Attic Insulation & Air Sealing in Albuquerque, NM

Attic insulation and air sealing is usually the best value of any insulation job in a pitched-roof Albuquerque house. Summer sun heats the roof, the attic gets far hotter than outside air, and that heat comes down through thin or settled insulation and through every gap in the ceiling. In winter the same gaps let warm room air rise and escape. We seal the attic floor, then bring the insulation up to a level that actually slows that heat.

What the numbers say

New Mexico's 2021 Residential Energy Conservation Code sets ceiling insulation at R-49 for climate zones 4 and 5, and OpenEI places Bernalillo County in Zone 4B. The Department of Energy recommends more for existing homes in these zones: R-60 in an attic with no insulation, or an added R-49 over an attic that already has 3 to 4 inches. Houses from the 1960s through the 1990s often have well under that, often compressed by storage or disturbed by cable and HVAC work.

Air sealing comes first

Insulation slows heat; it does not stop air. Fiberglass and cellulose let air flow through them, so we seal the paths before we cover them. The usual leaks are top plates along the walls, plumbing and vent stacks, recessed lights, bath fans, wire holes, the chimney or flue chase, dropped soffits over kitchens, and the attic hatch. We use foam, caulk and fire-rated materials where required. HomeGuide puts air sealing at $350 to $3,000, depending on how much there is to seal.

Blown-in or foam?

On an open attic floor, blowing cellulose or fiberglass over a sealed ceiling is almost always the cheapest way to reach a high R-value. HomeGuide prices blown-in for an attic at $0.90 to $2.40 per square foot. Spraying foam under the roof deck instead makes sense when ducts and an air handler sit in the attic, when the attic is very cramped, or when you want to use the space. HomeGuide puts foam on the roof deck at $1,500 to $9,000. We price the options that fit and explain why.

Ducts in the attic

In many local homes the ductwork runs through the attic. When ducts leak, they pull in hot attic air in summer and dump heated air in winter. While we are up there we look for disconnected or crushed runs and gaps at the boots, and tell you what we see. New Mexico Gas Company's rebate page lists up to $200 for duct sealing and up to $200 for air sealing, separate from its insulation rebate of up to $1,000.

Old insulation and pests

If the existing insulation is soaked from a roof leak, full of rodent droppings, or blocking the air sealing work, it may need to come out first. HomeGuide lists attic insulation removal at $1 to $2 per square foot. Otherwise, new material can usually go right over the old.

Want to know what is in your attic? We will go up, measure it, and give you a written quote. Get a free estimate