Spray foam insulation
Foam costs more than sealing and topping up loose fill, but it seals as it insulates, so it usually earns its cost when your ductwork runs through the attic.
Insulation Contractor in Altoona, PA - Warmer Rooms in Older Homes
Heritage Altoona Spray Foam Insulation is an insulation contractor based in Altoona, PA. We seal drafts and insulate attics, walls, crawl spaces and basements in houses here, plus shops and metal buildings.
How we insulate older houses in Altoona
We're based in Altoona and work all over the city, plus Hollidaysburg, Tyrone and the cities around them. The price and our time on site both turn on how much old insulation has to come out, how many gaps need sealing and whether foam or loose fill suits the space, and the estimate is where you get the number for your house.
Most calls here come from older houses with cold floors, drafty rooms and high heating bills. When I go up into the attic, I usually find a few inches of old insulation, open gaps around pipes, wires and the hatch, and coverage heaped in the middle and thin at the edges, which is backward. Basements and crawl spaces in houses this age often run cold and sometimes damp, so we check them for water before anything goes in.
I look before I quote
I come out myself and climb into the attic, crawl space or basement before giving you a number, because what's up there decides the job more than the square footage does.
Gaps and water before more inches
We seal the leaks and deal with wet or fouled material before adding insulation, because a thick layer over open gaps or a damp wall won't do what you paid for.
I'll tell you what to skip
If an attic already has enough in it, or a job isn't ours to do, I'll say so at the estimate rather than sell you work that won't change how the house feels.
Insulation work we do in Altoona
Attic insulation
We check what's already up there, how many inches and whether it's dry, then seal the gaps and bring the edges up as deep as the middle.
Blown-in insulation
Blown-in is loose fill sent through a hose, and it tops up an older attic as long as the vents at the eaves stay clear so the attic can breathe.
Home insulation
For a whole house, we start where the heat leaks worst, usually the attic and the floor over the crawl space, and work down the list in order.
Insulation removal
When old insulation is soaked or full of droppings, we pull it out first, because new material laid on top just keeps the problem in your attic.
Crawl space insulation
Cold floors often start in the crawl space below them, so we look for water and open gaps down there before we insulate the walls or the floor above.
Wall insulation
Older walls are often hollow or thinly filled, and we can fill them through small holes we patch afterward, once we've checked the wall is dry.
Air sealing services
Drafty rooms usually trace back to gaps around windows, outlets, pipes and the top of the foundation, and we close them first so insulation added later can do its job.
Basement insulation
A basement wall has to be dry before it's insulated, so we look for seepage first and tell you if the water needs fixing before we can help.
Closed-cell foam insulation
Closed-cell foam is dense and blocks moisture, which makes it the one I'd reach for on basement walls, crawl space walls and metal buildings.
Open-cell foam insulation
Open-cell foam is softer and lighter, and it fills odd-shaped spaces like the underside of a roof, where blocking moisture isn't the main job.
Commercial insulation
We insulate shops, garages and metal buildings around Altoona where bare walls sweat or the space won't hold heat, and we talk through when the crew can work without slowing you down.
Crawl space vapor barrier
We lay heavy plastic over the bare dirt in a crawl space to keep ground moisture out of the floor framing and the insulation above it.
Vapor barrier installation
Where a basement, wall or ceiling needs a vapor barrier, we put it on the side the job calls for, because the wrong side can trap water in the wall.
Attic air sealing
Before anything goes on the attic floor, we seal around can lights, the chimney, pipes and the hatch, so the new insulation isn't fighting a draft from below.
Retrofit insulation
Adding insulation to a finished house takes planning, so we work through attics, crawl spaces and small wall openings rather than tearing into your rooms.
Get a free insulation estimate in Altoona
Send the form or call, and we'll get back to you within one business day to set up a time. I come out, look at the job and give you a free estimate with no obligation.
Licensed and fully insured
We're licensed and fully insured, and the work is backed by our satisfaction guarantee, so you know where things stand before anyone climbs into your attic.
Our crew installs, I walk it
Once you say go, our crew does the install, and I walk through the finished work with you so you can see what went in and where.
A straight answer on foam or fill
At the estimate I'll tell you whether foam or loose fill makes sense for your house, and why, so you're comparing the right job and not just a price.
Altoona insulation questions we hear
Here are the questions Altoona homeowners ask us about permits, hiring a contractor, flood areas and getting back into the house after the work.
Do I need a permit to insulate my house in Altoona?
We ask the city about your job before we start, since its permit list names building, electrical, mechanical, plumbing and demolition work but not insulation by name. If your job needs one, we work with you to have it in place first, and the city lists a residential building permit at $40.00. The city's codes and inspections office handles plan reviews and inspections, at 814-949-2406.
Does an insulation contractor need to be registered in Pennsylvania?
Yes, anyone who runs a home improvement business in Pennsylvania has to register with the state Attorney General's office unless exempt, and gets a number starting with PA- that has to appear on estimates and contracts. The state also requires at least $50,000 of coverage for personal injury and $50,000 for property damage. Check the number and the coverage before you sign.
How do I find out if my Altoona house is in a flood area?
Ask the city's Public Works Department, which answers property questions and makes official floodplain determinations. About 700 Altoona properties sit in the floodplain, and the city regulates building along or near Spring Run in Juniata, Brush Run, Mill Run and Burgoon Run in Eldorado. If your house is close to one, we check the basement or crawl space for water before insulating.
How long will the crew be in my attic, and when can we go back inside?
I'll give you both at the estimate, because the time turns on how much old material has to come out and how many gaps need sealing. With loose fill you can usually stay home. Spray foam means everyone, kids and pets included, stays out until the re-entry time, the wait the foam maker sets, and we tell you that ahead so you can plan.
Insulation work in our service area
Besides Altoona, we have pages for the cities below, and we work in other cities around them too, so call or send the form if yours isn't listed.
Book a look at your attic
Call (814) 369-6056 or send the form any day of the week, since we keep evening and weekend hours for people who work days.