Basement insulation
Add insulation to your basement walls and slab edge at the same time the air sealing crew is already in the space.
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Serving South Pasadena, CA and surrounding areas. (626) 517-0046
Gaps and cracks in older South Pasadena homes let heat in, conditioned air out, and wildfire smoke inside. We find and seal every one - with before-and-after testing to prove the improvement.
Air sealing services in South Pasadena find and close every gap, crack, and opening where outside air enters your home or conditioned air escapes. Work focuses on the attic, crawl spaces, and penetrations around outlets, pipes, and light fixtures - most jobs on a single-family home are completed in one day with no need to vacate.
South Pasadena's Craftsman bungalows and Spanish Colonial Revival homes were built long before modern energy codes existed. These homes typically leak conditioned air through original wood framing, plaster walls, and gaps around every pipe and wire that was added over the decades. The result is a home that never quite feels right - rooms that are too hot or too cold, energy bills that do not match your home's size, and during fire season, smoke that finds its way inside even with everything closed.
Air sealing works best when paired with attic air sealing, which addresses the single largest source of air leakage in most older South Pasadena homes - the unsealed gaps at the attic floor where heat from your living space escapes straight up in winter and attic heat pours down in summer.
If one room is always too hot in summer or too cold in winter - no matter how long the HVAC runs - outside air is almost certainly getting in nearby. In older South Pasadena homes, this is especially common in rooms at the ends of the house or directly below the attic, where leakage tends to be worst.
Hold your hand near an electrical outlet or light switch on an exterior wall. If you feel a slight breeze or temperature difference, that is air entering from outside. This is one of the easiest signs to spot in South Pasadena's pre-war housing stock, where walls were built without the air barriers used in modern construction.
If your home fills with a smoky smell or visible haze during nearby wildfire events - even with windows and doors closed - your home has significant air leakage. The San Gabriel Valley experiences smoke events most years, and a home that cannot keep smoke out is also pulling in dust and pollen year-round.
If you open your attic hatch in summer and feel a blast of extreme heat, that heat is finding its way into your living spaces through gaps in the attic floor. Sealing the attic floor is one of the highest-impact improvements you can make in a South Pasadena home of any age.
We start every job with a blower door test - a diagnostic measurement that shows exactly how much air your home is losing before any work begins. This is the step that separates thorough air sealing from guesswork. Once we know where the leaks are, we seal them using materials matched to each location: spray foam around plumbing and wiring penetrations, caulk for cracks and gaps, and weatherstripping around doors, attic hatches, and access panels. Most of the work happens in the attic and crawl spaces, out of sight and out of your daily routine. We also address attic air sealing at the ceiling plane - sealing the tops of interior walls, around recessed lights, and along any plumbing or electrical chases - which is where most leakage originates in older South Pasadena homes.
After sealing is complete, we run the blower door test again and give you the before-and-after numbers in writing. You will have documentation that proves the improvement - which you will need for utility rebate applications. Many homeowners combine air sealing with basement insulation or attic insulation in the same visit, since the crews are already in the same spaces.
Pre- and post-job diagnostic measurement that quantifies air leakage and proves the improvement.
Seals gaps at the top-plates, around recessed lights, and along plumbing and electrical chases - the biggest source of leakage in most older homes.
Closes the gap between the foundation and framing where outside air enters along the entire perimeter of the home.
Addresses outlets, switches, baseboards, and pipe penetrations on exterior walls throughout the living space.
South Pasadena's older Craftsman and Spanish Colonial homes are the right candidates for air sealing. Built before modern energy codes, they have gaps around every pipe, wire, and framing member that have never been addressed. Summer temperatures in the San Gabriel Valley regularly climb into the 90s, and homes that have never been sealed are fighting that heat with every HVAC cycle. Homeowners in Alhambra and San Gabriel with similar pre-war housing stock face the same leakage patterns and benefit from the same approach.
Beyond energy savings, South Pasadena homeowners have a specific reason to air seal that homeowners in other regions do not: wildfire smoke. The San Gabriel Valley experiences smoke events most years, and a properly sealed home provides real protection during those periods - reducing smoke infiltration even when the outdoor air quality is at its worst. California's air quality authority publishes ongoing guidance at the California Air Resources Board. And for homeowners who want to verify contractor credentials before hiring, the Building Performance Institute certifies contractors specifically in whole-home energy performance, including blower door testing.
We ask a few basic questions about your home's age, what comfort problems you are noticing, and whether any energy work has been done before. This helps us understand what we are walking into before the assessment visit. Expect a reply within one business day.
The contractor walks through your home and runs a blower door test - a large fan temporarily mounted in your front door that measures exactly how much air your home is losing. This gives you a baseline number and tells us precisely where the leaks are. No guessing.
You receive a written estimate that outlines where leaks were found, what materials will be used, and the total cost. A good estimate will name the specific areas being addressed - not just a single lump-sum number. This is also the time to ask about rebates from Southern California Edison or SoCalGas, since some require pre-approval before work starts.
The crew seals the attic, crawl spaces, and living areas in sequence. Once complete, we run the blower door test again and give you the before-and-after numbers in writing. You receive documentation of the improvement - which you will need for utility rebate applications.
Free estimate. Before-and-after blower door test. No obligation. Most jobs done in one day.
(626) 517-0046We measure air leakage before work begins and again after it is done, then give you both numbers in writing. This is the only way to know the job was actually done well - not just that holes were filled. You will have documentation that proves the improvement.
Craftsman bungalows and Spanish Colonial Revival homes have specific leakage patterns that differ from newer construction. We know where to look in homes of this era - around original plumbing, at top-plates, and along the rim joist - and how to seal without damaging historic materials.
South Pasadena homeowners face smoke events most years. A well-sealed home reduces smoke infiltration in a way that closed windows alone cannot. We seal with this outcome in mind - not just energy savings - because for many families in this area, clean indoor air during fire season matters as much as the monthly utility bill.
SoCalGas and Southern California Edison rebates for air sealing often require specific before-and-after documentation. We provide that documentation automatically as part of every job. You do not have to track down paperwork after the fact or explain what was done to a rebate processor.
Air sealing is one of the few home improvements that comes with measurable before-and-after proof. Every job we complete includes that proof, along with the documentation you need to claim any rebates you qualify for.
Add insulation to your basement walls and slab edge at the same time the air sealing crew is already in the space.
Learn MoreTarget the single biggest source of leakage in most South Pasadena homes - the unsealed attic floor above your living space.
Learn MoreBeat the next heat wave - most jobs are completed in one full day with no need to leave your home.