Attic insulation in Tallahassee FL - an upstairs that finally cools down
Upstairs won't cool down and the power bill keeps creeping up? We fix what's wrong up there, then insulate the attic evenly, edge to edge.
- Services
- 16
- Service areas
- 4
Get your attic looked at in person
I climb up, check how many inches you have, and show you what I found.
Request an estimateWhat does attic insulation in Tallahassee involve?
Attic insulation in Tallahassee is material we lay level across your attic floor and in full contact with it, so less of the roof's heat gets into the rooms below and your air conditioner isn't running all afternoon to keep up.
Most people call me because the upstairs won't cool down by evening or the power bill keeps climbing, and the attic is usually where the trouble starts. The price mostly comes down to how big the attic is, how many inches are already up there, whether the old material is sound or has to come out first through insulation removal, how many gaps need sealing and which material fits your house. The schedule turns on what has to be fixed before we start, like a roof leak or a bath fan blowing into the attic, and on whether your address needs a permit, which we sort out. I look at the space in person and go over what I found before you get a number.
How we do attic insulation, start to finish
Before we add anything, I go through the attic for roof leaks, old knob and tube wiring, the kind strung on little porcelain knobs, fans venting straight into the attic and anything else that ought to be fixed first, because once it's under fresh insulation nobody's going to see it. If the old material is soaked or full of droppings, it comes out rather than getting buried. I'll also ask you to clear out stored boxes so the new layer can lie flat on the attic floor, since insulation propped up on a box isn't doing much. Then our crew seals the gaps through the attic floor, keeps the eave vents open so the attic can still breathe, and lays the insulation level and even, with the edges as deep as the middle.
For most existing attics, sealing the gaps and topping up with blown-in insulation, loose fill blown through a hose, is the better buy. Spray foam costs more and seals air while it insulates, and I only lean toward it when your ductwork runs through the attic. If cold floors or a hot room over the garage bother you as much as the upstairs, the attic may be one part of a bigger home insulation job.
What changes attic insulation jobs in Tallahassee
The city's Growth Management Department issues the permits needed to build, renovate or expand a house inside Tallahassee, but that doesn't spell out whether adding attic insulation needs one, so I don't guess. We find out whether your address is inside the city limits or out, check with the office that covers it and handle the permit paperwork when the job needs one. If you'd rather ask about your own house, the city's Building Inspection Division takes questions at 850-891-7001, option 2 and then option 1.
Summers here bake an attic, and plenty of the older houses we get into have fans dumping air into the attic, gaps around can lights and insulation packed down thin at the edges. We run into the same attics on jobs in Bradfordville and Quincy, and we work in other cities around Tallahassee too, so call and ask if yours isn't listed.
Why call us for attic insulation
I write your estimate myself
I come out, climb into the attic and write the estimate, then walk you through what I saw. Our own crew does the install, and I check the work before we call it done.
Prep comes first, since 2017
We've been at this since 2017, and what we're known for is sorting out leaks and problems before any insulation goes in. Insulation over a roof leak just hides it, so I'd rather tell you about the leak than sell you more material.
Old vermiculite gets tested first
Some older attics have vermiculite, a pebbly gray-brown fill that may contain asbestos, and the guidance is to test it before the attic is sealed or insulated, with the state health department as the place to turn. If I spot it, I'll tell you, and we don't work over it until it's been tested.
Licensed and insured on every job
We're licensed and insured. You've got people working above your ceilings and around your wiring, so it's the first thing worth asking anybody you let up there.
- Phone
- (850) 222-9906
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 8 AM–11 PM, Sat–Sun: 6 AM–10 PM
- Location
- Tallahassee, FL 32301
Get what's underneath sound and the insulation is the easy part. Send us a note or call, and I'll come take a look.
Get a free on-site attic insulation estimate
We reply within one business day, the estimate is free and there's no obligation. I'll set a time to come out, look at the attic myself and go over what I found before you get a number. It helps if you tell us where the attic access is and whether you know of a roof leak or a bath fan blowing into the attic.
- Phone
- (850) 222-9906
- Location
- Tallahassee, FL 32301
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 8 AM–11 PM, Sat–Sun: 6 AM–10 PM
- Credentials
- Licensed and insured.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my attic needs more insulation?
If your attic's insulation is rated below R-19, the house will probably benefit from more. R-value is how well insulation slows heat, and I work out yours at the estimate from how many inches are up there and what kind of material it is. A hot upstairs and a creeping power bill are usually the first signs.
How much insulation does a Tallahassee attic call for?
Tallahassee sits in Florida's Climate Zone 2, where the state requires a minimum of R-38 in the attic. The South Florida counties in Zone 1 have a lower minimum of R-30, so advice written for Miami doesn't fit here. When I measure your attic, R-38 is the number I compare it against.
Should the attic be air sealed before adding insulation?
Yes, in an existing vented attic the openings through the attic floor get sealed first with sealant, spray foam or rigid blocking. That's air sealing, closing the gaps that let air leak between your rooms and the attic, so the new insulation isn't fighting a draft. It's a fair question to ask any contractor before they start.
Can a radiant barrier replace attic insulation?
No, a radiant barrier is a reflective layer added in the attic, and the house still needs insulation alongside it. It also saves much less energy in an attic already at R-30 or more than in one at R-11 or less, so I'd look at what you have before you spend money on one.
How much does attic insulation cost in Tallahassee?
I won't put a number on it until I've seen your attic, because the material that fits your house moves the price as much as the size does. The right choice depends on how much room the attic has, how heavy the material is so the ceiling doesn't sag, how easy it is to get in, your budget, how easily it could be replaced after a roof leak and whether the house is new or existing. We weigh those together on site, and the estimate gives you your own figure.
How long does attic insulation take, and do we have to leave the house?
The install is usually the short part, and the schedule mostly turns on what has to be fixed first and whether a permit is needed, so I give you the timing at the estimate. With blown-in you can usually stay home. Spray foam comes with a re-entry time, the wait before you, the kids and the pets go back inside, and the foam maker sets it.
Other insulation work that goes with an attic
Blown-in insulation
If your attic just needs more depth over what's already there, loose fill is usually how we get it back to where it should be.
Home insulation
When drafty rooms and cold floors bother you as much as the hot upstairs, it pays to look at the whole house at once.