Attic Insulation & Air Sealing in Levittown, PA

Attic insulation and air sealing matter more in Levittown than in most towns, because so many houses have no basement or crawl space. On a slab with radiant heat, the ceiling is the biggest surface between living space and outdoors. In summer, an under-insulated attic bakes the rooms below; in winter, warm air leaks up through every gap in the ceiling. Sealing those gaps and adding depth is often the single best-value insulation job in the house.

How much is enough

ENERGY STAR recommends R-60 for an uninsulated attic in zone 4A and adding R-49 where three to four inches already exist. Penn State's summary of Pennsylvania's alternative energy provisions places Bucks County in the southern Zone 4 group. In loose fill, R-49 or more means well over a foot of material: HomeGuide lists blown fiberglass at about R-2.2 to R-2.9 per inch and cellulose at R-3.1 to R-3.8. Many original attics we see hold a few inches of settled fiberglass, often disturbed by decades of wiring and cable work.

The leaks we seal

The biggest air paths are the same in most houses. Holes cut for plumbing vents and wires. Gaps around ceiling light boxes and recessed cans. Bath fans that vent into the attic instead of outdoors. The top plates of interior walls. Chimney and flue chases, which we close with metal and fire-rated sealant, never foam against the flue. And the hatch or pull-down stair, which almost never has insulation or weatherstripping. In expanded homes, the joints where an addition's roof meets the original attic are often wide open.

Summer heat and ventilation

Lower Bucks County summers are hot and humid, and a dark roof can push attic temperatures well above the outdoor reading. A sealed, deep attic floor keeps that heat out of the rooms below and takes load off the air conditioner. We keep soffit vents open with baffles so the new insulation does not block airflow, and we check that bath and kitchen fans actually reach the outdoors.

Foam on the roof deck instead

Some houses have ductwork or an air handler in the attic, or a raised second story with little attic at all. In those cases, spraying foam on the underside of the roof deck brings the attic inside the insulated shell. It costs more, but it keeps ducts in conditioned space. HomeGuide lists roof deck foam at $1,500 to $9,000. We explain when that approach is worth it and when sealing the floor is enough.

Expanded and raised Levitt houses

A lot of Levittowners, Ranchers and Jubilees have gained dormers, full second stories or rear additions. Each new roof creates a separate attic space or a sloped ceiling with no attic at all. We treat each section on its own line in the quote, so you can see what each part costs and decide what to do now.

Ready to find out what is in your attic? Get a free estimate