Attic Insulation near you

Warm, moist air escaping from the house into the attic causes much of the frost, mould and ice dam trouble, and insulation alone won't stop it, because loose fill and batts slow heat but let air pass through. That is why Natural Resources Canada's retrofit guide has the leaks in the attic floor sealed before insulation goes down, and why a careful contractor does it first, while the framing is still visible.

Ice dams form when heat leaking from the house melts the snow on the roof and the water refreezes at the colder eaves. The ridge of ice then holds back meltwater, which can work its way under the shingles and into the attic. Good air sealing and enough insulation keep the roof deck cold, while attic ventilation carries off the heat and moisture that still get through.

Natural Resources Canada suggests that, ideally, half of the attic vent openings be continuous soffit vents and the other half gable, ridge or roof vents, so outside air enters low and leaves high. Insulation must never block the soffits: baffles between the rafters keep a channel open, and NRCan recommends leaving a space of 38 to 50 mm between the top of the insulation and the underside of the roof sheathing over the exterior walls. If ice dams are already forming, don't climb onto a snowy roof to break them up; have a roofer remove them safely.

Vermiculite is a loose, pebble-like insulation, usually greyish-brown or silvery-gold, that was poured into many older attics. Natural Resources Canada explains that vermiculite ore from a Montana mine, produced from the 1920s to 1990, may have contained asbestos. Not all vermiculite insulation from before 1990 does, but it is reasonable to assume that older vermiculite may.

Health Canada advises not disturbing it or trying to remove it yourself, not using the attic for storage and keeping children out of it. Seal the gaps around the attic hatch and ceiling light fixtures and repair cracks in the ceiling so fibres can't reach the living space. Before any renovation, including adding insulation on top, hire professionals trained to handle asbestos, who can have the material tested and remove it safely if needed.

Insulation incentives change often and vary by province, so check the federal, provincial, municipal and utility programs in force before you book the work. Many require an energy evaluation before anything is done, a condition that is easy to miss if the contractor can start right away.

In Quebec, the Rénoclimat program was accepting participants when this page was reviewed. It supports insulation and airtightness work, and requires a pre-retrofit energy evaluation before you start and a post-retrofit evaluation once the work is finished. Confirm the current conditions on Québec.ca, since they can change.