Air sealing services in Bakersfield CA - a tighter house with safe venting
Drafty rooms, a hot upstairs and a power bill that keeps climbing? We find the hidden leaks and seal them in the right order.
What does air sealing fix in a Bakersfield house?
Air sealing services in Bakersfield close the gaps that let summer heat into your house and your cooled air out, mostly around pipes, wires, light fixtures and the attic hatch. Fewer leaks mean fewer drafts, less strain on the AC and furnace, a lower power bill and less moisture getting into wood, where it can warp or lead to mold.
Most calls we get start with a room over the garage that won't cool down, an upstairs that's hot by afternoon or a power bill that keeps climbing. Shelter Bakersfield Insulation Company is based in Bakersfield and works across the city and the cities around it in Kern County, and in a lot of these houses the attic insulation is fine but losing to air that moves straight past it. The price turns mostly on how many leaks we find, how hard they are to reach and what has to be fixed before we seal, and the schedule turns on that same prep plus the permit question. At the estimate I'll show you what I found and what I'd do about it.
What happens after you call us about air sealing?
Call or send a request
Call (661) 377-0037 or use the form, and tell us what's bothering you, whether it's a hot room, drafts or the bill. We answer the phone 8 AM to 9 PM, seven days a week, and set a time for me to come out.
I check the attic myself
I do every estimate myself, up in the attic and under the house with a flashlight, and I note everything in the house that burns gas. Then I show you the gaps I found, what I'd seal and anything that needs fixing first, so you know where your money goes before you decide.
Permits, prep and repairs
If you go ahead, we check whether your address falls under the city or the county, and if the job needs a permit, we handle the paperwork and the inspection. Prep and repairs come first, because sealing over a problem only hides it.
Sealing and final check
Our installers do the sealing. I look the work over before we call it done.
How our crew does air sealing
Before we seal anything, we find out what burns gas in the house, the furnace, the water heater, the dryer and any fireplace, because a tighter house is great until the water heater can't breathe. I spent years on heating and cooling calls before I started this business in 2020, so I know what a struggling vent looks like. Next we look for anything sealing would cover up, like a roof leak, a bath fan blowing into the attic instead of outside, old knob and tube wiring or vermiculite, and get it handled. Then our installers close the gaps around can lights, pipes, wires and the hatch, and keep the eave vents, the openings along the edge of the roof, clear so the attic still breathes.
Sealing often goes with other work. If your ductwork runs through the attic, closed-cell foam insulation, a dense foam that blocks air and moisture as it insulates, can be worth what it costs, and otherwise sealing the gaps and topping up loose fill usually wins. If your house has a basement, we can seal the leaks down there in the same visit as basement insulation.
Get an on-site air sealing estimate for your house
We reply within one business day to set a time, then I come out myself, go up in the attic and show you what I found. The estimate is free, done at your home, and there's no obligation to go ahead.
Air sealing questions from Bakersfield homeowners
How much do air sealing services cost in Bakersfield?
The cost depends on how many leaks your house has, how hard they are to reach and what has to be fixed before we seal, so I price it after I've been in your attic. A clear attic with a handful of gaps costs less than one where wet or dirty insulation has to come out first or a bath fan needs venting outside. Adding insulation after the sealing raises the total, and I'll show you both options side by side.
What causes most of the air leaks in a house?
In most homes the biggest leaks hide in the attic and the basement, not around the windows people usually blame. Air slips through the holes cut for wires, pipes, light fixtures and the hatch, so a sealing plan that reaches the attic goes after the leaks that matter most.
Is it safe to air seal a house with gas appliances?
Yes, when the venting is checked first, because a tighter house gives carbon monoxide more chance to build up if a gas furnace, water heater or dryer isn't venting properly. It also matters how much fresh air the house needs, both for healthy air inside and so stoves, ovens, furnaces and fireplaces can vent the way they should. If a vent looks off, have a heating and cooling technician check those appliances before we tighten anything up.
What is the best way to seal and insulate an attic?
Seal first and insulate second, because new insulation laid over open gaps just fights a draft and you get the most energy savings by finishing the sealing first. The usual order is venting and fresh air, then anything that could rot the wood or block attic airflow, then sealing, then insulation.
Will my air sealing job need HERS testing in California?
It might, because in California properly permitted work triggers any HERS testing the job needs, a check of the finished work, and the state Energy Commission says that testing can be mandatory depending on what's being done. The state's Energy Code sets energy and indoor air rules for alterations to existing homes as well as new ones. A tester may need to go on the roof, into the attic or into the crawl space, and may ask you to close windows and doors and turn off the dryer or bath fan. We're licensed and fully insured, and I'll explain the permit and testing side for your job at the estimate.
Is there help in Kern County for sealing drafty doors and windows?
Yes, CAPK's weatherization work for Kern County residents can include weatherstripping, caulking around doors and windows, door shoes and thresholds, which seal the bottom of the door, plus carbon monoxide detectors and gas appliance safety checks. Its team installs these based on a home assessment and only where it finds them feasible, so CAPK's weatherization program is the place to check what it covers.
Work that often goes with air sealing
Basement insulation
Cold floors upstairs can trace back to bare basement walls, and insulating them pairs well with sealing the leaks below the house.
Closed-cell foam insulation
A good fit when your ducts sit in the attic heat and you want the seal and the insulation in the same layer.
Get your attic leaks checked and sealed
Call (661) 377-0037 or use the form with a list of your gas appliances and any attic worries handy, so I can look at the right things on the first trip up.