Retrofit insulation in Midland TX - an older attic sealed first, then filled evenly
Hot upstairs rooms and a power bill that climbs every summer usually mean a thin attic. We seal the gaps, then add insulation.
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Does your older Midland house need more attic insulation?
Retrofit insulation in Midland means adding insulation to a house that's already built, and in most older homes that starts in the attic, which often has next to nothing in it. We check the attic, seal the gaps through the ceiling and blow in new insulation so the rooms below hold their cool in summer and their heat in winter.
A lot of older houses here went up with a thin layer in the attic or almost none, and after enough summers you feel it in the bedrooms and see it on the power bill. Most of the time the fix isn't foam everywhere. It's plugging the leaks and topping up the attic insulation you already have. The price mostly turns on how big the attic is, how many inches are up there now, how many gaps need sealing and whether anything has to be fixed or cleared out first. The schedule turns on the same things, plus any repair, lab test or permit that has to come before we start, and you get your own figure in a written estimate once I've been up in your attic.
How can you tell your attic is short on insulation?
Upstairs stays hot
The AC runs all afternoon and the rooms under the attic still feel warm at bedtime. That usually means a thin attic with air leaking up through the ceiling, and every summer you wait, the AC works harder and the power bill shows it.
You can see the joists
If you pop the hatch and the tops of the ceiling joists are showing, there's only a few inches up there, which is common in older houses. Your ceiling is letting heat straight through to the rooms below, and that won't get better on its own.
Old insulation looks matted
Flat, stained insulation or insulation full of droppings usually points to an old roof leak or critters that moved in. Piling new material on top buries the problem, so it has to be dealt with before anything goes in.
Work that often goes with a retrofit
Spray foam insulation
When your ducts and air handler sit up in a hot attic, foam at the roof can earn its higher price.
Attic insulation
If your house is newer and the attic just needs a top-up, a regular attic job may be all it takes.
How we do retrofit insulation
Most older attics don't need foam, and they don't need the old insulation torn out unless it's wet or dirty. They need the holes plugged and a good, even layer on top. I check for wet framing, old wiring and vermiculite first, and then our crew does the air sealing, which is closing the gaps around can lights, pipes, wires and the hatch. We keep the eave vents clear so the attic can still breathe, and we blow in loose fill as deep at the edges as it is in the middle. We seal and insulate as one job, because new insulation over open gaps just ends up fighting a draft.
If a newer house only needs more depth, that's our regular attic insulation work. Spray foam insulation costs more because it seals and insulates in one pass, and I'd only point you to it when your ductwork lives up in the attic.
Air sealing plus blown-in fill
This suits most older houses with an open attic floor and the ducts down below the ceiling. Plugging the gaps and adding loose fill handles what's wrong without paying for more than the house needs.
Spray foam at the roof deck
This suits houses where the ductwork and air handler sit up in the attic. Foam on the underside of the roof keeps that equipment out of the attic heat, and that's the one case where its higher price usually makes sense.
Get a written estimate for your older attic
Send the form and we'll get back to you within one business day to set up a free visit at your house, with no pressure to book. You can call (432) 218-4671 too.
Call (432) 218-4671Service areas
Why Midland homeowners call DraftWise for retrofit insulation
Sealing first since 2013
I used to sell insulation for another company, got tired of seeing attics oversold and under-sealed, and went to work on an install crew until I could do the job right. We've been in business since 2013, and we're known for sealing the leaks before we add anything on top.
The owner looks, then checks
The person who climbs into your attic and writes the estimate is me, not a salesman on commission. You pay for what your house needs and nothing past that, and I see the finished work before we call it done.
Licensed and fully insured, every job
We're licensed and fully insured. The City of Midland says most construction projects also need a contractor who is licensed, bonded and registered with the city.
Permits handled with the city
The city's residential permit list names new homes, additions, remodels and repairs but doesn't name insulation, so Development Services is the office to ask about yours. If your job calls for a permit, we pull it as your contractor and wait for it to be issued before we start.
The part of this job that matters most happens before any insulation goes in, so call or send us the form and I'll come take a look.
What happens after you call about retrofit insulation in Midland?
Call or send the form
Call (432) 218-4671 or fill out the form, and we'll set a time for me to come out. Tell us where your attic hatch is and whether you have gas appliances, since both shape the visit.
I check the attic first
I get up in the attic or down in the crawl space and look for wet framing, old wiring, vermiculite and how your gas appliances vent. Your written estimate lists anything that needs fixing first, the sealing and the insulation we'd add, so you can see exactly what you'd be paying for.
Our installers seal and fill
Our installers seal the gaps through the attic floor first, then blow in the new insulation. Anything the estimate flagged for repair gets handled before that starts.
I look it over
I check the attic myself before we call it finished, looking at the depth out at the edges and making sure the eave vents are still open. The work is backed by our satisfaction guarantee.
Common questions
How much does it cost to add insulation to an attic in Midland, TX?
Attic insulation in Midland usually costs about $1,400 to $4,500 per job. That's the going rate for a whole attic around here, not a quote from us. You get your own number in writing after I've been up in your attic.
What is the best way to insulate an older attic, blown-in or batts?
For an open attic floor, blown-in insulation, loose fill blown through a hose, is usually the better buy. Federal energy guidance says blowing loose fill usually costs less than laying batts and gives better coverage, though installed costs vary. That's why it's what we price first on most older attics.
Should my attic be sealed before adding insulation?
Yes. Federal guidance says to seal every opening through the attic floor with sealant, spray foam or rigid blocking before insulating an existing attic, because insulation doesn't stop air moving through a hole. Adding insulation is the natural time to do that sealing, so we plan both as one job.
What attic problems need fixing before new insulation goes in?
Wet insulation, moldy or rotted framing, vents blowing into the attic and old knob and tube wiring should be fixed first, according to ENERGY STAR. If there's vermiculite, a light, flaky gray fill that may contain asbestos, the advice is to leave it alone until an approved lab tests it, and your local health department can name a lab. With gas appliances in the house, ENERGY STAR suggests testing their venting before and after sealing, because a tighter house can sometimes pull exhaust back inside.
Do I have to leave the house while my attic is insulated?
You'll usually need to clear out for spray foam but not for cellulose. One installer writing in a trade magazine says spray foam work needs the house completely emptied, while people can carry on at home during dense-pack cellulose work. I'll tell you at the estimate visit which kind of job yours is and when you can come back in.
How do I know how much insulation to add to my attic in Midland?
Start with how many inches are already up there, because that's what I measure before figuring what to add. Federal guidance says added attic insulation should meet or exceed the energy code levels the city has adopted, which is a fair yardstick to hold any quote to, ours included.
Book an attic check for your older house
Pop the hatch before you call and note how many inches are up there and whether a gas furnace or water heater is close by, so the visit starts with what matters.