# Removing Insulation off of soffit..



## paige2

Today we removed the pink batt insulation that was stuffed between the roof joists and was therefore covering the ventilation for the soffit..We live in Innisfil, Ontario so we get pretty cold winters and we are finding all of the interior of the exterior walls to always be cold..The house is a bungalow and we find that it is not holding the heat in the winter and is hot in the summer..So we did some investigating and have been asking lots of questions regarding this problem..We were told that the soffit should not be covered at all!! So my question is: I decided to keep the batts around the pvc pipes just in case..Is this correct? The builder had used blown in insulation in the attic without any pink batting underneath but there is vapour barrier..Are the bathroom fans and electrical boxes for lighting suppost to be covered with insulation? Not sure If I should uncover them...I'm hoping that uncovering the soffit will allow the house to breath better and circulate the air properly so we can save some money on our utility bills....Any suggestions?? thnx


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## Wildie

It seems that your builder blew cellulose insulation into your attic space.

It should be one foot deep! The cellulose should not be in the soffit, although it will do no harm, as long as the vents are clear. To allow the air to move from the vents, plastic chutes are installed between rafters, wherever a vent is located. 
The venting is necessary to allow the attic to be cooled, in order to improve the lifespan of the roof material.

The insulation should cover the 4" octagon electrical boxes and the bathroom fan.
If you have 'pot' lights that project up into the attic space, special boxes are used over these, to keep the insulation from coming in contact with the hot pot lights.
The bathroom fan should have a metal exhaust pipe running to a roof or soffit vent. The metal pipe should be wrapped with R12 fibre glass insulation, held in place with tape or a cord.


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## HomeSealed

Paige, most of Wildie's advice is good, although your insulation is not necessarily cellulose just because it is blown in. If it is fluffy and white or pink, it is fiberglass. If it seems more dense and gray in color, it is cellulose. Either way, in your region, you want over R-50 up there, which would be a minimum of 16" + depending on material. In addition, you'll want to air seal every penetration from attic to living space. These penetrations literally suck up the warm air and moisture into the attic. Use spray foam around all electrical boxes (including fans, etc), chimneys, plumbing vent stacks, top plates, etc. As for the "pot" lights, it depends on whether or not they are rated for direct contact with insulation... As mentioned, baffles should be installed at every soffit vent to insure proper attic ventilation. You can stuff fiberglass batting around them to prevent the blown-in stuff from falling into the soffit, and prevent wind wash.


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## Gary in WA

Here's my recent answer on the baffles using them to prevent wind-washing; http://www.diychatroom.com/f15/moore-vents-attic-44424/

I wouldn't stuff fiberglass to stop the wind; http://books.google.com/books?id=a2...CBMQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=Proskiw (1995)&f=false

Hopefully you had a medium or high density blow-in product installed: http://www.diychatroom.com/f98/biggest-loser-fiberglass-insulation-90438/

Gary


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## Wildie

HomeSealed said:


> Paige, most of Wildie's advice is good, although your insulation is not necessarily cellulose just because it is blown in. If it is fluffy and white or pink, it is fiberglass. If it seems more dense and gray in color, it is cellulose. Either way, in your region, you want over R-50 up there, which would be a minimum of 16" + depending on material. In addition, you'll want to air seal every penetration from attic to living space. These penetrations literally suck up the warm air and moisture into the attic. Use spray foam around all electrical boxes (including fans, etc), chimneys, plumbing vent stacks, top plates, etc. As for the "pot" lights, it depends on whether or not they are rated for direct contact with insulation... As mentioned, baffles should be installed at every soffit vent to insure proper attic ventilation. You can stuff fiberglass batting around them to prevent the blown-in stuff from falling into the soffit, and prevent wind wash.


