Spray Foam Insulation in Ripon, WI

Spray foam insulation in Ripon mostly goes into older houses. David P. Mapes founded the city in 1849 and helped start Ripon College in 1851, and the population has held fairly steady since, from 5,619 in 1950 to 7,863 in 2020. Many homes near the college and downtown are well over a century old.

What older homes need

Empty or thin walls, attics with little insulation and rubble or block foundations are common. We seal and fill attics, foam rims and sills, and dense-pack walls after checking wiring.

Karst ground

Ripon's bedrock is mostly dolomite limestone, a karst setting. Karst can move water in unexpected ways, so we check basements for seepage before insulating below grade.

Rentals

Houses near the college often serve as rentals. Attic sealing and rim joist foam cut heating costs without disrupting tenants for long.

Costs

HomeGuide lists attic jobs at $1,000 to $2,700 and dense-pack walls at $1.60 to $4.20 per square foot. Written estimates after a visit.

Winter conditions

Ripon shares the long east-central Wisconsin winter, with weeks of below-freezing weather and snow on roofs for much of the season. In an older house with a leaky attic floor, that combination leads to ice dams along the eaves. Sealing the ceiling and bringing the attic toward R-49, the ceiling value in Wisconsin's Zone 6 code summary, keeps the roof deck cold and the snow where it belongs.

Planning work on an older house

In older Ripon homes, we work in a set order. First we seal the attic floor and the tops of any open wall cavities, then fill the attic. Next we foam the rim and sill in the basement, after checking for water. Walls come last, and only where wiring is safe. Each step is priced separately so you can spread the work over time if you prefer.