Insulation contractor in Eagan, MN - attics sealed and insulated in the right order
Thermal Burnsville Insulation Company seals and insulates attics, walls, basements and crawl spaces in Eagan homes and small commercial buildings, closing the gaps first so the new insulation can do its job.
Eagan houses, townhomes and small businesses
Eagan sits right next to us, just across the line from Burnsville. Most of what we see there are suburban houses built over the last several decades: split-levels, ramblers, two-stories with a bonus room over the attached garage, and plenty of townhomes, with offices and warehouse space along the main roads.
Those houses are why so many Eagan calls sound alike, with a cold room over the garage, an upstairs that won't cool down or ice building up along the eaves. The attics usually have blown-in insulation, loose fill blown in through a hose, that has settled over the years, and can lights, bath fans and plumbing pipes leak warm air right through it, so the job almost always starts with finding those gaps.
Working in Eagan: permits, licenses and what sets the price
The City of Eagan's Building Inspections Division issues building permits, and its list names jobs like roofing, siding and windows rather than insulation, so I check with the division before we start and we take care of the permit when a job calls for one. The city requires a permit no matter who does the work, and it has to be paid for before work starts or an inspection gets scheduled, so on a permitted job that's what the start date waits on. When you're comparing contractors, the license to ask about is the state one, covered in the questions below, because Eagan doesn't issue a general business license, only licenses or permits for certain types of businesses. We're licensed and fully insured.
Eagan is a short drive up I-35E or Cedar Avenue from us in Burnsville, and the work is the same we do in Apple Valley and up into Minneapolis. What moves the price is the attic itself: its size, how hard it is to get into, how many inches are already up there, whether that old material can stay, and how many gaps need sealing. The schedule mostly turns on whether a permit is needed and whether something like a roof leak has to be fixed by another trade first, and the estimate I leave you gives the price for your house.
Services in Eagan, MN
Home insulation
A lot of Eagan houses have one floor that's comfortable and one that isn't, usually the bonus room over the garage or the bedrooms upstairs. Our home insulation work starts by looking at the whole house, so we fix the spots that actually cause the cold floors and hot rooms instead of guessing.
Attic air sealing
Can lights, bath fans and the attic hatch in these suburban houses let warm air into the attic, and that's what feeds ice dams at the eaves. We seal those gaps with foam and caulk before anything new goes on top, because insulation laid over an open leak just hides it.
Blown-in insulation
Most Eagan attics already have blown-in fill that has packed down, and it's often thinnest at the edges, right where the walls meet the roof. We top it up evenly out to the eaves and put in baffles, chutes that hold the insulation back from the vents, so the attic keeps breathing.
Insulation removal
When old insulation has been soaked by a roof leak or filled with mouse droppings, piling more on top keeps the problem up there. We vacuum it out, clean the attic floor and start over on a clean surface.
Basement insulation
Plenty of Eagan basements were finished years ago with little behind the walls, and the rim joist, where the floor framing sits on the foundation, lets in a lot of cold air. We check the walls for water first, then seal and insulate the rim so the floor above feels warmer.
Commercial insulation
Eagan's small offices, shops and warehouse spaces get the same drafts and leaks a house does, just over a bigger area. We look at the roof deck, walls and door areas and plan the work around the hours your building is open.
What Eagan's older attics need
Houses built through the '70s, '80s and '90s were insulated to the habits of their day, and since then the fill has settled, recessed lights have gone in and bath fans have been vented in ways that don't always reach outside. On a lot of them the insulation is deep in the middle of the attic and thin over the outside walls, which is backward, because the edges are where the warm room below meets the cold roof. I measure how many inches are up there in a few spots, check the vents and the fans, and plan the sealing and the top-up around what I find.
Water near the Minnesota River is the other thing to know about. The current FEMA flood maps, updated as of 2011, put every Eagan property in Zone X except those in the designated flood zone, Zone AE, along the river. If your house is down near the river, I look hard at the basement and crawl space for moisture before we insulate, because insulation against a damp wall just hides the problem.
Get a free insulation estimate for your Eagan home
Send the form and you'll hear back within one business day to set a time. I come out to Eagan myself, look at the attic, basement or crawl space, and leave you a free on-site estimate with no obligation and no pressure to book.
How a job goes in Eagan
Call or send a message
Call (952) 234-9016 or use the form, and we'll set a time for me to come out to your house. Tell us what's bothering you, whether it's a cold room, the power bill or ice on the eaves, so I know where to look first.
I look at the space
I go up into the attic or down into the basement with a flashlight, measure what's there and check for leaks, wet insulation or droppings that have to be handled first. You get the price in writing before anything is booked, and if another trade should go first, I'll tell you.
Our crew does the planned work
The install crew seals the gaps first, then insulates, keeping the eave vents clear so the attic can still breathe. Any permit is settled before the crew shows up, and for attic work you usually just need to leave us a clear path to the hatch.
We walk the finished job
I walk the job with you before we leave, and if an inspection is part of it, we set it up and meet the inspector, since the city closes a permit only after its inspector approves the final inspection. Satisfaction guaranteed on every job.
Eagan insulation questions answered
Does insulating a basement I'm finishing in Eagan need a permit?
Plan on a permit if the insulation is part of finishing or remodeling the basement, because the City of Eagan lists basement finishes and remodels with the work its plumbing permits cover. If the project also moves heating or cooling equipment like a furnace, the city's mechanical permit covers that part. We sort out which permits apply before the crew starts, so nothing stalls halfway.
Does an insulation contractor need a Minnesota license to work on my Eagan house?
The state's licensing rules apply to any contractor working directly for the owner of a home with one to four units. When a job takes in more than one special skill, the contractor needs a residential building contractor or residential remodeler license, and that license number has to go on every building permit application. The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry lays out which license covers which work.
How much does it cost to insulate an attic in Eagan?
The price comes down to your attic, and you get the real number after I've been up there in person. The biggest swings come from whether the old insulation has to come out first and whether you choose foam over loose fill, while a cramped attic with low eaves takes more time. An attic with decent insulation that only needs sealing and a top-up usually lands on the lower end.
How long does attic insulation take, and do we have to leave the house?
For air sealing and a blown-in top-up, most families stay home, and I tell you how long the crew will be in your attic when I write the estimate. Spray foam is different because it has a re-entry time, a wait after spraying before people and pets come back inside. I'll give you that wait before you book so you can plan around the kids and the dog.
What causes ice dams on houses in Eagan?
Ice dams usually start with warm air leaking from the house into the attic, which warms the roof so snow melts and refreezes at the colder eaves. In Eagan houses those leaks are usually around can lights, bath fans, the attic hatch and plumbing pipes, so we seal them first and then add insulation. If the roof itself leaks, I'll tell you to get that fixed first, because insulation won't solve it.
Is spray foam or blown-in insulation better for an older Eagan attic?
For most Eagan attics, sealing the gaps and topping up the loose fill is the better buy. Spray foam costs more and seals air while it insulates, so it earns its keep when ductwork runs through the attic. Closed-cell foam, the dense kind that blocks moisture, also makes sense on a rim joist or a tight spot where loose fill won't stay put.
Have us look at your Eagan attic
Call (952) 234-9016 or use the request form, and since we answer from 6 AM to 9 PM on weekdays and 8 AM to 10 PM on weekends, you can reach us after work or on a Saturday.
