Open-cell foam insulation in Wichita Falls TX - a sealed attic that stays comfortable
Upstairs too hot and the power bill climbing? We stop the drafts with open-cell foam, with a plan for moisture and your family's time away.
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Is open-cell spray foam the right fix for your attic?
Open-cell foam insulation is a soft spray foam we apply to roof decks and walls in Wichita Falls to stop the air leaks that make rooms hot or drafty. It also adds R-value, which is how well insulation slows heat. The spraying goes quickly compared with the prep, and your family plans some time away from home while the foam cures.
Most folks who ask me about foam have an upstairs that won't cool down, a room over the garage with cold floors, or an older house they just bought with an attic that leaks air at every seam. Foam can fix that as long as it goes on in the right order, so if the old stuff up there is soaked or full of droppings, we'd start with insulation removal. The price moves with how many square feet we're covering, how thick the foam goes and how much cleanup or repair comes first. The schedule depends on that same prep, plus the time your family spends out of the house while the foam cures. When I come out, I write up what I found and what we'd do in plain words, so you can see your own job laid out before you decide.
How do you know your attic is letting air through?
Upstairs rooms stay hot
Downstairs feels fine, but the bedrooms upstairs never catch up on a summer afternoon no matter where you set the thermostat. That usually means hot attic air is leaking down through gaps in the ceiling, and every month you wait, the AC keeps running long hours to make up for it.
Cold floors over the garage
The room over the garage feels cold underfoot in winter and stuffy in summer. The space under that floor is often thinly insulated and open to garage air, and it tends to get worse as old batts sag or fall out of place.
Dusty streaks around fixtures
Gray smudges around can lights, vents or the attic hatch are dust caught from air moving through those gaps. Left alone, those leaks keep pulling attic air into the house, and any insulation laid on top ends up fighting a draft.
How we install open-cell foam insulation
Before anybody sprays, I go through the attic looking for roof leaks, wet spots and old wiring, because foam sprayed over a problem just hides it, and we fix those first. Then we talk through where the foam goes, either on the underside of the roof deck or across the attic floor and walls, and how your house will keep humidity in check, since open-cell is great at stopping air but lets moisture pass. We also work out with you where your family and pets will stay until the foam is cured and aired out. On the day, we spray to an even depth all the way out to the edges and corners, where attics are usually thinnest, then trim the foam clean and haul off the scraps.
Some jobs reach past the attic. If damp air is coming up from under the house, a crawl space vapor barrier takes care of that side so the foam upstairs isn't the only thing dealing with moisture. For shops and metal buildings, our commercial insulation work covers the bigger open spaces.
Foam on the roof deck
This suits houses where the AC ducts and air handler sit up in the attic, because sealing the roofline puts them inside the part of the house you're cooling. It costs more than the other route, and I think it's worth it when the ductwork lives up there.
Sealing and loose fill instead
If your ducts aren't in the attic, sealing the gaps and blowing more loose fill on top usually wins on cost. That's our blown-in insulation work, and I'll tell you straight when it's the better call, even on a foam visit.
Find out if foam fits your attic, with a free on-site look
We reply to every call and message within one business day. I come out myself, look over your attic, and write up what I found and what I'd do in plain words. The estimate is free, and there's no pressure to book.
(940) 298-1123Open-cell foam insulation and permits in Wichita Falls
Permits for construction work here come from Wichita Falls Building Inspections, which also inspects work against the building code. The city says construction work has to follow its codes and have the correct permits. I check with that office about your job before we start, and when the job calls for a permit, we handle the paperwork and the inspections for you.
A lot of what we see around here is older houses with AC ducts running through the attic and insulation that's packed down, uneven or chewed up by critters. We're based in Wichita Falls and work across the area, and we run into the same houses on jobs in Burkburnett and Iowa Park. The order stays the same everywhere. We clean out and fix first, then foam.
What happens after you call about open-cell foam?
Call or send a message
Call (940) 298-1123 or use the form, and tell us a little about the house and what's bugging you. We'll set a time for me to come out.
I look over your attic
I come out myself, look over the attic, walls or crawl space, and walk you through what I found and what I'd take care of first. You get it written up in plain words, so you know what the job involves before you decide anything.
We prep and fix first
Once you say go, we check on permits with the city, cover and protect your house, and do the sealing and repairs. Doing it in that order keeps the foam from hiding a leak or a bad wire.
We insulate and walk through
Then we spray the foam, and your family stays wherever we planned until it's cured and aired out. When it's done, I walk the finished job with you and show you what we did, so you understand your own attic a little better.
Frequently asked questions
How long does open-cell spray foam take to cure before we can go back inside?
EPA guidance says to wait until the foam has finished curing and the house has been aired out and cleaned before anyone goes back in. Some manufacturers recommend 24 hours for professional high-pressure systems, but the time can vary, so plan on staying somewhere else for a while. The EPA also suggests settling re-entry with your contractor before work starts, and we make that plan with you up front.
Does open-cell foam insulation cause moisture problems in an attic?
It works well when there's a plan for moisture, because open-cell foam blocks air at typical thicknesses but still lets water vapor pass through. Federal research found that unvented roofs insulated with foam can be successful as long as the attic is airtight and indoor humidity is controlled in winter. So before you book, it's worth knowing how your house will keep humidity down each winter.
How much does open-cell spray foam insulation cost in Wichita Falls?
There's no set number until I've seen the attic, because the price comes from the area we cover, how thick the foam goes and what needs fixing first. Open-cell runs about R-3.6 per inch, so a thicker layer slows more heat but takes more foam. Foam on the roof deck also covers the slopes and gable walls, which is usually more area than the attic floor.
How do I know if spray foam is safe for someone in my house with asthma?
EPA guidance says people with a history of asthma, respiratory allergies or skin conditions should carefully review the product information and may want to consider other kinds of insulation. If that's someone in your house, tell me up front, and we'll look at whether air sealing and a different material make more sense.
Can you spray foam on the roof deck and leave the insulation on the attic floor?
Usually not both, because trade association guidance says insulating the roof deck and the attic floor together may lead to moisture building up. Owners generally pick one or the other, so a roof deck job means we also talk about what to do with the old insulation on the floor.
Does spray foam inside the house need to be covered?
Yes, federal research guidance says foam on the interior should be protected by a fire-rated material such as drywall. Ask any installer how foam that's exposed indoors will be covered, and I'll go over what that means for your house during the visit.
Wichita Falls, TX
Talk through your foam job, then decide
Before you call (940) 298-1123 or fill out the form, jot down whether your ducts run through the attic, whether anyone at home has asthma or allergies, and where everyone could stay while the foam cures, and we'll get a lot further on the first visit.