 Here in Ontario 12" of cellulose meets the minimum code. However, when it comes to insulation, more is good!
Cellulose is very popular here, perhaps the most popular. When I mentioned cellulose, I admit to reading between the lines! :yes:


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## HomeSealed

GBR in WA said:


> Here's my recent answer on the baffles using them to prevent wind-washing; http://www.diychatroom.com/f15/moore-vents-attic-44424/
> 
> I wouldn't stuff fiberglass to stop the wind; http://books.google.com/books?id=a298Hrpiu8AC&pg=PA123&lpg=PA123&dq=Proskiw+%281995%29&source=bl&ots=R3I2-fFVTl&sig=beKYTj24gopGv73x7cKL9XKEyJY&hl=en&ei=MHkNTbCWJou6sQPAiPXyCg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBMQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=Proskiw%20(1995)&f=false
> 
> Hopefully you had a medium or high density blow-in product installed: http://www.diychatroom.com/f98/biggest-loser-fiberglass-insulation-90438/
> 
> Gary


Gary, those are nice links, but unfortunately have little to do with this application. I'm fully aware that fiberglass will not *stop *airflow, that is why we use a low-expansion closed cell foam around our window and door installations, and why air sealing the attic is highly recommended. The area in question around the baffles does not need to be sealed, as it is not connected to any conditioned airspace. Furthermore, in my professional experience, it has been effective in preventing excessive wind wash, or the blowing of loose insulation away from the baffles. That, along with preventing the loose insulation from falling into the soffit is its only purpose and function there... When we don't use batting, we will use plastic bags filled with cellulose, but either way, it does the job.
-Brandon


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## paige2

The blown in insulation is white and pink..when my husband and his friend insulated the garage they didnt cover the soffits and used the pink batting but never checked the rest of the attic so it was getting some air flow..there are baffles between every other roof joist..I was only able to do one whole side yesterday since it was so hot up there and i was starting to get claustrophobic lol...Do you think that once we remove all the pink batting that we should install baffles between every roof joist and should we see a difference in the tempertures on the interior of the exterior walls (that is if the insulation is decent lol) How can I find out what the R value is there doesnt seem to be any paperwork stapled up in the attic to tell u what type and who did the installation...


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## paige2

haha thats funny "Up there" I dont live in the Great White North" hahah..We dont have any pot lights..so i should buy some spray foam in a can to seal around all fixtures then..I noticed that the one pipe leading out of the roof had a bit of a gap around it..So once we get the air flow working properly in the attic then we should see a difference in the humidity in the house..right now the hygrometer is reading 54% on the main floor and it is a damp and rainy day today...I really hope we are doing the right thing by removing all this batting..I dont want to end up having a mould problem in the attic.....i should take some pictures and post them so everyone can see the attic..


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## Wildie

paige2 said:


> The blown in insulation is white and pink..when my husband and his friend insulated the garage they didnt cover the soffits and used the pink batting but never checked the rest of the attic so it was getting some air flow..there are baffles between every other roof joist..I was only able to do one whole side yesterday since it was so hot up there and i was starting to get claustrophobic lol...Do you think that once we remove all the pink batting that we should install baffles between every roof joist and should we see a difference in the tempertures on the interior of the exterior walls (that is if the insulation is decent lol) How can I find out what the R value is there doesnt seem to be any paperwork stapled up in the attic to tell u what type and who did the installation...


 Some soffits have perforations all over, others have perforations at periodic intervals. Sometimes they have a 'register' every few feet.
If you have a continuously perforated soffit, it wouldn't hurt to have baffles between all the rafters. However, if you only have soffit venting at various intervals, you only need baffles where the vents are.
Keep in mind, venting has nothing to do with retaining heat. In fact it is to disapate heat in the summer.
It would be a good idea to spray foam over the top of the fixture boxes to keep moist air from entering the attic from the inside.
You should also have a seal around the jamb of the entry hatch also.
And don't forget to insulate the attic side of the hatch cover also. I glued some expanded foam insulation on mine with construction adhesive.

If your blown insulation is white or pink, my guess is that it is fibre glass. I think that fibre glass insulation is about R3/inch, and you should have a minimum of R40. So, it should be in excess of a foot deep.


