Apex State College Spray Foam InsulationApex State College Spray Foam Insulation

Insulation Contractor in Lewistown, PA - Warmer Older Homes by the Juniata

Apex State College Spray Foam Insulation is an insulation contractor working in Lewistown, PA, where we air seal and insulate drafty attics, walls, basements and crawl spaces in the older houses near the Juniata River.

Request a quote(814) 996-0002
Crawl space with white vapor barrier covering the floor and walls beneath exposed joists and black plumbing pipes.
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About Lewistown, PA

Lewistown sits along the Juniata River, and most of the houses we're called to are older homes set close together on narrow lots, many of them built long before anyone gave insulation much thought. Around downtown you'll see storefronts with apartments above them, and the newer houses tend to sit farther out from the river.

As in Bellefonte and Tyrone, older framing here lets air run between the basement, the walls and the attic, so most jobs start with finding where it gets in before we decide what insulation to add.

Services in Lewistown, PA

  • Attic air sealing

    Older houses here leak heat into the attic around chimneys, pipes and the hatch. We close those gaps first, so the insulation on top isn't fighting a draft.

  • Blown-in insulation

    Many attics here have only a few inches of insulation left, packed down over the years. We top it up with blown-in fill, loose material blown through a hose.

  • Wall insulation

    Plenty of older homes here have nothing in the walls, so rooms feel chilly even with the heat up. We fill those empty cavities through small holes and close them up afterward.

  • Insulation removal

    After high water or a mouse problem, old insulation holds onto the damage. Our insulation removal clears it out, so new material goes onto clean, dry framing.

  • Crawl space vapor barrier

    Crawl spaces on low ground near the river tend to stay damp under cold floors. We lay a vapor barrier over the dirt and seal its seams to hold that moisture down.

  • Closed-cell foam insulation

    Stone and block basements here leak cold air at the rim joist, where the house framing meets the foundation. We seal it with closed-cell foam, a dense foam that also blocks moisture.

Working in Lewistown: permits, paperwork and what sets the price

Building permit applications in Lewistown go to the Borough of Lewistown's Codes Office, and the state's construction code calls for a permit before work starts, though it has exemptions, so I check with that office about your address before we set a start date. Where a permit applies, we prepare the paperwork, walk you through it and keep you posted on where it stands, and the work waits until that's settled. When you're comparing contractors, please check that each one is registered with the state Attorney General's office for home improvement work, and ask them about the Transient Business License form the Codes Office lists on its permits page.

We're an insulation contractor based in State College, and Lewistown is a regular drive for our crew. The price on a house here moves with what's already in it: how many inches of old insulation you have, whether any of it is soaked or full of droppings and has to come out first, how many gaps need sealing and how easy the attic or crawl space is to get into. Spray foam costs more because it seals and insulates in one go, so for most attics I'd rather seal the gaps and top up with loose fill, unless your ductwork runs through the attic, where foam usually pays its way. The schedule turns mostly on whether old material has to come out before anything new goes in, and your written estimate puts your own figures down once I've seen the house.

Lewistown, PA properties and local conditions

The river gauge at Lewistown has a long flood record, with the last listed flood in September 2018, and houses on lower ground near the Juniata often show it in the basement or crawl space. Insulation that's been wet sags, holds dampness against the wood and can start to smell, so we pull it out and let things dry before anything new goes in, and near the foundation I lean toward materials that stand up to moisture.

Upstairs, the older houses here tend to run hot in summer and cold in winter, especially the room over the porch or garage. We build the attic insulation up evenly all the way to the eaves, where it's usually thinnest, and keep the eave vents open so the attic can still breathe.

Get a free on-site insulation estimate for your Lewistown home

Send the form or call, and we'll reply within one business day to set up a time to come out to your house in Lewistown. I do the estimate myself, on site and free, and you get it in writing with no pressure and no obligation.

How it works when you call us about a Lewistown house

  1. Call us or send the form

    Call (814) 996-0002 or fill in the form, and we'll get back to you to find a time that suits you. Please mention what you're noticing, such as a cold room, a damp basement or a high power bill, so I know where to start looking.

  2. I come out and look around

    I look over the attic, walls, basement or crawl space, check how many inches are already up there and see whether any of it is wet or dirty. I go over what I find with you before anything is written up, so it helps if you can be home.

  3. You get a written estimate

    The estimate lists each part of the work, so you can see what you're paying for and why. Where a permit applies, we take care of that side before we start.

  4. We do the work, I check

    Our installers clear out, seal and then insulate, in that order, so nothing gets covered before it's ready. I check the finished work with you before we call it done, and every job is backed by our satisfaction guarantee.

Frequently asked questions

How do I apply for a building permit in Lewistown, PA?

You apply through the Codes Office in the Municipal Building on East Third Street, which you can reach at (717) 242-1145. The residential building permit application and fee schedule are on Lewistown's permits page, along with the commercial versions. If we're doing your insulation, I'll make that call about your address for you.

Can emergency repair work start before a permit in Lewistown?

Yes, the state allows emergency repairs or equipment replacements to go ahead without a permit, as long as an application reaches the building code official within three business days. If a leak or high water has soaked your insulation and it needs to come out quickly, call us and I'll talk it through with you, and a quick call to the Codes Office will tell you where your job stands.

Does an insulation contractor need to be registered in Pennsylvania?

Yes, anyone who offers or does home improvement work in Pennsylvania has to register with the Office of Attorney General unless the law specifically exempts them, and the registration number has to appear on their ads, contracts and estimates. Someone doing less than $5,000 of home improvement work in a year doesn't have to register, and the law sets minimum insurance of $50,000 for injuries and $50,000 for property damage. We're licensed and insured, so please ask me about any of it at the estimate.

How much does it cost to insulate an older house in Lewistown?

I'd want to see the house before giving you a number, because on older Lewistown homes the price turns on how much has to be removed and sealed before any new insulation goes in. A sound attic that only needs a top-up costs well less than one where soaked or dirty material comes out first and every gap gets sealed. Your written estimate breaks out each part, so you can see what's driving the total and decide what to do first.

How long does insulation work take, and do we have to leave the house?

With loose fill blown into the attic, most families can usually stay home while we work, but with spray foam you'll need to be out of the house for a while, and the foam maker's instructions set the re-entry time, the point when you, the kids and the pets can come back in. How long our crew is in your attic depends on how much has to come out and be sealed first, so I'll go over the timing, fresh air and any gas or oil appliances for your house before we begin.

What causes cold floors and drafts in older Lewistown houses?

Most of the time it's air moving rather than missing insulation, with cold air pulled in low through the basement or crawl space and warm air slipping out the top through the attic. Sealing the rim joist and crawl space down low and the attic gaps up top usually does more for cold floors than adding insulation alone, which is why I look at the whole house before I suggest anything.

Service areas

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State College, PA

Book your Lewistown insulation estimate today

When it's cold out, drafts are easy to feel, so a walk-through then shows plainly where your heat is going.

Request a quote(814) 996-0002
(814) 996-0002Request a quote