A college town on a ridge
Spray Foam Insulation in Mount Vernon, IA
Bringing pre-war houses up to modern comfort without tearing them apart.
- Free on-site estimates
- Written quotes that list R-value and depth for each area
- Air leaks sealed before new insulation covers them
Lots of Old Houses on an Old Ridge
Spray foam insulation in Mount Vernon usually means working on older homes. About 39.6% of Mount Vernon houses were built in 1939 or earlier, and the median year built is 1972. That is one of the oldest housing stocks in the Corridor.
What pre-war houses need
Old houses here commonly have balloon-framed walls open from the basement to the attic, plaster walls with little or no insulation, and attic floors full of gaps. Air rushes up those wall cavities and out the attic. Sealing the tops and bottoms of those cavities with foam, blowing dense-pack cellulose into the walls, and topping up the attic is the usual plan.
Foundations
Older stone and block foundations can be damp. We check them before we put any foam on the walls or the rim joist. If water is getting in, that comes first.
A town on a paha
Mount Vernon sits on a ridge of sand and loess about a mile long and a quarter mile wide, rising up to 100 feet above the land around it. The area was known as Pinhook, a rest stop on the Military Road between Dubuque and Iowa City, before it was laid out and renamed in 1847. It is home to Cornell College.
Owners who stay
86.3% of occupied homes are owner-occupied, so most of our Mount Vernon work is for people improving homes they plan to live in for a long time. Get a free estimate
Mount Vernon Facts
- Heavy pre-war housing. 39.6% of Mount Vernon homes were built in 1939 or earlier, and the median year built is 1972 (2019 to 2023 ACS).
- A town on a paha. Mount Vernon sits on a ridge of sand and loess about 1 mile long and a quarter mile wide, rising up to 100 feet above the surrounding land.
- Laid out in 1847. Known as Pinhook, a stop on the Military Road between Dubuque and Iowa City, it was laid out and renamed Mount Vernon in 1847.
- Mostly owner-occupied. 86.3% of occupied housing units in Mount Vernon are owner-occupied, according to the same ACS estimates.
Mount Vernon Questions
What is balloon framing and why does it matter?
In balloon framing, wall studs run from the foundation to the roof with no break at each floor. Air moves up those open cavities like a chimney. Sealing the tops and bottoms is one of the best things you can do for an old house.
Will insulating my old walls cause moisture problems?
It can if the house has leaks or no way to dry. We check the siding, roof and gutters first and use dense-pack cellulose, which handles moisture in old walls better than many alternatives.
Do you work on historic houses?
Yes. Most of the work is done from inside or from the attic and basement, so the outside does not change.
Free Estimates in Mount Vernon, IA
Mount Vernon homeowners: get a free written estimate.
Spray Foam Insulation Near Mount Vernon
- Spray Foam Insulation in Iowa City, IA
- Spray Foam Insulation in Coralville, IA
- Spray Foam Insulation in North Liberty, IA
- Spray Foam Insulation in Tiffin, IA
- Spray Foam Insulation in Solon, IA
- Spray Foam Insulation in West Branch, IA
- Spray Foam Insulation in Kalona, IA
- Spray Foam Insulation in West Liberty, IA
- Spray Foam Insulation in Cedar Rapids, IA
- Spray Foam Insulation in Marion, IA
- Spray Foam Insulation in Hiawatha, IA
- Spray Foam Insulation in Ely, IA
- Spray Foam Insulation in Fairfax, IA
- Spray Foam Insulation in Lisbon, IA