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## paige2

It is continuous soffit all along the whole underside of the house...Im going to post pictures now so you can see the attic...ignore the pink insulation on top of the blown i picked it all up after i took the pictures and left some in between the "v"s (roof trusses...) I noticed that once i got to the very back of the house the blown insulation was really deep and once i investigated the whole attic it wasnt as deep at the front as the back is im guessing maybe 6 inches deep at the front.......I'm thinking that they cheaped out in the insulation department...unfortunately we are passed the time to go back to the builder and get them to warranty their crappy work.. I noticed today that it was quite cool up in the attic now that the soffit is exposed..


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## Wildie

paige2 said:


> It is continuous soffit all along the whole underside of the house...Im going to post pictures now so you can see the attic...ignore the pink insulation on top of the blown i picked it all up after i took the pictures and left some in between the "v"s (roof trusses...) I noticed that once i got to the very back of the house the blown insulation was really deep and once i investigated the whole attic it wasnt as deep at the front as the back is im guessing maybe 6 inches deep at the front.......I'm thinking that they cheaped out in the insulation department...unfortunately we are passed the time to go back to the builder and get them to warranty their crappy work.. I noticed today that it was quite cool up in the attic now that the soffit is exposed..


 I would leave the deep insulation where it is and bring the shallow stuff up to the same level.
If you have insulation in the soffits, its easy to remove. The perforated soffit just slides along, so all you have to do, is remove a couple of sections, drop the insulation, then slide some more into the vacated area and drop its insul.
Once the insulation is removed, slide the soffit back into position.
Collect the insulation in garbage bags and put in the attic. You can't have too much insulation.

It appears that you had inexperienced guys installing the insulation.


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## paige2

Actually i already pulled out all the batts...it was quite the job reaching all the way down to get to it but i did it!! I think we will have a insulation company come in eventually and give us a quote on getting more insulation up there since its not a balanced spread...i tried to add the pics but it said they were to big...any ideas on how to down size the photos??


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## HomeSealed

Wildie was right, no use in pulling out the batts... Either way, with blown in material, you'll want a solid 18" or so. Energy Star recommendation for your region is at least R-49, preferably R-60... and don't forget the air sealing. That step is crucial. I've seen studies showing added insulation and ventilation can actually yield higher energy consumption without proper air sealing.


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## Gary in WA

Be sure to cover the edge of the blow-in near the soffit to prevent the cold outdoor air from negating the insulation R-value. I showed two different baffles in the earlier link, the foam ones from Lowe’s need the extra WindBlocker but the plastic ones from H.D. bend around and over the outside wall. http://books.google.com/books?id=3k...B8Q6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=Silerbsein 1991&f=false

I agree with H.S above, the air sealing is way more important than even the insulation, be sure to thoroughly do that, second paragraph; http://books.google.com/books?id=Eq...esnum=1&ved=0CBYQ6AEwADhQ#v=onepage&q&f=false

For the optimal insulation over the exterior walls (because the space is reduced by roof slope) and prevent wind washing; http://www.homeenergy.org/archive/hem.dis.anl.gov/eehem/96/961110.html

Gary


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## Gary in WA

“Do you think that once we remove all the pink batting that we should install baffles between every roof joist and should we see a difference in the tempertures on the interior of the exterior walls (that is if the insulation is decent lol)” ---- No, the exterior walls will not be much warmer. The added ventilation will remove any moisture in the attic coming from below. The added attic insulation will help hold the heat inside the room. If warmer walls are your main concern, check the insulation in them. A house looses 25% of heat loss through roof but 35% at walls and another 25% at windows and doors; http://www.explainthatstuff.com/heatinsulation.html

You may want to upgrade the low density wall insulation with higher density material rather than putting all your money in the roof, a place for diminishing returns on the money; http://www.buildings.com/ArticleDetails/tabid/3321/ArticleID/6061/Default.aspx
Adding some insulation in the attic will help bring it to a uniform level. Check locally with your B.D. for R-values required. 

http://www.enersavesystems.com/pdf/Economic-Thickness-of-Thermal-Insulation.pdf



Here is some help with the pictures; http://www.diychatroom.com/f98/how-attach-photo-post-20532/

