I come out and look at your attic myself
When you call or send a request, we set up a time and I come out to look at the attic in person. I write down what I find before I quote anything, because that's how you know the price matches your house.
Attic air sealing in Merced CA - leaks closed before any insulation goes in
Drafty rooms or dust under the attic often mean air is leaking through your ceiling. We find those gaps and seal them shut.
Does my attic need air sealing?
Attic air sealing closes the gaps between your rooms and the attic, around lights, pipes, wires and flues, so the air you pay to heat and cool stays in the house. At Reliable Merced Spray Foam Insulation, we do attic air sealing in Merced as its own job or as the first step before new insulation.
Most calls start with a room that never feels right, and the attic is usually the first place I look. I go up with a flashlight and take photos, so you see the gaps yourself instead of taking my word for it.
The price turns on how many openings there are and how big they are, how much old insulation we have to move to reach them, and whether something has to be fixed before we seal. The schedule turns on those same things, plus whether you're insulating right after, and the written estimate I leave you lays out what we found and what we'd do about it.
What happens when you call about attic air sealing in Merced?
You talk to us, I come out, and you get it all in writing before any work is scheduled.
A written estimate that lists what we found
The estimate shows where the leaks are, any repairs that have to come first and the order we'd do the work in. If sealing isn't worth the money on your house, I'll tell you that instead.
Licensed in California, insured, checked before we finish
California's contractor license board has a classification for contractors who install insulating material for temperature or sound control, which is the work we've done since 2017. We're licensed and insured, our own crew does the job, and I check it over before we call it finished.
How we do attic air sealing
Before we seal anything, I look for what has to be fixed first, like a roof leak, old wiring or a bathroom fan that blows into the attic, because sealing over a problem just hides it. Then we pull the old insulation back, close the narrow gaps around pipes, wires and light fixtures with caulk or foam, and cover the bigger openings with rigid blocking sealed in place. Around the flue, the federal guide calls for lightweight aluminum flashing and heat-resistant caulk, with a metal dam that keeps insulation off the pipe, and I'll show you how we seal yours. The soffit, ridge and gable vents stay open, along with any duct that feeds air to a furnace or water heater, so the attic can still breathe and your equipment still gets air.
Once the gaps are closed, most houses need more insulation on top, since insulation slows heat but doesn't stop air moving through it. Sealing the gaps and topping up with loose fill through our retrofit insulation work usually makes the most sense. Spray foam insulation costs more because it seals and insulates in one pass, and it's the one I lean toward when your ductwork runs through the attic.
- A check for roof leaks, old wiring and fans venting into the attic before any sealing
- Gaps sealed around light fixtures, wiring, plumbing pipes and duct boots, where the vents meet the ceiling
- Rigid blocking sealed over the larger openings
- The flue sealed with materials made for heat, and shown to you before it's covered
- Soffit, ridge and gable vents left open so the attic keeps breathing
The order we work in up there
Air sealing is mostly about doing things in sequence, so here's how a day in your attic usually goes.
Cover the path to the hatch
We lay drop cloths from the door to the attic hatch before anyone climbs up. Attic dust is fine and gets everywhere if you let it.
Move the old insulation back
We pull it aside so we can see the top of every wall, wire and pipe coming through the ceiling. If it's soaked or full of droppings, we stop and talk with you, because new work over a mess keeps the problem.
Seal the big leaks, then the small ones
Open chases and large holes get blocked first since they move the most air. Then we work through the smaller gaps and the attic hatch so nothing's left fighting a draft.
Lay it back and clean up
Insulation goes back evenly, full at the edges instead of piled in the middle, and clear of the eave vents. Then we vacuum the path and take everything with us.
Get a written attic air sealing estimate
Send the form or call, and we'll reply within one business day to set up a time for me to come out. The on-site estimate is free and there's no obligation. In the notes, tell us which rooms feel drafty or get dusty, and whether you have a furnace, water heater or fireplace that burns fuel and vents up a flue.
(209) 308-1021Questions Merced homeowners ask about attic air sealing
How do I know if my house in Merced needs attic air sealing?
Drafty rooms, rooms that never match the rest of the house, high heating or cooling bills, or dust in the rooms right under the attic can all mean air is leaking through the ceiling. Those signs point to a possible leak, not a sure one, so they're a good reason to have someone look in the attic before you spend anything.
Should I seal my attic before adding insulation?
Yes, a federal guide on attic air sealing puts the sealing before the insulating, because that's how you get the most energy savings. If you're adding insulation, plan the sealing as the first step of the same project, since the gaps are much harder to reach once fresh insulation covers them.
What has to be checked or fixed before attic air sealing?
A federal guide lists a leaking roof, active knob and tube wiring, the old wiring run on porcelain knobs, vermiculite insulation, bathroom fans ducted into the attic, unvented kerosene heaters or gas fireplaces and attic flooring as things to deal with before sealing. If your furnace or water heater burns fuel and vents by natural draft, a federal checklist also calls for a combustion safety test, which checks that fumes go up the flue instead of spilling into the house, and any problem gets fixed first. Mention any of these when you call so we can plan around them.
How much can a contractor ask for as a down payment in California?
California's contractor board says a contractor can't ask for or take a down payment of more than $1,000 or 10 percent of the contract price, whichever is less. After that, payments are listed in the contract and match work done or materials delivered, on any home improvement job.
Attic air sealing in Merced and nearby
We're based in Merced and work in many cities around it, north toward Modesto and south toward Madera. A lot of what we see up there is older ceilings that have been patched, rewired and fitted with new lights over the years, and every one of those changes tends to leave a gap behind.
California's Energy Code sets efficiency requirements for changes to existing houses, not only for new homes and additions. If your power comes from Merced Irrigation District, the district says residential customers can explore its rebates for home energy upgrades and comfort improvements, so it's worth a look before you book.
Have us look in your attic
Call (209) 308-1021 or send the form, and you'll see photos of your own attic before you decide anything, with satisfaction guaranteed on every job.
If a room in your house never feels right, call (209) 308-1021 and we'll talk it through.
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