A Look At How Loose-Fill Insulation Is Installed In Your Attic

If your attic needs more insulation, consider having a loose-fill insulation installation. If you have fiberglass batt insulation now, loose-fill can be blown in on top of it as long as the old insulation is still in good shape. Here's a look at the process of having loose-fill insulation installed in your attic.

Prep Your Attic

It's a good idea to prep your attic first by sealing air leaks with spray foam or caulk. In addition, you or the contractor may need to install baffles around the soffit and rafter vents so they don't get clogged with the loose insulation. Your attic should also be dry and free of mold before you add the new insulation.

Set Up The Equipment

An insulation contractor installs loose insulation with a hose. The wide hose blows the insulation in the attic. An insulation machine is set up in your yard and a worker feeds insulation in the machine so the worker in your attic has a constant supply.

Loose-fill insulation is sold in bags or compressed blocks wrapped in plastic. The person filling the machine opens a block at a time, pulls the insulation apart so it fluffs back up, and then feeds it in a machine that blows the insulation through a wide hose. The hose is long enough to reach your attic.

Depending on how your attic is built, the worker can enter the attic and blow insulation in or open the ceiling or roof to blow in the insulation and patch them back up later. Both workers need to wear protective gear so they don't inhale the insulation fibers while working.

Spread The Insulation Around

The insulation contractor applies the insulation a little deeper than calculated because it will settle in time. The insulation comes out of the hose steadily, but it isn't blown out fast. The loose insulation comes out slow enough that it can be controlled.

The worker starts at the back of the attic and works toward the exit all the way around and applies a thick, even layer that fully covers the floor of the attic to cover any possible air leaks.

Seal The Attic Door

If your attic has a hatch or door, it needs to be insulated in a different way. It is left until last, and at the very least, the contractor seals it with weatherstripping. However, they may use foam board or fiberglass batt insulation on the back of the door for the most protection against drafts.

Loose-fill insulation installs fairly fast, so the contractor can probably finish the job in a day. Loose cellulose insulation is perfect for your attic, and you can also have it blown behind exterior walls through holes in the siding if your walls need extra insulation too.

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