Do you insulate the attic hatch too?

Yes. It is a direct opening between the house and a space at outdoor temperature, and it is usually the first place we look when someone says a hallway or landing is cold.

Will you block my soffit vents?

No. Baffles hold the insulation back at the eaves so air can still move from the soffits to the ridge. A blocked attic gets damp no matter how much insulation is in it.

Should I block the vents to stop drafts?

No. The attic is meant to run close to outdoor temperature so the roof deck stays cold. Blocking soffit vents causes exactly the ice damming people add insulation to prevent.

I store things in my attic. Can I keep doing that?

Yes, but the plywood squashes the insulation beneath it to joist depth. Either the storage area gets raised on a platform above the finished depth, or it stays as a deliberately weaker zone kept small. We will not top up around it and pretend it is not there.

How much will this save me on heating?

We will not put a percentage on it. Too much depends on your air leakage, windows and furnace. We will tell you what depth you have now, what you would have after, and where the leaks are — those we can actually measure.

Can you just blow on top of what is already there?

Usually yes, if the existing insulation is dry, undisturbed and not contaminated. If it is wet or shows rodent activity it comes out first, because topping over that seals the problem in rather than fixing it.

Attic Insulation Riverdale Edmonton | Attic Top-Up

Attic insulation in Riverdale: air seal first, then blow

The most common mistake in an Riverdale attic is blowing insulation over an unsealed ceiling. Warm moist air keeps rising through pot lights, top plates and the hatch, and it carries moisture into cold insulation where it condenses. We air-seal the penetrations first, then insulate.

Attic hatch insulated and weatherstripped
Blown-in loose-fill to the depth your permit specifies
Air sealing at pot lights, top plates and the attic hatch
Baffles kept clear so the soffit vents still breathe
Existing insulation levelled before the top-up
Depth markers left in place so the result is verifiable

Bathroom and kitchen fans venting into the attic

Found more often than you would think

In older Riverdale homes a bathroom fan is frequently ducted into the attic space rather than through the roof or soffit. It dumps warm wet air straight into the coldest part of the house.

Why it matters before insulating

Burying that under fresh loose-fill hides a moisture source that will show up as frost and staining. If we find one we tell you, because it needs correcting first — insulation on top of it makes it harder to reach and harder to diagnose.

Riverdale drywall in context

About Riverdale

Just east of City Hall and bounded to the south and east by the river, this large flat area is an important part of Edmonton's history.

What we see in Riverdale

In Riverdale the drywall work is infill new-build settling beside original-stock plaster/popcorn work. We confirm what your home actually needs on site, in writing, before anything starts.

The attic hatch nobody insulates

A hole in the ceiling

An uninsulated, unsealed hatch is a direct opening between the heated house and a cold attic, and it is often the single worst detail in an otherwise good Riverdale ceiling.

Simple fix

An insulated cover with weatherstripping and a dam around the opening so blown insulation does not spill through when it is opened.

Storage in the attic and the insulation you lose

Boards over joists compress everything

Where a Riverdale homeowner has laid plywood across the joists for storage, the insulation beneath is squashed to joist depth. That strip performs at a fraction of the rest of the attic.

Options

Either the storage area is raised on a platform above the finished insulation depth, or it is accepted as a deliberately weaker zone kept as small as possible. What does not work is topping up around it and pretending the platform is not there.

Topping up against removing and replacing

Usually a top-up is fine

Old fibreglass in an Riverdale attic that is dry and undisturbed can be levelled and topped up. It still insulates, and removing it is a large cost for a small gain.

When it has to come out

Insulation that is wet, contaminated, or full of rodent activity gets removed rather than buried, because topping over it seals the problem in. We will tell you which of the two you have after looking, not before.

Depth is the whole number

What you are buying

Attic performance is almost entirely a function of settled depth and even coverage. Two attics with the same product can perform very differently.

How we handle it

Depth markers are set before blowing so the result is measurable rather than asserted, and the Riverdale attic is checked at the corners rather than only where the hatch is. An attic that is deep in the middle and thin at the perimeter is the usual finding.

