Attic air sealing in Compton CA - an upstairs that stays cooler and less drafty
Hot upstairs, drafty rooms, a power bill that keeps climbing? We close the gaps into your attic so less of your air slips out.
What does attic air sealing do for my house?
Attic air sealing in Compton means closing the gaps between your attic and the rooms below, around lights, ducts, wiring, pipes and flues, so the air you pay to heat and cool stays in the house. It saves energy, cuts down on drafts and helps keep moisture out of the attic. At B&K Compton Spray Foam Insulation, it's a big part of the attic work we're known for.
Most people call because the room over the garage runs hot, the hallway feels drafty or the power bill keeps going up, and they figure the attic needs more insulation. Sometimes it does, but a lot of that heat moves through gaps you can't see from below, and insulation laid over a gap just lets the air pass through it. The price turns on how many openings your attic has, how easy it is to get around up there and whether old insulation has to come out first, which is its own job called insulation removal. The schedule mostly depends on whether anything has to be fixed before we start. I come out, look at the attic and go over what I found with you before you decide anything, and that's where you get your own number.
How we do attic air sealing
Before anything gets sealed, I make sure there's nothing up there that has to be fixed first. Then our crew either pulls the old insulation or moves it aside, whichever we settled on at the estimate, so they can reach the gaps around lights, pipes, ducts, wiring and the attic hatch. Each gap gets the material that fits it, caulk or foam for the narrow ones and rigid board sealed in place over the bigger holes, because loose insulation alone doesn't stop air, and we tell you what closes each one. The hatch gets a soft seal strip so it closes tight every time you use it. We keep the eave, ridge and gable vents open because the attic needs them to breathe, and the insulation goes in last.
Sealing is usually half of a bigger attic job. Once the gaps are closed, most houses get a top-up of insulation, and if the walls or floors need help too, that's retrofit insulation, adding insulation to a house that's already built. Spray foam insulation seals and insulates in one pass, but it costs more, so I only steer people toward it when the ductwork runs through the attic.
Seal, then top up with loose fill
This suits most attics we see, because it closes the leaks and brings the insulation up to depth for less than foam costs. The blown-in fill, loose insulation blown through a hose, goes in evenly out to the edges so the eaves don't end up thin while the middle gets piled high.
Spray foam when the ducts are up there
If your heating and cooling ducts run through the attic, foam can be worth the extra cost because it seals the air while it insulates. That way the ducts aren't sitting in a hot, leaky space all summer.
Attic air sealing on Compton houses
If your job needs a permit, I'll tell you at the estimate, and we handle the paperwork with the city or county office for you. That matters here because we're based in Compton and also work in the cities around it and the nearby unincorporated areas the county looks after, so the office depends on where you live. The City of Compton requires anyone applying for a permit to hold a current City of Compton business license, so a contractor who offers to pull a permit in Compton should have one.
A lot of the houses around here have had ceiling lights, fans and wiring added over the years, and every one of those cut another hole into the attic. Many also have ducts up there and a gas water heater or furnace, so we look at how those vent before we close anything up. We see the same kinds of houses on jobs in Lynwood and Paramount, and the work goes the same way.
Attic sealing and insulation work
Why call us for attic air sealing
I write your estimate myself
I come out, look at the attic and write the estimate myself, then our trained crew does the install and I check the work before we call it finished. You deal with the person who actually saw your attic, so nothing gets lost between the visit and the job.
Doing attic work since 2013
I started this business in Compton in 2013, after years of driving a delivery truck around these same cities. Attic sealing and insulating are what we're best known for, so the problems in older attics around here don't surprise us.
Licensed and fully insured
We're licensed and fully insured, which is what you want before anyone climbs around above your ceilings. Every job is backed by our satisfaction guarantee.
On this job, what matters most is the order, with safety problems and repairs sorted before anything gets sealed or insulated. Tell us about your attic or call (562) 232-8636, and have a note ready on how you get into the attic, whether your water heater or furnace burns gas and any roof leaks you know about.
(562) 232-8636Get an estimate for sealing your attic
We reply within one business day to set a time, and the estimate is free, done at your house and comes with no obligation. I come out, look at the attic and go over what I found with you before you decide anything.
Attic air sealing questions from Compton homeowners
How much does attic air sealing cost near Compton, CA?
In the Los Angeles area, attic air sealing done by pro insulators before new insulation usually costs about $350 to $2,300 per job. Where yours lands depends on how many gaps your attic has, how easy it is to move around up there and whether old insulation has to come out first. I'll give you your own number at the estimate.
What is the best way to air seal an attic before new insulation?
Seal first, then insulate, because that's how you get the most energy savings from the new insulation. Energy guides put it in this order. Safety and indoor air come first, then attic vents, then sealing, then insulation. That's the order we follow.
How do I know if my attic needs repairs before air sealing?
The work should stop if the attic has live knob and tube wiring, an old style of wiring, or vermiculite insulation, or bathroom fans venting into it. A leaking roof, an unvented kerosene heater or an unvented gas fireplace stops it too. If I see any of these at the estimate, I'll tell you what has to be fixed before we start.
Why does my gas water heater or furnace matter for attic air sealing?
Gas equipment that vents by rising air needs a combustion safety test, which checks that exhaust isn't spilling or drafting back into the house. Any problem the test finds gets fixed before the attic work goes ahead. If your house has one, plan a little extra time for that step.
Who can legally do attic air sealing in California?
In California, someone without a contractor license can only take a job under $1,000, and only when it needs no permit. If that person hires even one helper for your job, the state requires a license at any price. The state contractors licensing board also has its own class for insulation contractors, who install insulating material for heat or sound control.
Can you seal around recessed lights in the attic?
Yes. With lights rated to touch insulation, a bead of caulk closes the gap where the fixture meets the ceiling, and a cover fitted over it from the attic seals its small holes. Gaps around these lights let a lot of air through, so they're one of the first things I look at.
Get your attic air sealing estimate on the calendar
Our hours run until 11 PM on weekdays, so you can call (562) 232-8636 after work or fill out the form whenever it suits you.
