Stopping ice dams at the attic
Ice dams usually start with warm air leaking into the attic and melting snow on the roof. We seal those gaps first, then bring the insulation up evenly out to the edges.
Discuss your projectProven Insulation Contractor in Duluth MN - warmer rooms and a tighter attic
Advanced Duluth Insulation Company air seals and insulates attics in Duluth and the cities around it, including Superior and Hermantown. We also insulate drafty basements and crawl spaces, and the walls of older houses with cold rooms.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- We reply within 1 business day.
The insulation jobs we're called for most
Most calls start with something you can see or feel, like ice building along the eaves or a room that never warms up, and these two jobs answer most of them.
Warming a drafty basement
A basement or crawl space that pulls cold air under the floors can become a space you actually use. We close the drafts first, then insulate the walls in a way that suits the space.
Discuss your projectHow we handle insulation work at your house
The whole space planned before booking
I look over the entire attic or basement before anything is booked, then plan the work in order, sealing before insulating, so each step sets up the next one.
One person from estimate to finish
I write up your estimate myself and I'm on site with our crew when the work is done, so you don't have to explain your job twice.
Floors covered, work area kept clean
We cover your floors and keep a tidy work area as we go, a habit I brought from years on the line in restaurant kitchens. Call (218) 206-2942 to set up a visit.
Insulation contractor services in Duluth, MN
Advanced Duluth Insulation Company is an insulation contractor in Duluth, MN, with 16 services for attics, walls, basements, crawl spaces and commercial buildings that let heat out or cold air in. The price mostly turns on the size of the space, how many inches are already up there, whether soaked or dirty old material has to come out first, and whether the job calls for spray foam or blown-in insulation, which is loose fill pushed through a hose. The schedule turns on that removal, any permit your city requires and, with foam, the re-entry time before you can come back inside. You get your own figure at an estimate at your home.
Spray foam insulation
Spray foam fills and seals in one pass, so it suits tight framing, basement walls and attics where ductwork runs. It costs more than loose fill, and we'll tell you plainly when sealing and topping up would do.
Attic insulation
We check the attic for damp or dirty old material, seal the gaps, keep the eave vents clear, then add insulation evenly out to the edges, where coverage tends to run thin.
Blown-in insulation
Blown-in fill reaches into corners and around framing that batts can't, and it's usually how we top up an attic that already has some insulation in it.
Home insulation
For a house that's cold in some rooms and hot upstairs in summer, I walk the attic, walls and basement together and lay out which job should come first.
Insulation removal
Old insulation that was soaked or full of droppings has to come out before anything new goes in, or the problem stays. We bag it, clean up and leave the space ready for the next step.
Crawl space insulation
Cold floors over a crawl space usually come from air moving underneath them. We seal the openings and insulate the crawl space walls so less cold air reaches the rooms above.
Wall insulation
Older houses often have little or nothing inside their outside walls. We can usually fill those cavities without tearing the walls out, working from inside or outside depending on your siding and plaster.
Air sealing services
Air sealing is closing the gaps around pipes, wires, can lights and the attic hatch before any insulation goes in. It keeps new insulation from fighting a draft, which is why it comes first on our jobs.
Basement insulation
Bare concrete basement walls let a lot of heat out of a house. Foam or rigid board on those walls keeps the space warmer, and we'll talk through which one fits your basement.
Closed-cell foam insulation
Closed-cell foam is dense foam that also blocks moisture, so it's the pick for basement walls and spots that see damp. Plan to be out of the house while it's sprayed and until the re-entry time passes.
Open-cell foam insulation
Open-cell foam is softer and lighter than closed-cell, and it fills odd cavities and quiets sound well. It lets moisture pass through, so we keep it to places where that won't cause trouble.
Commercial insulation
We insulate and air seal shops, offices and small commercial buildings around Duluth, planning the work around your hours so you can keep the doors open where the job allows.
Crawl space vapor barrier
A vapor barrier is a heavy sheet laid over a dirt crawl space floor to keep ground moisture out of the air under your house. We seal its seams and edges so moisture can't slip around it.
