of spots we seal in an attic, from wall tops and kneewall openings to flues and hatches. They show the trade in general, not a particular house we worked on.
Close-up of thick cream-colored spray foam filling the spaces between wooden attic rafters.
Loose-fill insulation covers an attic floor, with a yellow depth marker protruding from the material.
A worker in protective coveralls and a respirator sprays foam insulation onto an attic surface.
A worker in protective gear uses a wide hose to remove loose-fill insulation from an attic.
Crawl space floor covered with a white vapor barrier, with brick piers and shiny ductwork overhead.
Unfinished wall cavities filled with pink fiberglass insulation between exposed wooden studs.
Get a free look at where your attic is leaking
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set up a free visit, with no obligation. I'll go up in the attic and walk you through what I found and what I'd do first.
(847) 380-5407Questions about attic air sealing in Hoffman Estates
These are the questions I hear most when people start looking into sealing their attic. If yours isn't here, call (847) 380-5407 and I'll give you a straight answer.
How do I know if my attic needs air sealing?
The usual signs are drafty rooms, rooms that never match the temperature of the rest of the house, high heating or cooling bills, dry air in winter and dust showing up in the rooms under the attic. Any of those points to air slipping between your living space and the attic, and I can usually confirm it by finding dark, dirty patches in the insulation where air has been moving through.
How much does attic air sealing cost in the Chicago area?
Professional attic air sealing in the Chicago area usually costs about $350 to $1,600 per job. That's the going rate around here, not a quote from us, and where your house lands depends on the attic's size and layout and whether anything has to be fixed first. I'll give you the number for your own attic once I've been up there.
What problems need to be fixed before sealing an attic?
ENERGY STAR's guidance says to have a professional fix wet insulation, moldy or rotted rafters, an attic with little or no ventilation, kitchen, bath or dryer vents that blow into the attic, and old knob and tube wiring before sealing. Sealing over any of those just hides the trouble, so I look for them on the first visit, and a repair can add to the job.
Is attic air sealing safe if I have a gas furnace or water heater?
It can be, with one extra step. ENERGY STAR suggests considering a home performance contractor to test a gas or oil appliance's draft before and after sealing, because in some cases a tighter house can make a naturally venting appliance send combustion gases back inside. I'll ask about your appliances on the first visit so that test is part of the plan before any sealing starts.
What should I do if my attic has vermiculite insulation?
Leave it alone, because the EPA says to treat vermiculite as if it contains asbestos and to have a trained professional handle it if it needs to come out. Vermiculite is the loose, pebbly, gray-brown fill with a bit of shine to it, and if I find it, that professional comes in before any sealing work disturbs it.
How long does attic air sealing take, and can we stay home?
You can usually stay home, and how long the crew is up there comes down to the size and layout of the attic and whether a repair or appliance check comes first. If your house turns out to be better suited to spray foam, I'll tell you up front how long you'd need to be out.
Attic air sealing in Hoffman Estates and nearby cities
In Hoffman Estates, every contractor must be registered with the Village, and we check with the village on each job and handle any permit it calls for. Kneewall bedrooms and kitchen soffits are the leaks we find most around here.