Can I add over the old insulation?

Usually yes, if it is dry, even and uncontaminated. If it is wet, compacted, rodent-affected or hiding unsealed penetrations, removing it first is worth the cost, and we tell you which one we found.

Cellulose or fibreglass?

Both work when installed to depth with the ceiling sealed underneath. Cellulose is denser and resists air movement better; fibreglass is lighter and settles less. We pick based on what is already up there and tell you why.

Why is the area above my exterior walls always cold?

Geometry. The roof meets the wall at the lowest point in the attic, so there is least room exactly where it is needed most. Baffles hold insulation back from the soffit vents while letting depth carry over the wall plate.

Do you insulate over an addition or a vaulted ceiling?

Those need looking at specifically rather than quoting an average depth. Shallow attics, cathedral sections and knee walls are usually the coldest rooms in an Summerlea house and the parts a general top-up misses.

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.

How much insulation should my attic have?

It is settled depth and even coverage that decide performance, not the product name. We set depth markers before blowing so the result is measurable, and check the corners rather than just the area near the hatch.

Attic Insulation Summerlea Edmonton | Attic Top-Up

Blown-in attic insulation in Summerlea, sealed before it is filled

Attics in Summerlea lose depth over time — insulation settles, someone crawls through it for a wiring job, and the corners near the eaves are usually thin to begin with. A top-up is only worth doing if the baffles are clear and the ceiling below is sealed, so that is what we check before quoting.

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

Ice damming and what the attic has to do with it

A heat problem, not a gutter problem

Ice at the eaves on an Summerlea roof usually means heat is escaping into the attic, melting snow on the upper roof, and that meltwater refreezing over the cold overhang.

Where the fix actually is

More heat tape rarely solves it. Sealing the air leaks and getting even insulation coverage right out to the eaves is what lowers the deck temperature. That is why we look at the attic when someone calls about ice, not at the roofline.

Summerlea drywall in context

About Summerlea

Summerlea is the site of West Edmonton Mall, one of Edmonton's major attractions and a focus of shopping and entertainment activities.

What we see in Summerlea

In Summerlea the drywall work is popcorn and stipple ceiling removal, settling+truss-uplift cracks, nail pops, Poly-B repipe patching repipe patching. We confirm what your home actually needs on site, in writing, before anything starts.

Cellulose against fibreglass in an Summerlea 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.

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 Summerlea 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.

Why air sealing comes before insulation in Summerlea

Insulation does not stop air

Batt and loose-fill slow heat transfer; neither stops air movement. In an Summerlea attic warm moist household air rises through pot lights, top plates and the hatch, passes straight through the insulation and condenses when it hits the cold deck.

What that looks like later

Frost on the underside of the sheathing in February, then staining on the ceiling in spring. Sealing the penetrations first is the difference between insulation that works and insulation that becomes the problem.

Pot lights, and which ones can be covered

Not all fixtures are equal

Older recessed fixtures in Summerlea ceilings need clearance and cannot be buried. Newer IC-rated fixtures are built to be in contact with insulation.

What we check

We identify what is installed before blowing. Where fixtures cannot be covered, they need boxing or replacing — and each one is also a significant air leak, so they are usually the first thing sealed regardless of type.

What we can and cannot tell you about savings

Honest about the number

We will not quote you a percentage off your heating bill. It depends on your current depth, your air leakage, your windows, your furnace and how you heat the house.

What we will say

What the attic has now, what it would have after, and where the leaks are. Those are things we can measure and show you. A savings figure from a contractor who has not seen your utility bills is a sales number, not an estimate.

How it works

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

Free quote

We come out to your Summerlea 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 Summerlea 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 Summerlea 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 Summerlea 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 Summerlea 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 Summerlea 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 Summerlea Edmonton.

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FAQ — Attic Insulation Summerlea Edmonton

Attic Insulation Summerlea Edmonton: your questions answered

Can I add over the old insulation?: Usually yes, if it is dry, even and uncontaminated. If it is wet, compacted, rodent-affected or hiding unsealed penetrations, removing it first is worth the cost, and we tell you which one we found.
Cellulose or fibreglass?: Both work when installed to depth with the ceiling sealed underneath. Cellulose is denser and resists air movement better; fibreglass is lighter and settles less. We pick based on what is already up there and tell you why.
Why is the area above my exterior walls always cold?: Geometry. The roof meets the wall at the lowest point in the attic, so there is least room exactly where it is needed most. Baffles hold insulation back from the soffit vents while letting depth carry over the wall plate.
Do you insulate over an addition or a vaulted ceiling?: Those need looking at specifically rather than quoting an average depth. Shallow attics, cathedral sections and knee walls are usually the coldest rooms in an Summerlea house and the parts a general top-up misses.
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.
How much insulation should my attic have?: It is settled depth and even coverage that decide performance, not the product name. We set depth markers before blowing so the result is measurable, and check the corners rather than just the area near the hatch.

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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.

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Attic Insulation Summerlea Edmonton

Blown-in attic insulation in Summerlea, sealed before it is filled