Loose Fill Insulation Hillview

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

Blown-in material fills the awkward parts of an Hillview 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
• Even coverage carried right out over the top plates
• Depth read back at the corners, not just where the hatch is
• Baffles at the eaves so soffit venting stays clear
• Ceiling penetrations air-sealed first, not buried
• Settled depth specified and marked before the hose starts

Loose Fill Insulation Hillview

Filling around bracing and trusses

Hillview drywall in context

Knob-and-tube and older wiring

Removing old loose-fill

Bath fans and the ducts above the ceiling

Pot lights buried in loose material

What we hand over at the end

Simple, clean, on schedule — Drywall in Edmonton

Loose Fill Insulation Hillview: your questions answered

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 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.

How messy is it?

Dusty — the machine sits outside and a hose runs through the house to the hatch. We protect the route, seal around the hatch and vacuum afterwards. What the house looks like at the end is most of the difference between crews.

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.

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.

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.