Gary


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## paige2

We visited both Home Depot and Lowes today...priced out blown in insulation..and bought some baffles...They suggested that we install the baffles so every roof joist has one instead of the every other that is already there...then take the pink batts of insulation that were stuffed down that i removed at the base of the blown in and just insert them back in place against the baffles so we dont get the wind washing effect...I took some of the insulation rulers from the store and i am going to measure the height of the insulation throughout the attic and then we will rent the machine and blow in were it is needed...it looks to be only 6" deep as you get into the middle of the attic and towards the front and the highest point is near the back...I wish we had known that this was an issue before our home warranty for the interior ran out becasue i would be chasing the builders to come back and do the job correctly...live and learn i gues...ughhh lol


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## cschwehr

paige2 said:


> We visited both Home Depot and Lowes today...priced out blown in insulation..and bought some baffles...They suggested that we install the baffles so every roof joist has one instead of the every other that is already there...


That is convenient since Lowes hasn't seen your roof and is more than happy to sell you twice the product even if it's not required.

Only put the channel where you have soffits, if you have continuous soffit venting, then yes - go ahead. If you had no fan and no exterior hole, but ran the piping for either, it's not effective and a waste of money. 

In the case of venting, I would fill the void below the vent channel with a flat piece of EPS, cut to size with 1/2" 45 deg notches on the back side, then spray foamed (notches allow more sealing surface) to seal to prevent air from circumventing the channel and going through your batting or blown in... but that is not required and beyond what most people here recommend definitely.


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## HomeSealed

cschwehr said:


> That is convenient since Lowes hasn't seen your roof and is more than happy to sell you twice the product even if it's not required.
> 
> Only put the channel where you have soffits, if you have continuous soffit venting, then yes - go ahead. If you had no fan and no exterior hole, but ran the piping for either, it's not effective and a waste of money.
> 
> In the case of venting, I would fill the void below the vent channel with a flat piece of EPS, cut to size with 1/2" 45 deg notches on the back side, then spray foamed (notches allow more sealing surface) to seal to prevent air from circumventing the channel and going through your batting or blown in... but that is not required and beyond what most people here recommend definitely.


I think you mean XPS, but that's a good suggestion.:thumbsup:


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## cschwehr

HomeSealed said:


> I think you mean XPS, but that's a good suggestion.:thumbsup:


You're entirely right, thanks for the correction.


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## HomeSealed

GBR in WA said:


> “Do you think that once we remove all the pink batting that we should install baffles between every roof joist and should we see a difference in the tempertures on the interior of the exterior walls (that is if the insulation is decent lol)” ---- No, the exterior walls will not be much warmer. The added ventilation will remove any moisture in the attic coming from below. The added attic insulation will help hold the heat inside the room. If warmer walls are your main concern, check the insulation in them. A house looses 25% of heat loss through roof but 35% at walls and another 25% at windows and doors; http://www.explainthatstuff.com/heatinsulation.html
> 
> You may want to upgrade the low density wall insulation with higher density material rather than putting all your money in the roof, a place for diminishing returns on the money; http://www.buildings.com/ArticleDetails/tabid/3321/ArticleID/6061/Default.aspx
> Adding some insulation in the attic will help bring it to a uniform level. Check locally with your B.D. for R-values required.
> 
> http://www.enersavesystems.com/pdf/Economic-Thickness-of-Thermal-Insulation.pdf
> 
> 
> 
> Here is some help with the pictures; http://www.diychatroom.com/f98/how-attach-photo-post-20532/
> 
> Gary


I appreciate the citing of your sources, but I have to question the "explain that stuff" numbers. The only way that energy loss through walls will approach 30% is if it includes the ceiling (which incidentally attic insulation/air-sealing addresses). A simple google search on energy loss will show 9 out of 10 sources put walls at that number when it includes the ceiling. The only way to see any type of bang for the buck improvement from sidewall insulation is 1) dense-packing an empty wall cavity, or 2) adding XPS to the exterior during siding installation. Spray foam is great, but cost prohibitive, and dense-packing a wall that already has r-11 or r-13 will result in little added benefit for the cost, especially in comparison to the attic. If you are unsure why the attic is so crucial, look up "stack effect".


