Attic Insulation & Air Sealing in Evansville, IN

Attic insulation and air sealing in Evansville pay off twice a year. In winter, warm air rises through every gap in the top-floor ceiling into the attic, pulling cold air in low. In summer, the attic under a sunny roof gets far hotter than outdoors, and that heat comes down through thin insulation and open gaps. Sealing those gaps first and then insulating handles both. Loose insulation over unsealed gaps does much less than people expect, because air moves right through it.

How much insulation

The Insulation Institute's summary of the 2020 Indiana Residential Code lists R-38 for ceilings in Climate Zone 4. ENERGY STAR recommends R-60 in an uninsulated Zone 4A attic, or an added R-49 where 3 to 4 inches are already there. With Evansville's median home dating to 1961 in Point2Homes' census summary, many attics hold a few inches of old, settled insulation, well short of either number.

Where attics leak

The big gaps are usually in the same places: the attic hatch or pull-down stairs, recessed lights, bath fans, the plumbing vent stack, wiring holes in top plates, chimney and flue chases, and dropped soffits over kitchen cabinets. In story-and-a-half houses, the floor behind the kneewalls is often open to the wall cavities below. In balloon-framed homes, wall cavities can run straight up into the attic. Each of these gets sealed with foam, caulk or rigid board depending on the gap.

Ice dams

Evansville averages close to 12 inches of snow a season. When heat leaks into the attic, it melts snow on the roof, and the water refreezes at the cold eaves. Sealing the attic and insulating it to depth cuts the heat that causes that melt. Good soffit-to-ridge ventilation helps too.

Blown-in, batts or foam

For most open attic floors, blown-in cellulose or fiberglass over a sealed ceiling is the most cost-effective way to reach R-49 or R-60. HomeGuide lists an average attic job at about $1,800 and blown-in at $0.90 to $2.40 per square foot. Spray foam fits where the floor cannot be reached, around kneewalls and bonus rooms, or in cathedral ceilings; HomeGuide lists foam on the attic floor at $1,100 to $6,800.

Ventilation and safety

We install baffles at the eaves so insulation does not block soffit vents, keep insulation clear of chimneys, flues and recessed lights that are not rated for contact, and point out bath fans that vent into the attic.

Rebates

CenterPoint Energy's Indiana residential rebate program has offered attic insulation rebates through program-approved contractors. Check the current year's terms before the job.

Tell us what you have noticed, such as ice dams, cold upstairs rooms or a hot bonus room, and we will measure the attic and send a written quote. Get a free estimate