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Loose fill, measured to depth
Blown In Insulation in Ottawa
Blown-in loose fill is still the most economical way to bring an attic floor back to a real rated depth, and it flows around framing that batts have to be cut around.
Depth Is the Whole Specification
Loose fill only delivers its rated R-value at its rated installed depth, and depth is exactly what people most often do not get. Material settles. Material gets pushed aside by anyone who has been up there running a cable. A bag count is not a depth, and a quote expressed in bags tells you nothing about what you will end up with.
So we install to a stated depth, leave depth markers in the attic so the figure stays checkable after we go, and check coverage across the whole attic rather than at the hatch where it is easy to look good and easy to be thin.
Cellulose or Fiberglass
Cellulose is recycled paper fibre treated for fire and pest resistance. It is denser, packs tightly around obstructions, and generally resists air movement through it better. Loose-fill fiberglass is lighter, adds less load to a ceiling, and will not absorb water if the roof ever leaks.
In Ottawa the decision usually turns on ceiling load and whether there is any history of water in the attic. We name which one is in the quote and why we chose it for your house.
Why an Ottawa Attic Needs the Depth
A long, genuinely cold heating season is the design condition here, not an average. That is what makes a shallow attic expensive rather than merely imperfect, and it is why we measure what is up there before quoting anything.
It is also where ice damming begins. Warm air escaping into a cold attic melts snow on the roof, which refreezes at the cold eave. That is an air-leakage problem presenting as ice, which is why the sealing underneath matters as much as the material on top.
Find out what depth your attic is actually at: call (613) 777-0096 or request a free estimate.
Topping Up Versus Starting Over
Not every shallow attic needs stripping out. Where the existing loose fill is dry, uncontaminated and simply short of depth, blowing over the top of it is the sensible, economical answer and we will recommend exactly that.
It comes out when it is wet, when there is rodent contamination, when there is evidence of a past roof leak, or when the air sealing underneath has never been done — because burying an unsealed attic floor hides the leakage instead of fixing it, and you pay for insulation that underperforms from day one. Where removal is needed, that is its own job: see attic insulation removal.
Blown in questions
Common questions about loose fill
Is blown in cheaper than spray foam?
Per square foot of attic floor, considerably, which is why it remains the right answer for a straightforward top-up. It does a different job though: it insulates but does not air seal, so any sealing work is a separate, visible line on the estimate.
Does blown in insulation settle?
Loose fill settles somewhat over its life and the rated depth accounts for that. What we will not do is quote a bag count and call it a depth.
Is cellulose a fire risk?
Cellulose used as building insulation is treated with fire retardants and tested to the relevant standards; it is not untreated paper. We keep it clear of heat sources, flues and any fitting that requires a clearance, regardless of material.
How do I know I got the depth I paid for?
Depth markers left in the attic, plus photographs. The installed depth is written on the estimate, so it is a number you can verify yourself after we leave.
Should the air sealing be done first?
Yes, wherever the attic floor has never been sealed. Adding depth over an unsealed floor buries the leakage rather than fixing it, and in this climate that leakage is also what drives ice damming.
Find out what depth your attic is actually at
We will measure what is in place and quote the material, the depth and any sealing work as separate lines.
Free written estimates • Installed depth stated • Depth markers left behind
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