Loose Fill Insulation Tamarack

Loose-fill insulation in Tamarack, 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 Tamarack 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.

• 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
• 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

Loose Fill Insulation Tamarack

What we hand over at the end

Tamarack drywall in context

Pot lights buried in loose material

Bath fans and the ducts above the ceiling

What it does for sound

Storage areas and the platform question

Settled depth versus installed depth

Simple, clean, on schedule — Drywall in Edmonton

Loose Fill Insulation Tamarack: 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.