Insulation contractor in Lakeville, MN - attics sealed before they're filled
Thermal Burnsville Insulation Company is an insulation contractor that air seals and insulates attics, walls, basements and crawl spaces in Lakeville, MN homes and small commercial buildings, sealing the gaps first so the new insulation does its job.
Older homes and new subdivisions across Lakeville
Lakeville runs south of Burnsville and Apple Valley, and the houses we work on here fall into two groups. There are older homes, many with attics someone has topped up once or twice over the years, and there are the newer subdivisions with vaulted ceilings, lots of recessed lights and a bedroom over the garage. We also hear from people who run small shops and offices here.
That mix is why I don't guess from the street. The age of the house tells me where to look first, but what's actually up in the attic decides the job.
What to sort out before insulating in Lakeville
The City of Lakeville's Building Inspections department decides whether a job needs a permit, approves the plans and issues it, so I check with them before we put anything on the calendar, and when a permit is needed it has to be in hand before we start. When you're comparing contractors, ask what state license they hold, because the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry requires one from any contractor who works directly for a homeowner in more than one skill area, though someone doing a single specialty doesn't need it. Lakeville itself licenses only certain kinds of businesses and sends the rest to the state, and we're licensed and fully insured.
On a Lakeville job the price moves with how much sealing the attic needs, whether old insulation has to come out first and how easy the space is to get into, and the schedule moves with the permit and any roof or vent repair that has to happen before us. Your estimate puts a number on your own house. It's a short drive down I-35 from our base in Burnsville, and we do the same attic and wall work in Eden Prairie and plenty of the other cities around us.
Services in Lakeville, MN
Attic air sealing
In Lakeville's newer two-story homes, an upstairs that runs hot in summer and cold in winter usually comes from a leaky attic floor, not from too little insulation. We find and close those openings, the attic hatch included, before any insulation goes back over them.
Blown-in insulation
A lot of attics here were topped up once and left uneven, piled deep in the middle and thin out at the edges where the roof comes down. We add blown-in insulation, loose fill blown through a hose, to an even depth across the whole attic, edges included.
Closed-cell foam insulation
Rim joists, the band of wood sitting on top of the foundation, are one of the draftiest spots in a Lakeville basement and too cramped for batts to seal well. Closed-cell foam insulation, a dense foam that also blocks moisture, seals and insulates that band in one pass.
Insulation removal
When a roof has leaked or mice have moved in, the old insulation can be wet or full of droppings, and new material over it just keeps the problem. We vacuum the old material out and clean up before anything new goes in.
Wall insulation
Some of the older houses here have outside walls with little or nothing in them, which shows up as cold walls and drafts at the outlets. We fill closed walls through small holes we patch afterward, so you don't have to tear out drywall.
Commercial insulation
Small shops and offices in Lakeville call us about high heating bills and drafty back rooms. We go at the building the same way we would a house, sealing first and insulating second, and plan the work around your business hours.
What Lakeville houses ask of their attics
In the newer houses here, the inches up there are usually fine and the air sealing isn't. Warm air slips into the attic through every hole cut for a light, a fan or a wire, and that's behind a lot of the hot-upstairs, high-power-bill and ice dam calls we get, so we close those openings, which is what air sealing means, before any insulation goes over them.
Older houses tend to have the opposite problem, years of layers with the eave vents buried underneath. We dig the vents back out and set baffles so the attic can breathe, because a closed-up attic ends up with moisture in the framing.
Get a free insulation estimate for your Lakeville home
We reply within one business day to set up a visit to your Lakeville house. I come out myself, look at the space in person and leave you a free estimate, with no pressure to book.
Working with us in Lakeville
Call or send us a message
Call (952) 234-9016 or use the form, and we'll set a time for me to come out to your Lakeville house. We pick up early mornings, evenings and weekends, so you don't have to take time off just to reach us.
I look at the space first
I go up into the attic or down into the crawl space, check how many inches are already there and look for anything that has to be handled first, like a roof leak, wet insulation or a buried vent. Your estimate is based on what I actually saw, and I check with the city on the permit at the same time.
Our crew does the work
Our install crew seals first and insulates second, the way we planned it, and if a permit is involved it's in hand before they start. With blown-in you can usually stay home, and with foam the maker sets the re-entry time, when you, the kids and the pets can come back in, which I'll give you before we book.
We walk the finished job
I walk the finished job with you before we leave, up in the attic if you want to see it, so you know what you paid for. Satisfaction guaranteed on every job.
Lakeville insulation questions answered
Do I need a permit to insulate my attic in Lakeville, MN?
Insulation isn't on Lakeville's list of projects that skip a permit, so check with the city before work starts, and we do that for you. The city's building FAQ lists things like new cabinets, floor coverings, wallpaper and redecorating without structural changes as needing no permit, and when your job does call for one, we take care of it.
Who should apply for the building permit in Lakeville, me or my contractor?
Your contractor should, and we do. Lakeville checks the contractor's license on building permit applications, and the city warns that a contractor who asks the homeowner to apply is probably not licensed.
How long does insulation work have to stay uncovered for a Lakeville inspection?
Until the inspector approves it, because state rules say work that needs a permit has to stay accessible and exposed for inspection. On a wall or basement job that means we hold off on covering it, and I set up the inspection and meet the inspector.
Do I need a separate permit if my bath fan or ductwork has to be changed in Lakeville?
It can, because the state code and Lakeville require permits to install, alter, repair or replace code-regulated mechanical, electrical, gas or plumbing systems. That's usually another trade's work, so if I find a fan venting into the attic or a duct that needs fixing, I'll tell you who to call and we'll insulate once it's done.
What causes the bedroom over my garage to be so cold in my Lakeville house?
Usually the floor between the garage ceiling and that room isn't sealed or filled all the way, so cold garage air works its way in under your feet. We seal the gaps around that floor and fill it, often with foam where the space is tight, and check the outside walls of the room while we're there.
How much does attic insulation cost in Lakeville, MN?
I can't give you a fair number until I've been up in your attic, because the price turns on how many inches are already there and what has to happen before new insulation goes in. Old material that's wet or dirty adds removal, and foam costs more than loose fill, so I usually recommend sealing the gaps and topping up with loose fill and save foam for attics where the ductwork runs. The estimate gives you the figure for your house.
Plan your Lakeville insulation job with us
Call (952) 234-9016 or send the form, and we'll settle the permit question with the city while we plan your job, so it's handled before the crew shows up.
