Loose Fill Insulation Hairsine

Loose-fill insulation in Hairsine, measured rather than estimated

Blown-in material fills the awkward parts of an Hairsine 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.

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

Loose Fill Insulation Hairsine

Topping up what is already there

Hairsine drywall in context

Moisture is what ruins it

Blowing into a wall that is already closed

Working in a cathedral or a low attic

What it does for sound

Knob-and-tube and older wiring

Simple, clean, on schedule — Drywall in Edmonton

Loose Fill Insulation Hairsine: your questions answered

Does loose-fill settle?

Yes, which is why it is specified at a settled depth rather than how it looks on the day. A job blown to look right can measure short a year later. We work to the published settled figure and mark it before starting.

Cellulose or fibreglass?

Both work. Cellulose is denser, packs into odd shapes and resists air movement through it better; fibreglass is lighter, which matters on a ceiling of uncertain strength. Where there is existing material, matching it is usually simpler than layering the other over it.

Will it make the house quieter?

It noticeably reduces airborne noise from outside — traffic, aircraft, neighbours. It does very little for footsteps from a floor above, which travel through structure, and we would rather say which half it fixes.

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.

Can I still store things in the attic?

Only over a raised platform. Anything laid straight on the joists compresses the material and cuts a thin channel through the middle of the ceiling. Otherwise a fully insulated attic is not also a storage room.

What about my pot lights?

Older recessed fixtures are not all rated to be covered and loose-fill packs right against them. We check the rating, and where they are not rated they get a proper clearance detail that is also sealed, rather than being buried and hoped about.