Insulation contractor in Burnsville, MN - attics sealed first, then insulated
Thermal Burnsville Insulation Company is an insulation contractor in Burnsville, MN. We seal the air leaks in attics, walls and crawl spaces, then add insulation, so drafty rooms and the room over the garage hold heat better.
Burnsville houses and small commercial buildings
I started this business here in Burnsville in 2021, after learning the trade next to my dad in attics and crawl spaces. Many of the houses we get called to are ramblers, split-levels and two-stories that have been standing a few decades, along with townhomes and some small commercial buildings. The neighborhoods look much the same across the line in Savage and Apple Valley, and we do the same work there.
On houses that age, the attic usually still holds whatever went in when the house was built, packed down over the years, with open gaps around lights, pipes and the hatch. That's why a Burnsville job usually starts with sealing, not with more insulation.
Working in Burnsville: permits, price and timing
Building permits here come from the City of Burnsville, and the city says a permit has to be obtained before every project. Its list names work like roofing, siding, windows, remodels and additions rather than insulation, so I check with the city before your job goes on our calendar, and when a job calls for a permit we take care of it. That check, plus any prep that has to happen first, is what usually sets the start date. The price turns on how much sealing the attic needs, whether old insulation has to come out, foam or loose fill, and how hard the space is to get around in, and you'll get your own figure once I've seen it. We're licensed and fully insured.
Being based in Burnsville, we've been up in plenty of attics that look alike, and that helps at the estimate because I usually have a good idea where a split-level or a two-story with a garage bedroom leaks before I'm up the ladder. We do the same work across the river in Bloomington and in many of the other cities around us, and if you're not sure we come to yours, just call and ask.
Services in Burnsville, MN
Attic air sealing
Gaps around can lights, plumbing pipes and the attic hatch are still open on a lot of older Burnsville houses, and insulation laid over them just filters a draft. We close those gaps before any insulation goes down, so whatever goes on top can actually do its job.
Blown-in insulation
Many attics here have a few inches of settled fill that's deep in the middle and thin at the edges, which is backward, because the edges over the outside walls are where heat gets out. We blow in loose fill through a hose and carry it evenly out to the eaves, keeping the eave vents clear so the attic can still breathe.
Spray foam insulation
In a lot of two-stories here, the bedroom over the attached garage runs colder than the rest of the house, because its floor sits over an unheated space that loose fill can't be packed into well. Spray foam insulation fills and seals that floor in one step, which is why I usually suggest it there even though it costs more.
Insulation removal
When old insulation got soaked by a roof leak or filled up with mouse droppings, putting new material on top just buries the problem. We pull it out and clean up first, and if the roof is still leaking, I'll tell you to get that fixed before we come back.
Basement insulation
Cold floors in a finished lower level usually trace back to bare rim joists, the band of wood where the house sits on the foundation wall. We seal and insulate those before anything else down there, because that's where a lot of the cold air gets in.
Commercial insulation
Some of our calls come from people who run small commercial buildings in Burnsville and are tired of a drafty space or a heating bill that keeps climbing. We look at those buildings the same way we look at a house, sealing the leaks before adding insulation, and we talk through how to work around your business hours.
What older Burnsville attics are up against
Ice dams, drafty rooms and high heating bills are what most calls are about, and on an older house all three usually start in the attic. Warm air slips up through gaps in the ceiling, melts the snow on the roof, and the water freezes again at the cold edge of the roof, so we stop that air first and then bring the insulation up to where it should be.
Before anything goes in, I look for the problems insulation would hide. A bath fan venting into the attic, stains from an old roof leak or eave vents that are already buried all get fixed first, sometimes by another trade, because new insulation over a moisture problem only keeps it out of sight.
Get a free on-site insulation estimate in Burnsville
Send the form and we'll get back to you within one business day to set a time. I come out to your Burnsville house myself, look at the attic or wherever the problem is, and leave you a free estimate with no pressure to book.
How a Burnsville job goes
Call or send us a message
Call (952) 234-9016 or use the form, and we'll get back to you to set a time for me to come out. We answer early mornings, evenings and weekends, so you don't have to call from work.
I look at the space
I come out myself, get up in the attic or down in the crawl space, and check for leaks, wet or dirty insulation and buried vents that need handling first. You'll have the price and the plan in hand before anything is booked.
Our crew does the work
Our install crew follows the plan from the estimate, sealing the gaps before any insulation goes down. If your job has a city inspection, I set it up and meet the inspector.
We walk the job together
When the crew is finished, I walk through the job with you and show you what went in and where. Satisfaction guaranteed on every job, so that walk is the time to point out anything you're not happy with.
Burnsville insulation questions, answered
How do I tell if my attic in Burnsville needs more insulation?
Look through the attic hatch with a flashlight, and if you can see the tops of the ceiling joists, the wood beams the ceiling hangs on, the insulation is thin. Also check whether it reaches all the way to the edges and whether it's dry and clean, because wet or dirty material has to come out before anything new goes on. Stay on the hatch and off the drywall, and I'll measure the rest when I come out.
How much does it cost to insulate an attic in Burnsville?
Your price comes from the estimate I put together after looking at your attic, because the biggest cost swings only show up once I'm up there. Sealing the gaps and topping up loose fill is the lighter end of the work, and the price climbs when old insulation is wet or full of droppings and has to come out, when the space is tight and slow to move in, or when it needs foam.
Is spray foam or blown-in insulation better for a Burnsville attic?
For most attics here, sealing the gaps and topping up blown-in insulation is the better buy. Foam costs more and seals air while it insulates, so I lean toward it when the ductwork runs through the attic, since those ducts need the extra protection.
How long does attic insulation take, and do we have to leave the house?
With air sealing and blown-in insulation, families usually stay home while the crew works, as long as kids and pets keep clear of the hatch and the rooms we're working from. Spray foam is different, because it has a re-entry time, a wait before anyone goes back inside, and I'll go over that wait from the foam maker's instructions at the estimate. How long we're in the attic depends on the prep and the size of the space, and I'll tell you what to plan for when you get your price.
Can a homeowner get their own building permit in Burnsville?
Yes, the City of Burnsville issues building permits to a homeowner who owns the house, lives in it and is doing the work. Otherwise the permit goes to a licensed contractor, and when our crew is doing your job, it comes through us.
How do I schedule a building inspection in Burnsville?
Call the city's Building Inspections Department at 952-895-4444, between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The city requires inspections on all building permits and may send an inspector out several times during a project, and when we've pulled the permit, we handle that call for you.
Plan your Burnsville insulation job with us
Call (952) 234-9016 or use the form before you book a roofer or finish the lower level, and I'll tell you which job should come first so nothing gets covered up and torn out again.
