The step most companies skip
Here is a secret of our trade. Insulation slows heat. It does not stop air. If your attic leaks air, new insulation sits on top of the leak. Heat still escapes. You paid for a blanket with holes in it.
Air sealing closes the holes first. We find the gaps in your attic floor. We seal them with foam and caulk. Then insulation goes on top of a tight floor. That is how you get the full value.
Where attics leak
The top plates of your walls. Every wall in your home meets the attic at a plate. That joint leaks. Wire holes. Electricians drill through the top plate for every wire. Each hole leaks. Pipe chases. Plumbing runs in boxed chases from basement to attic. They act like chimneys for warm air.
Recessed lights. Old can lights leak badly. We cover or replace the worst ones. The attic hatch. The hatch itself is a big hole. We weatherstrip it and insulate the back. The chimney chase. The gap around the chimney leaks and needs fire-safe sealing.
Why winter bills point to leaks
Warm air rises. It pushes up through every gap into the attic. Cold air gets pulled in low to replace it. Your furnace heats the new cold air. The cycle repeats. This is called the stack effect. Sealing the attic floor breaks the cycle.
In summer the flow flips. Hot attic air pushes down through the gaps. Your AC fights it. Sealing helps both seasons.
What to expect
1. Free inspection. We look at your attic floor and map the leaks. We show you photos of the worst ones.
2. The seal. We work across the attic floor with foam, caulk, and metal flashing where heat is near. This takes a few hours in most homes.
3. The test. We check our work with a visual pass and, on audit jobs, a blower door test that proves the leaks are down.
4. Insulation after. Most clients add blown-in on top the same week. The seal makes every inch of it work harder.
Can lights and fire safety
Old recessed lights get hot. You cannot just bury them in insulation. We check each one. Lights rated for contact get sealed covers. Old hot ones get replaced or boxed with fire-safe clearance. Safety first, savings second.
How you feel the difference
Less draft in winter. Rooms warm up faster. The furnace runs less. In summer, upstairs stays closer to the thermostat. Many clients notice the comfort change before the bill change.
The worst leaks we find
One, the attic hatch. It is a big hole with no seal. Two, the chimney chase. The gap around it runs the full height of the house. Three, wire holes. Dozens of them hide in the top plates. Four, pipe chases. Open boxes that carry air like flues. Five, dropped soffits. The space above kitchen soffits often opens straight to the attic.
We seal all five on most jobs. Together they can leak more air than an open window. Most homeowners have no idea.
Why insulation alone can disappoint
We get calls from homeowners who added insulation last year. Their bills barely moved. We look in the attic. The insulation is fine. The air leaks are still wide open.
Heat takes the easy path. It goes around insulation through the gaps. More insulation on top of leaks is like a thicker coat with the zipper down. Seal first. Then insulate. That order never fails.
Sealing and the air you breathe
Attic air is dusty. It can carry bits of old insulation and pest waste. Leaks pull that air down into your rooms. Sealing the attic floor keeps it up there where it belongs.
Clients with dust problems often see less dust after a seal. It is not a health fix. It is just a tighter house.
The chimney needs special care
The gap around a chimney leaks a lot of air. But it also gets hot. You cannot stuff it with foam or cellulose. That is a fire risk.
We seal it with metal flashing and high-heat caulk. The metal blocks the air. The caulk stays safe at high temps. It takes more time than foam. It is the only right way.
If your chimney looks damaged, we flag it. A chimney pro should look at it before we seal around it. Safety first, always.
Do not forget the hatch
The attic hatch is often the single biggest leak. It is a plywood square with no seal. Warm air pours around its edges all winter.
We weatherstrip the hatch frame. We glue rigid foam to the back of the hatch door. We add latches so it pulls tight. It is a small job with a big payoff. Every air sealing visit includes it.
Every project is different — contact us for a free written estimate.
Call (301) 679-9193 for a free attic inspection.