Insulation Contractor in Bloomington, MN - Fewer Drafts in Ramblers and Split-Levels
Apple Valley Insulation Company insulates and air seals homes in Bloomington, MN, from rambler attics to split-level lower levels and rooms over the garage, and we find what's wrong up there before anything new goes in.
Bloomington: ramblers, split-levels and drafty attics
Bloomington is a big city with a lot of settled neighborhoods. Most of the houses we're called to are older ramblers and split-levels, with newer homes and townhouses mixed in, plus apartment buildings and businesses along the main roads. It sits right beside Eden Prairie and across the river from Burnsville, and we hear from homeowners here as well as property managers looking after rentals and small commercial spaces.
In a lot of those houses the attic is low at the edges, the insulation has settled thin right where the roof comes down, and can lights and pipes poke up through a ceiling with the hatch in a closet. That's why I look before anyone picks a material, because the edges and the gaps decide how the job goes.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- We reply within 1 business day.
Insulation work for Bloomington homes
Attic insulation
Many Bloomington ramblers still have the insulation they were built with, and it's usually thinnest at the edges where the roof slopes down low. We measure how many inches are really up there and blow in loose fill, sent through a hose, so the edges get as much as the middle.
Air sealing services
In older attics here, warm air slips up around can lights, plumbing pipes and the hatch, so new insulation laid over those gaps just fights a draft. Our air sealing services close those openings first, which is the step nobody sees and the one that makes the rest work.
Insulation removal
When an attic has had a roof leak or mice, the old insulation can be soaked or full of droppings, and fresh material on top just hides the problem. We pull out what's ruined, check the wood underneath and only then put new insulation in.
Wall insulation
Some older Bloomington houses have little or nothing in the outside walls, which is why one side of the house stays drafty no matter where the thermostat sits. We fill the wall cavities through small holes and patch them, and I'll tell you up front if wiring or blocking in a wall limits what we can do.
Basement insulation
Split-levels here often have a lower level that sits partly below ground, with cold floors and a family room nobody wants to use. We insulate those walls and the rim joist, the band of framing on top of the foundation where a lot of outside air gets in.
Closed-cell foam insulation
The room over the garage is the cold room in plenty of Bloomington split-levels, because its floor sits over an unheated space full of gaps. Closed-cell foam, a dense foam that seals and insulates in one pass, suits that floor well, and it's one place where foam earns its higher cost.
Working in Bloomington: permits, licenses and what sets the price
The city's Building and Inspection Division issues building permits in Bloomington, and its published lists cover things like windows, doors and fences rather than insulation, so whether your job needs one is that office's call. If it does, we check with the division, handle the paperwork and set up the inspections, and that wait can move the start date more than the work does. To check any contractor, ask about their state license, since the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry issues building and many trade contractor licenses, and know that the city adds its own contractor license for anyone doing mechanical, heating or gas work. We're licensed and insured.
As an insulation contractor based in Apple Valley, MN, I drive up to Bloomington myself, the same as for jobs over in Edina, and look at the attic, walls or crawl space before we talk materials. The price moves with the size of the space and how easy it is to reach, how many inches are already there, whether old insulation has to come out and how many gaps need sealing, and removal or a permit wait is what stretches the schedule most. The estimate I write lays out what I found and what I'd do about it, then our installers do the work and I look it over before we finish.
Get a free on-site insulation estimate for your Bloomington home
Call or send us a message about your Bloomington house, and we'll reply within one business day to set a time. I come out myself, look at what's going on and write the estimate, which is free and comes with no obligation.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- We reply within 1 business day.
Attic and wall insulation for Bloomington homes
Bloomington insulation questions
Can I pull my own building permit in Bloomington, MN?
Yes, if the house is your homesteaded home, you can apply for a building permit yourself. If you own the house but don't live there, the city asks for a licensed building contractor on building work that needs a permit, and applications go through the city's online portal since paper isn't accepted anymore. The details are on the city's building permit FAQ page.
How long does a building permit last in Bloomington?
A Bloomington building permit expires 180 days after it's issued, but each inspection starts that 180 days over from the inspection date. A longer extension needs the building official's approval, so when we've pulled the permit, we set up inspections as the work goes along.
Does my contractor need a state license to work on my Bloomington house?
Most residential building contractors and remodelers in Minnesota need a state license, which the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry issues. Ask anyone you're considering which license they hold before work starts, and I'm happy to go over ours at the estimate.
How much does it cost to insulate an attic in Bloomington?
Attic cost in Bloomington comes down to the attic's size and access, how many inches are already up there, whether old insulation has to come out and how much air sealing it needs first. Foam costs more because it seals and insulates at once, but sealing the gaps and topping up loose fill usually wins, unless your ductwork runs through the attic. I'll give you a written number once I've been up there.
How long does attic insulation take, and do we have to leave the house?
With loose fill in the attic you usually don't have to leave, and how long the crew is up there mostly turns on whether old material comes out first. Spray foam is different because it has a re-entry time, the wait before people and pets can come back in, and we go over that with you before the day is set.
What causes moisture in an attic after new insulation goes in?
Usually it's buried eave vents, which stop the attic from breathing, or open gaps that let warm, damp house air rise into it. We keep the vents clear at the edges and seal the gaps before any insulation goes down, and if I see dark or wet wood up there, we deal with that first.