Air sealing services in Cedar Rapids IA - fewer drafts in a house that still breathes
Drafty rooms, cold floors or a power bill that keeps climbing? We find the hidden leaks, seal them and plan for fresh air.
Do I need air sealing or just more insulation?
Air sealing services close the cracks and gaps that let outside air move through your Cedar Rapids house, so drafty rooms settle down and your insulation can finally do its job. Think of insulation as a wool sweater and air sealing as the windbreaker over it, because a sweater by itself won't stop the wind.
Most calls I get start with a drafty bedroom, cold floors or a heating bill that doesn't add up, and in older houses folks often aren't sure what's up in the attic at all. The price turns on how many leaks there are and how hard they are to reach under old insulation or attic flooring, and the schedule turns on whether something like a roof leak or suspect insulation has to be dealt with before we seal, especially if you're planning new attic insulation afterward. I come out, look at your house myself and write the estimate, so you'll see what I found and what it'll take before you decide anything.
How our air sealing service works
We go after the leaks you can't find on your own, and I start in the attic because that's where they usually hide. Before anything gets sealed, we look for the problems that have to be handled first, like active knob and tube wiring, vermiculite insulation, a leaking roof, bath fans that blow into the attic instead of outside, unvented kerosene heaters or gas fireplaces, and attic flooring covering the gaps. I also look at your bath fans and fuel-burning appliances, because a tighter house needs a plan for fresh air, the same way you'd never close up a barn without thinking about the animals inside. Then our installers seal around can lights, pipes, wires and the attic hatch, and the gap around a hot flue gets metal flashing and heat-rated caulk, since codes usually require clearance between flues or chimneys and anything that can burn, insulation included. Soffit, ridge and gable vents and any combustion air duct stay open on purpose, so the attic keeps breathing and your furnace keeps getting its air.
Leaks don't stop at the attic. The rim joist along the top of the basement wall lets in plenty of air, so we often seal it as part of basement insulation. Where a space needs air and moisture blocked together, closed-cell foam insulation, a dense spray foam, does both in one layer.
Sealing plus a loose-fill top-up
This suits most attics, where we seal the gaps first and then blow loose-fill insulation through a hose over the top, keeping it as deep at the edges as in the middle. It costs less than foam, and when your ductwork isn't up there, it's the route I usually recommend.
Foam where the ductwork runs
Foam costs more, but it seals and insulates in the same layer, which earns its price when your ducts run through the attic and the space around them needs to be tight. If your ducts live somewhere else, I'll usually steer you to sealing and a top-up instead.
What to know about air sealing in Cedar Rapids
A lot of the houses we see in Cedar Rapids are older, with layers of old insulation hiding the gaps around wiring, plumbing and the chimney, so finding the leaks takes some digging. I don't guess on permits. Before each job we check with the city or county office, and if they tell us a permit is needed, we take care of it. We're based in Cedar Rapids and work in the cities around it, across Linn County and south toward Iowa City, and we run into the same kind of older attics on jobs in Marion and Hiawatha.
Linn County Public Health advises testing for radon before and after any renovation, and all of Iowa is considered high risk for radon in homes, so a test on each side of the job is worth doing. You can get a short-term or long-term kit by calling the county at 319-892-6000 or stopping by its office in Cedar Rapids.
Air sealing up close
Why call us for air sealing
I check your attic myself
I come out to look at every job and write the estimate myself, and I'll show you the leaks and problems I find while we're standing there. Our installers do the work, and I go over it with you at the end, so you know what got sealed and why.
Licensed and insured for this work
We're licensed and insured. Iowa's contractor registration rules apply to every construction contractor except someone earning under $2,000 a year or working on their own property, so it's a fair question to ask anyone you're thinking of hiring.
Problems found before they're covered
I grew up on an Iowa farm where you figured out what broke before spending money on it, and I started this business in Cedar Rapids in 2021 after learning insulation on other crews. That's why we sort out wet insulation, roof leaks and venting before anything gets sealed over, so the problem doesn't stay hidden under new work.
Every job is backed by our satisfaction guarantee. Call (319) 536-8073 or request an attic and air leak check, and tell us about any bath fans, fuel-burning appliances, vermiculite or knob and tube wiring you've already spotted.
(319) 536-8073Request an attic and air leak check
We reply within one business day, and then I set a time to come out and look at your attic and the rest of the house myself. The estimate is free, done on site and comes with no obligation.
Air sealing questions from Cedar Rapids homeowners
How much does air sealing cost in Cedar Rapids?
The cost depends on how many leaks your house has and how hard they are to reach, so I price it after I've been up in your attic. Leaks buried under deep old insulation or attic flooring take more time than open gaps, and a leaking roof or suspect insulation has to be handled first. Choosing foam over sealing and a loose-fill top-up also raises the price.
How do I seal air leaks in my house myself?
You can seal the obvious ones yourself, like gaps around door frames and where pipes, vents and wires pass through outside walls. I'm happy to point those out when I'm at your house. The small, hard-to-find leaks, especially the ones buried under attic insulation, need a different approach, and that's the part we handle.
Should air sealing come before new attic insulation?
Yes, seal first. The Department of Energy's attic guide deals with combustion safety and fresh air first, then finishes the sealing before insulating, and ties that order to the most energy savings. Once new insulation is down, the gaps under it are buried, so we get them while they're still in reach.
Will air sealing affect my air quality or gas appliances?
It can, so fresh air has to be part of the plan from the start. Without enough ventilation, moisture and harmful gases can build up inside, and appliances that burn fuel can give off carbon monoxide when they're short on air. Before any sealing, I check how your house gets its fresh air and how your furnace, water heater and any gas fireplace get theirs.
What if my Cedar Rapids attic has vermiculite insulation?
Have it tested before anyone seals or insulates over it, because vermiculite may contain asbestos. Federal attic sealing guidance points owners to professional advice and the State Department of Health for that step. We won't seal over it until it's been tested, since covering a problem only makes it harder to deal with later.
How do I pick an air sealing contractor in Cedar Rapids?
Ask whether they test your house before and after the work. Firms accredited by BPI must run a blower door test, a big fan set in a doorway that shows how leaky the house is, before and after sealing. If airflow comes in below their standard, those firms must recommend or install mechanical ventilation.
Book an air sealing check for your house
Our phones are answered into the evening, seven days a week, so call (319) 536-8073 after work or send the form.
