Vent: My attic insulation went bad in 2 years flat

I bought this house in Decatur in 2021. Had blown-in cellulose put in spring 2022 by a recommended crew. Last week I went up to check for a leak and it was all clumped and saggy in spots. Turns out they didn't seal any of the air gaps first. Moisture from the bathrooms just soaked right through. Now I gotta rip it all out and start over. Anybody else get burned by a half-done insulation job?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_brian10d ago

Yeah, did they at least put baffles in for airflow? I had a similar mess in my place up in Woodstock. Ended up pulling out the old blown-in, renting the machine from Home Depot myself, and putting in new stuff after I sealed every gap with spray foam. It took a weekend but it was way cheaper and I knew it was done right. Paying attention to the soffit vents makes a huge difference too, keeps it from getting clumpy again.

charles_coleman10d ago

Air sealing is definitely the part a lot of crews skip because you cant see it once the insulation is in. @the_brian nailed it with the soffit vents too, I had to learn that the hard way on my first house. The baffles keep the airflow going from the eaves up to the ridge vent, without them even sealed gaps will let moisture build up again. Renting that machine from Home Depot is a solid move for doing it right the second time.

val_ramirez10d ago

Used to think blown-in was a simple enough job, but stories like this changed my mind quick. Air sealing is the part I'd pay extra attention to now, no question.