Cold floors in the rooms above
If your feet feel the chill in the rooms over the crawl space, heat is slipping out through the floor, and insulating underneath is usually what settles it.
Crawl space insulation in Duluth MN - warmer floors and a crawl space that stays dry
Cold floors over the crawl space or a chill coming up from below? We insulate the right surface and plan how the space stays dry.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- We reply within 1 business day.
What crawl space insulation does for your house
Crawl space insulation in Duluth puts rigid foam board or other insulation on the crawl space walls or on the underside of the floor above, so the rooms over that space stop losing heat downward and your floors feel warmer.
Most crawl space calls we get start with cold floors, a draft near the baseboards or a damp smell coming up from below. The price moves with the size of the space, whether we insulate the walls or the floor, the material we use and how much has to happen first, such as pulling out old insulation or dealing with moisture. The schedule turns on those same things, plus how easy the crawl space is to get into and whether any heating work has to happen alongside ours. I'll measure it all at your home and write up your estimate from what I find.
Before work starts, I check the permit rules with the City of Duluth, which issues building permits for alterations and repairs to a house, and I tell you whether we'll pull the permit or what you'll need to do.
I see the job myself
I come out myself to look at the crawl space and write up your estimate, and I'm on site with our crew when the work is done, so nothing gets lost between visits.
The checks come before insulation
A kitchen finishes its prep before service, and we work the same way, checking moisture, gaps and pipes before any insulation goes in, so nothing new gets laid over an old problem.
You'll know what we did
When we finish, I walk you through what we found, what we put in and why we chose it, and our crew leaves the crawl space and your house clean.
How we insulate a crawl space
The first thing I do is sit down with you and decide whether the insulation belongs on the crawl space walls or under the floor above, because that choice sets everything after it, from the material to the cost. Then we plan how the space will stay dry, since insulation in a damp crawl space only keeps the problem out of sight. It's the prep before the cooking, and I won't skip it.
I also check where your water pipes and any ducts run, because once we're done some of them can end up on the cold side of the insulation, and those need protecting too. Our crew closes the gaps around pipes, wires and the top of the foundation first, the same work we do through the rest of a house as part of our air sealing services, so the insulation isn't fighting a draft. If the old insulation down there is soaked or full of droppings, it comes out instead of getting covered over.
If the rooms above still feel cold once the crawl space is done, the outside walls are often next, and I can look at wall insulation on the same visit. We're based in Duluth and do this work in Superior, Hermantown, Cloquet and other cities around the Twin Ports, where we see plenty of older houses with cold floors and damp crawl spaces.
Signs your crawl space needs insulation
A damp or musty crawl space
Wet soil, standing water or a musty smell mean the space needs a plan to stay dry first, often with a ground cover, because insulation laid over damp only hides it.
One room that never warms up
A room that stays colder than the rest of the house often sits over a crawl space or part of one, and that's a sensible place to look before you blame the furnace.
Heating ducts in the crawl space
When your ducts run through the crawl space, insulating the walls usually keeps them on the warm side, which tends to beat insulating the floor and leaving the ducts out in the cold.
Get a crawl space estimate at your home
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set a time. I'll come out, look at your crawl space and write up a free estimate, with no pressure and no obligation.
Tell us the crawl space size
A rough length and width, and how much headroom there is, helps me plan the visit and bring what I need to look at the walls, the floor and the ground.
Mention any water or smells
Standing water, damp soil or a musty smell change the plan, because the space has to stay dry before insulation goes in, so I'd like to know before I come.
Have your energy audit handy
If you've had a home energy audit, keep the report nearby, since its list of recommended improvements shows us what's already been looked at in your house.
Crawl space insulation examples to look through
These photos show foam board on foundation walls, insulation under floors and ground covers, as examples of layouts we can talk through together.
Crawl space insulation questions from Duluth homeowners
Here are the questions I hear most when I'm looking at a Duluth crawl space with a homeowner, answered as plainly as I can.
Should I insulate the crawl space walls or the floor above?
In a closed crawl space, rigid foam board on the walls usually gives the house the protection it needs, and then the floor above needs no insulation, so you pay for the walls alone. The catch is that the space then has to stay dry. I'll look at your ducts, pipes and moisture and make that choice with you.
How much does crawl space insulation cost in Duluth?
Crawl space insulation in Duluth usually costs about $1,600 to $7,200 per job, which is the going range in the area, not our set price. Where yours lands depends on the size of the space, walls or floor, the material and any drying work it needs. I'll work out your own figure once I've seen it.
Does a closed crawl space need a way to dry out?
Yes, a crawl space needs a way to dry, so our plan covers drying as well as insulation. One of the most effective ways brings in air from your heating and cooling system, so the space is tempered like the rest of the house. That's ventilation work, and Duluth requires an HVAC permit for it, which I check with the city first.
Does foam insulation in a crawl space need to be covered?
Usually, yes. Most codes call for a protective barrier such as gypsum board over foam insulation, because some foams can give off toxic or flammable gases when heated. Some foam products are designed and tested to lower that risk, and if you choose one, check with local authorities that it meets code. I'll go over the options with you.
Does an insulation contractor need a license in Minnesota?
Only if they work in more than one special skill area, since a contractor offering just one needs no state license. The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry puts insulation and vapor barriers in its interior finishing category, so a company that does only insulation may not hold a license. We're fully licensed and insured.
Can I get help paying for crawl space insulation in Duluth?
There are local options worth checking. A Home Energy Audit is free for Comfort Systems and Minnesota Power customers and gives you a report of recommended improvements, including insulation. A public program listing shows Comfort Systems loans for insulation and air sealing for Duluth residents once an audit finds the need, up to $30,000 for an owner-occupied house, so confirm the current terms with Comfort Systems.
Other work that pairs with a crawl space job
Book a look at your crawl space
Call (218) 206-2942 or send the form, since the walls-or-floor choice is easier once I've seen your crawl space, and thank you.