Cellulose against fibreglass in an Riverdale attic

Two products, different behaviour

Blown cellulose is denser, settles into gaps well and resists air movement through it better. Blown fibreglass is lighter, does not settle as much over time and is less prone to holding moisture.

How we choose

Either performs when installed to the right depth with the ceiling sealed underneath. We pick based on what is already up there and how the attic is built, and we tell you which we would use and why rather than defaulting to whichever is on the truck.

How it works

Simple, clean, on schedule — Attic Insulation in Riverdale Edmonton

Free quote

We come out to your Riverdale Edmonton property, take a real look at the attic insulation, and hand you a fixed price on the spot — no guessing, no vague ballpark. Every attic insulation quote in Riverdale Edmonton starts with an honest, on-site assessment.

Book a day

We pick a day that works for your schedule and show up on time, ready to start the attic insulation in Riverdale Edmonton. No back-and-forth rescheduling — once it's booked, our team is there.

The work

We keep the dust under control and protect your Riverdale Edmonton home while we finish the attic insulation to a clean, paint-ready standard. Floors covered, doors sealed off, and the site left tidy at the end of every day.

Walk it with you

We don't pack up till you've walked the finished attic insulation with us and you're happy with the result in Riverdale Edmonton. If anything needs a second look, we handle it before we call the job done.

Reviews

Rated by Edmonton Homeowners

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Emplastrum Drywall is the attic insulation contractor Riverdale Edmonton trusts for repair, restoration and finishing — rated on Google by Edmonton homeowners.

Read the reviews, or leave your own after your attic insulation project in Riverdale Edmonton.

Read our reviews on Google

FAQ — Attic Insulation Riverdale Edmonton

Attic Insulation Riverdale Edmonton: your questions answered

Do you insulate the attic hatch too?: Yes. It is a direct opening between the house and a space at outdoor temperature, and it is usually the first place we look when someone says a hallway or landing is cold.
Will you block my soffit vents?: No. Baffles hold the insulation back at the eaves so air can still move from the soffits to the ridge. A blocked attic gets damp no matter how much insulation is in it.
Should I block the vents to stop drafts?: No. The attic is meant to run close to outdoor temperature so the roof deck stays cold. Blocking soffit vents causes exactly the ice damming people add insulation to prevent.
I store things in my attic. Can I keep doing that?: Yes, but the plywood squashes the insulation beneath it to joist depth. Either the storage area gets raised on a platform above the finished depth, or it stays as a deliberately weaker zone kept small. We will not top up around it and pretend it is not there.
How much will this save me on heating?: We will not put a percentage on it. Too much depends on your air leakage, windows and furnace. We will tell you what depth you have now, what you would have after, and where the leaks are — those we can actually measure.
Can you just blow on top of what is already there?: Usually yes, if the existing insulation is dry, undisturbed and not contaminated. If it is wet or shows rodent activity it comes out first, because topping over that seals the problem in rather than fixing it.

Get Your Free Drywall Quote

Tell us about your project — we’ll get right back to you, 7 days a week. Prefer to call? (403) 829-8702.

Full Name / Company

Phone Number

Email Address

Area

Service Needed

I agree to be contacted by Emplastrum Drywall about my project by phone, text, or email.

No obligation. We never share your information.

📐 Plan Your Project

Estimate Your Insulation

📐 Materials Calculator

How much do you need?

Enter your room size for a quick materials estimate.

Room length (ft)Room width (ft)Ceiling height (ft)Number of rooms Include ceilingSheet sizeCoats of paintCavity depthFraming spacingInsulation already there (in)Top up to (in)Stud spacingDoorsWindowsWaste allowance (%)

Estimate only — rounded up, based on standard coverage rates (drywall +10% waste; paint ~350 sq ft per gallon per coat; batt bundles by cavity depth, less a framing factor; studs at your chosen spacing plus waste). Product coverage varies by brand — confirm quantities before buying. Ask us about the right R-value for your project.

Rather we handle it? Get a free estimate →

Attic Insulation Riverdale Edmonton

Attic insulation in Riverdale: air seal first, then blow