Vapor barrier installation
In walls and ceilings, a vapor barrier keeps indoor moisture from reaching cold framing. Which side it goes on and how the seams are taped both matter, so we settle that before any goes up.
Attic air sealing
This is the job we're best known for. Before any insulation goes in, we seal around can lights, plumbing stacks, wiring and the hatch, so less warm air reaches the roof.
Retrofit insulation
Retrofit insulation means adding insulation to a house that's already built and lived in. We work through existing attics, walls and floors and fit the job around the rooms you're using.
Who does the insulation work at your house
I spent years cooking on the line in restaurant kitchens before I learned insulation on a local crew, and I started Advanced Duluth Insulation Company here in 2023. We're fully licensed and insured, and we work in Duluth, Superior, Hermantown, Cloquet and other cities around the Twin Ports.
A kitchen finishes its prep before service starts, and I run an insulation job the same way, with the checks done before any insulation goes in. You can read more about our crew and how we work.
Permit rules checked with your city
Before work starts, I check the permit rules with the city where your home is, then tell you whether we'll pull the permit or what you'll need to do.
We stop and explain changes
If we open things up and find something that changes the plan, like wet material or a buried vent, we stop and explain it in plain words before going further.
You'll know what we did
Before we pack up, I go over what we found, what we did and why, so you understand what's in your attic and what to watch for.
Book a free insulation estimate at your home
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set a time. I'll come out myself, look over the space and write up a free estimate with no obligation.
Tell us what you're noticing
Ice along the eaves, a cold room, a hot upstairs and a drafty basement each point to a different starting place, so a line about it helps me plan the visit.
Mention your house's age
The age of your house and a guess at how many inches are already in the attic tell me what I'm likely to find before I arrive.
Let us know about kids and pets
If your job may involve spray foam, everyone has to be out until the re-entry time passes, so it helps to start planning for kids and pets early.
Insulation examples to look through
These example photos show blown-in attics, sprayed foam walls and covered crawl spaces, so you can point to what you'd like to talk through.
Questions about insulation work in Duluth
These are the questions homeowners ask me first on the phone, about cost, time in the attic, leaving the house and permits.
How much does attic insulation cost in Duluth?
It depends on your attic, so I give you a figure after looking at it in person. The two biggest swings are old material that has to come out before new goes in, and whether the job needs foam, which costs more than blown-in. Sealing the gaps well is usually where the best value is.
How long will an insulation crew be in my attic?
That depends on your attic, so I tell you what to expect once I've seen it. Sealing the gaps takes the most care, old material that has to come out adds time, and foam adds the re-entry time before you're back inside. I'm on site with our crew while the work is done, so you have one person to ask.
Do we have to leave the house while you insulate?
For air sealing and blown-in insulation, usually not, though we'll be going in and out through the attic hatch. Spray foam is different, because you, your kids and your pets need to be out while it's sprayed and until the re-entry time passes. I'll tell you that time before the job so you can plan around it.
Does insulation work need a permit in Duluth, MN?
Usually, yes, because the city lists insulation among the work that needs a building permit from its Construction Services & Inspections office. The owner or the contractor doing the work gets it, and starting before the permit is issued adds a fee equal to the permit fee. That's why I check the rules with your city before anything starts.
Should I use spray foam or blown-in insulation in my attic?
For most attics, sealing the gaps and topping up with blown-in insulation is the better choice. Spray foam costs more and seals air while it insulates, so it earns its place when ductwork runs through the attic or the space is too tight for loose fill. I'll tell you which fits after I've looked at yours.
Can you add new insulation on top of my old attic insulation?
Usually, yes, if the old material is dry and clean. If it was soaked or full of droppings, it comes out first, because new insulation laid over it leaves the problem right where it was. I check that before anything else is planned, the same way you'd check your ingredients before cooking.
Set up your free insulation estimate
Call (218) 206-2942 or send the form, and I'll look over the whole space first so the work goes in the right order.