Air sealing services in Downey CA - gaps closed before the insulation goes on
Drafty rooms or a room that won't cool down usually mean air is slipping through attic gaps. We find them and close them in order.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free on-site estimates.
- Expect a reply within 1 business day.
Do I need air sealing in my Downey house?
Air sealing services in Downey close the gaps in your attic, walls and crawl space that make a house drafty and make your heating and cooling work harder, which shows up on the power bill. Closing them also keeps out moisture that can warp wood and lead to mold.
Most people call us because one room never feels right, or because they're about to add attic insulation and want it done properly. The price mostly depends on how much old insulation sits over the gaps, how many holes there are around lights, pipes, wires and the hatch, and whether something has to be fixed first, like a bath fan blowing straight into the attic. The schedule turns on that same prep and on whether your job needs a permit, and I'll lay out both in a written estimate after I've been up there. We're based in Downey and work in the cities around it, from Long Beach and Paramount up to East Los Angeles and Pico Rivera.
How we handle air sealing services
In homes with gas appliances, I start by looking at fresh air and venting for the water heater, furnace, stove and any fireplace before we close a single leak, because sealing a house changes how much air those appliances get. Then our crew goes after the leaks most people never see, the ones under the insulation that's already up there, pulling it back where we need to so we can reach the tops of the walls, the wiring and plumbing holes, the gaps around can lights and the attic hatch. We seal them with caulk or foam, keep the eave vents and any combustion air openings clear so the attic and the appliances can still breathe, and put the insulation back level so it isn't thin at the edges.
Sealing often leads into the next step. In the few houses around here with a basement, we close the leaks along the rim and walls and then add basement insulation so the floors above stop feeling cold. Where a spot needs air and moisture stopped together, closed-cell foam insulation, a dense foam that blocks moisture, seals and insulates in one layer.
Seal the gaps, then top up the fill
For most attics this is the one I'd pick, because caulk and canned foam close the gaps for much less than a full foam job, and fresh loose fill goes back on top. It suits houses where the ductwork isn't running through the attic.
Foam that seals and insulates at once
Spray foam costs more, but it stops the air and adds insulation in the same layer. It earns that price when your ductwork lives up in the attic, since the ducts end up inside the sealed space instead of baking in the heat.
Permits and rules for air sealing services in Downey
Downey's Building counter issues permits for alterations and repairs to existing houses, and its list names re-roofs, fireplaces and remodels but not air sealing, so the list alone doesn't settle whether your job needs one. The Building counter is the place to ask, and when a job does need a permit, we take care of it with the city or county office that covers your address, or find out with you if it's unclear. A permit also matters for the state's HERS testing, a check of the work by an independent rater. The California Energy Commission says that testing may be required depending on the work, and a properly permitted job triggers whatever testing it needs.
A lot of the houses we see in Downey have a gas water heater in the garage or a closet, a wall or floor furnace, and an attic that's been topped up more than once over the years, so the fresh air check and the digging under old layers take up much of our time. We work through those same houses the same way on jobs in Bellflower and Norwalk.
Why Downey homeowners call us to seal their houses
I write every estimate myself
I come out, look at the space and write the estimate myself, and our trained install crew does the work. Before we call it done, I check it with you, so you're talking to the same person from the first look to the last.
Nine years of attics and crawl spaces
I spent years at a desk job before learning insulation on someone else's crew, and I started this business in 2017. We're best known for explaining what's under the old insulation before we touch it, and I'm glad to go over it twice.
We're licensed and insured
We're licensed and insured. California's licensing board has a separate license class for installing insulation, and it applies once a sealing job puts insulation back or adds more, so it's worth asking any crew you're comparing.
On this job the order matters most, so anything that needs fixing gets fixed before it's covered up. Call (562) 306-5737 or send us a message and I'll come take a look. Satisfaction guaranteed on every job.
Request a quoteGet a written air sealing estimate for your house
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set a time for me to come out. The on-site estimate is free, and there's no pressure to book once you have it in hand.
What happens after you call about air sealing in Downey
Call or send the form
Call (562) 306-5737 or fill out the form, and we'll set a time for me to come out. We answer calls seven days a week, early mornings and evenings included.
I look and write it up
I go up into the attic, check the fresh air and venting around your gas appliances, and show you what I found and what I'd do first. You get the estimate in writing with each step laid out, so you know what you're paying for before you decide.
We seal, then walk through
When you're ready, we handle any permit the job needs, and our crew preps the space, seals the gaps and puts the insulation back. I walk through the finished work with you before we call it done.
Frequently asked questions
How much do air sealing services cost in Downey?
There's no set price, because the cost depends on what's in your attic, so I give you a figure in a written estimate after I've looked. Sealing gaps and topping up loose fill usually costs less than a foam job, and insulation that's wet or full of droppings adds to it, since it has to come out before we seal.
Is air sealing safe with a gas furnace or stove?
Yes, as long as the fresh air check comes first. A furnace, water heater, stove or fireplace that's short on oxygen can give off carbon monoxide, so the first step is working out how much fresh air the house needs for breathing and for venting those appliances. If a vent or air supply needs attention, that gets sorted out before any sealing starts.
Should I seal my attic before adding insulation?
Yes, seal first and plan it as part of the same project. A Department of Energy attic guide handles fresh air and appliance safety first, then moisture and attic ventilation, and finishes the sealing before any insulation goes in, because once new fill is down the gaps underneath are buried again.
How long does a blower door test take?
A blower door test, a big fan set in an outside door that pulls air through the leaks, usually takes under 30 minutes and shouldn't run past an hour. It takes longer when the person testing also hunts for leaks with a thermal camera or does some sealing during the same visit.
Who can pull a building permit in Downey?
For a single-family home, the city issues building permits to a California licensed contractor or to an owner-builder who lives in the house. Duplexes, townhomes, condos and apartments can only be permitted to licensed contractors. When your sealing job needs one, we take care of it, as covered above.
How do I get my attic ready for an air sealing estimate?
Mostly by telling me what you already know, like whether there's flooring up there, a bath fan that vents into the attic, a roof that's leaked, live knob and tube wiring, which is old cloth-covered wire on porcelain knobs, or pebbly vermiculite insulation. The same Department of Energy guide checks for each of those before work starts, because each one changes what has to happen first. If you're not sure, I'll look for them when I'm up there.
Other work that often goes with air sealing
Basement insulation
If your house has a basement, insulating its walls and rim keeps the cool, damp air down there from creeping into the rooms above.
Closed-cell foam insulation
Dense foam is worth a look for ductwork in a hot attic or a wall that keeps getting damp, since it stops air and moisture together.
Downey, CA
Find out where your house leaks air
Call with a list of your gas appliances handy, and I can plan the fresh air check before I even get there.