Insulation Contractor in Altoona, IA, Old Houses and New
About 3 in 10 Altoona homes predate 1980, and about 3 in 10 were built since 2010. Abraham works on both, from dense-packed walls to rooms over garages.
- About 3 in 10 homes built before 1980
- Named for the high point on the Des Moines Valley Railroad
- About 21 minutes from Des Moines
Free estimate in Altoona
- About a 10 to 15 minute visit
- Your bid, usually within 24 hours
- Abraham calls or texts back within one business day.
Estimates are free within a half-hour drive of Des Moines.
- Owner on site for every job
- Same crew for 16 years, no subcontractors
- Over 2,000 homes since 2008
- Insured up to $2 million
Altoona services, and which houses they fit
| Job | Fits Altoona houses built | Typical time |
|---|---|---|
| Dense-packed exterior walls | Before 1980, about 3 in 10 homes | One to three days |
| Attic sealing and cellulose to R-49 | Any year | Usually half a day to a day |
| Room over the garage | Newer homes, including the 3 in 10 built since 2010 | Depends on the room |
| Cold bathroom floor | Any year | Depends on where the bathroom sits |
Free estimate in Altoona
- About a 10 to 15 minute visit
- Your bid, usually within 24 hours
- Abraham calls or texts back within one business day.
Estimates are free within a half-hour drive of Des Moines.
Free estimates in Altoona, 21 minutes from Des Moines
Altoona is about 12 road miles from Des Moines. Text (515) 868-5400 with a line about the problem, or fill out the form below.
Named for the high point on the Des Moines Valley Railroad
Altoona incorporated on March 11, 1876. The name comes from the Latin altus, because the town sat at the highest point on the Des Moines Valley Railroad between Des Moines and Keokuk. Today it's home to Adventureland and Prairie Meadows, and it's entirely in Polk County.
Its housing has two ends: about 3 in 10 homes were built before 1980 and about 3 in 10 since 2010, with a median year of 1998. The older end is where walls and attic-floor leaks need a look. The newer end is where to check the room over the garage and whether the attic has settled below R-49. For the roughly 4 in 10 houses built in between, from 1980 to 2009, start with attic depth and the soffit vents.
A room over an Altoona garage is its own small project
A bedroom over the garage has unheated space underneath it, and it can run warmer than the rest of the house in July and colder in January. Abraham does these rooms and garage ceilings with air sealing plus insulation. In a newer Altoona house, it's one of the first rooms worth checking, along with any bathroom floor that stays cold.
Altoona insulation questions
What's the difference between air sealing and insulation?
Insulation slows heat moving through it. Air sealing stops air from moving at all, through the gaps around pipes, flues and wall tops. Abraham seals first because air flowing through insulation cuts into what it can do, and that's also why he prefers cellulose: fiberglass is porous enough for air to work its way through.
What happens to the holes after the walls are filled?
Abraham patches them with a filler that won't shrink or crack. That's true whether the walls were filled from outside or, when the outside won't work, from inside.
How long is the warranty on the insulation?
The material carries a 20-year warranty from Insulate Iowa, written on every invoice, and Abraham accounts for settling in the depth he puts in.
Get a free estimate in Altoona
Tell us about the house and what's bothering you. Abraham calls or texts back within one business day.
Estimates are free within a half-hour drive of Des Moines.
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