Loose Fill Insulation Rio Terrace

Loose-fill insulation in Rio Terrace, measured rather than estimated

Loose-fill insulation is blown in rather than cut and fitted, which makes it the right answer wherever a batt cannot go: over an irregular Rio Terrace attic floor, around trusses and bracing, and into wall cavities that are already closed. What you are paying for is settled depth spread evenly, and that is a thing which can be measured. Depth markers go in before the hose starts, and we read them at the corners rather than in the middle where it is always deepest.

• Settled depth specified and marked before the hose starts
• 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
• Baffles at the eaves so soffit venting stays clear
• Ceiling penetrations air-sealed first, not buried
• Even coverage carried right out over the top plates

Loose Fill Insulation Rio Terrace

Pot lights buried in loose material

Rio Terrace drywall in context

Bag count is the honest check

The hatch, again, because it undoes the rest

What it does for sound

The material must not block the eaves

Storage areas and the platform question

Simple, clean, on schedule — Drywall in Edmonton

Loose Fill Insulation Rio Terrace: your questions answered

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.

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.

How do I know I got what I paid for?

Bag count. Every bag states the area it covers at a given depth, so bags used divided by area is exactly what went in. We keep them, mark the target settled depth, and read the depth back at the corners rather than the middle.

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.

Is it too heavy for my ceiling?

Rarely, but worth thinking about on an older lath ceiling or a long unsupported span. Where the ceiling is old or already sagging we would rather use the lighter material at a sensible depth, and sometimes recommend fixing the ceiling first.

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.