Loose Fill Insulation Downtown

Loose-fill insulation in Downtown — settled depth is what you are buying

Blown-in material fills the awkward parts of an Downtown building that batts leave gapped — around cross-bracing, over the top plates of interior walls, into the shallow triangle at the eaves. It settles over time, which is why it is specified at a settled depth rather than the depth it looks on the day. Air sealing comes first, because loose material laid over an open ceiling penetration hides the leak instead of stopping it.

• Depth read back at the corners, not just where the hatch is
• Settled depth specified and marked before the hose starts
• Even coverage carried right out over the top plates
• Ceiling penetrations air-sealed first, not buried
• Baffles at the eaves so soffit venting stays clear
• Existing material assessed — topped up, or removed if it is wet or contaminated

Loose Fill Insulation Downtown

Knob-and-tube and older wiring

Downtown drywall in context

Working in a cathedral or a low attic

Access, hoses and how much of the house we cross

Topping up what is already there

Cellulose or fibreglass, and when it matters

Filling around bracing and trusses

Simple, clean, on schedule — Drywall in Edmonton

Loose Fill Insulation Downtown: your questions answered

My bathroom fan vents into the attic. Does that matter?

A great deal — it is the fastest way to soak an attic from inside. We look for it while the space is open and flag it before covering anything rather than blowing over the top of it.

Does the attic hatch need doing too?

Yes, or it undoes a good part of the rest. It needs an insulated weatherstripped cover and a dam around the opening tall enough to hold the new depth back from spilling through every time it is opened.

Will it block my soffit vents?

Not if baffles go in first. Loose material can also be pushed around by wind at the eaves, so the baffles both hold it clear of the vents and stop the edge being scoured thin — which is exactly where the house loses heat.

Can you just add over what is already up there?

Usually, and it is the best value if the existing material is dry, even and uncontaminated. If it is damp, matted, rodent-affected or hiding unsealed penetrations, adding over it buries the problem — we tell you which one we found.

How is old insulation removed?

With a vacuum and hose into sealed bags, not shovels, because disturbing decades of settled material raises a lot of dust. It also gives a clean deck to air-seal and a look at the structure before it is covered again.

What do I get when the job is done?

The bag count, the target settled depth, and photographs of the finished space including the corners and the eaves — so you can confirm years later what was actually installed instead of probing a hole and guessing.