Attic Insulation & Air Sealing in Oklahoma City, OK

Attic insulation and air sealing is usually the first job we recommend in Oklahoma City, because the attic is where summer heat gets into most houses. A typical metro home has a vented attic that runs far hotter than outdoors on a sunny afternoon, the air handler or ductwork sitting up in that heat, and a ceiling full of small holes for lights, fans, plumbing and wiring. Each hole lets cooled air escape upward, and the duct leaks add to it. Insulation only slows heat through the ceiling; it does not stop air moving through gaps. That is why the sealing comes first.

What we seal

Before any new insulation goes down, we find and close the bypasses: gaps around plumbing vents and flues (with the right clearances and materials for flues), wiring holes in top plates, open soffits over kitchen cabinets, chases around chimneys, recessed lights, bath fans and the attic hatch or pull-down stairs. Where ducts run through the attic, we look at connections and boots, and point out any that are disconnected or crushed.

How deep is enough

Oklahoma's residential code for Climate Zone 3, which covers the Oklahoma City area, calls for R-30 in ceilings on new work, according to the Insulation Institute's summary of the state's amended 2018 IECC. The Department of Energy recommends more for existing homes in Zone 3: R-49 to R-60 for an attic with no insulation, and adding R-38 to R-49 where three or four inches are already there. OG&E's Oklahoma attic rebate requires a finished attic of at least 13 inches or R-38. We measure settled depth in several spots, since old fill often sits thinner near the eaves and around the hatch.

Foam, loose fill or both

For most existing homes with an open attic floor, the best value is to seal the leaks and then blow cellulose or fiberglass to depth. HomeGuide puts blown-in attic work at $0.90 to $2.40 per square foot. Where the attic is cramped, the ducts and equipment fill it, or the house has kneewalls and sloped ceilings, spray foam on the attic floor or the roof deck may be the better tool. Moving the insulation to the roof deck brings the ductwork inside the insulated space, which helps a lot when the air handler lives in the attic.

After storms and new roofs

Hail and wind are a fact of life here, and many metro homes have had a roof replaced in the last few years. A new roof is a good time to check the attic. Wet insulation from an old leak loses much of its value and can hide damaged decking. If it is wet, moldy or packed with debris, we pull it out before adding new material. Get a free estimate