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## paige2

Actually Lowes didnt sell us anything we prices out both Lowes and Home Depot and HD was cheaper priced so we purchased the baffles from them and good thing we did..When i pulled back the batt insulation that was stuffed between the baffle and bottom of the roof joist that the builder had put in a noticed that the bottom of the baffles were butted right up against the wood (near the edge of the soffit overhang) so no air was getting up the baffle..I installed the new baffles about 2 inches away from the bottom of the roof. I stuck my hand down the ones the builder installed and there was no air flow..I could feel air flow coming up the ones I installed..I placed the batts of insulation back against the baffles not squashing them and pushed the blown in back in place...So hopefully we get more air flow and then we will be looking into adding more blow in insulation..Now we just have to remove the piece of styrofoam and base built around the hatch due to some mould growth there..I dont think the styrofoam was deep enough and was a snug fit so warm air must have leaked around it causing the mould...there is no wet spots or mould anywhere else in the attic..How deep should the styrofoam be? Anyone know how much it would cost to have closed cell spray foam insulation installed in a 1300 sq ft bungalow attic...I live in Innisfil Ontario..thanks for all of your input!!


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## Gary in WA

" A simple google search on energy loss will show 9 out of 10 sources put walls at that number when it includes the ceiling. The only way to see any type of bang for the buck improvement from sidewall insulation is 1) dense-packing an empty wall cavity, or 2) adding XPS to the exterior during siding installation. Spray foam is great, but cost prohibitive, and dense-packing a wall that already has r-11 or r-13 will result in little added benefit for the cost, especially in comparison to the attic. If you are unsure why the attic is so crucial, look up "stack effect"." ----- you kind of missed my point. With the reqired minimum R-value in the attic for the OP's location- as I said Building Department check, it would be wise to check if any insulation is in the walls. R-11 will give you convective loops inside the batts that move heat from the room to the top plate and out because of the thinner insulation there. Adding any amount over the required (R-49) attic insulation wouldn't be as good a payback for the money as adding wall insulation, if needed. After R-20, you are fighting for 1-3% as the articles explained. I am familiar with the stack effect and have been answering on that here for over a year.

If you push the f.g. up against the roof sheathing to stop wind-washing, you will create a thermal bridge from the top plate to the roof, wicking the heat right up.

Gary


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## cschwehr

GBR in WA said:


> If you push the f.g. up against the roof sheathing to stop wind-washing, you will create a thermal bridge from the top plate to the roof, wicking the heat right up.


wha? Isn't f.g. naturally an insulator?

How can that be?

What about the mention I had about putting the foam below the vents?

Just curious.


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## HomeSealed

GBR in WA said:


> “Do you think that once we remove all the pink batting that we should install baffles between every roof joist and should we see a difference in the tempertures on the interior of the exterior walls (that is if the insulation is decent lol)” ---- No, the exterior walls will not be much warmer. The added ventilation will remove any moisture in the attic coming from below. The added attic insulation will help hold the heat inside the room. If warmer walls are your main concern, check the insulation in them. A house looses 25% of heat loss through roof but 35% at walls and another 25% at windows and doors; http://www.explainthatstuff.com/heatinsulation.html
> 
> You may want to upgrade the low density wall insulation with higher density material rather than putting all your money in the roof, a place for diminishing returns on the money; http://www.buildings.com/ArticleDetails/tabid/3321/ArticleID/6061/Default.aspx
> Adding some insulation in the attic will help bring it to a uniform level. Check locally with your B.D. for R-values required.
> 
> http://www.enersavesystems.com/pdf/Economic-Thickness-of-Thermal-Insulation.pdf
> 
> 
> 
> Here is some help with the pictures; http://www.diychatroom.com/f98/how-attach-photo-post-20532/
> 
> Gary


Come on now Gary, let's not change up what we are suggesting. You stated "You may want to upgrade the low density wall insulation with higher density material rather than putting all your money in the roof, a place for diminishing returns on the money"... That is not assuming that the ho has no insulation in the walls, unless by your definition, air is "low density wall insulation". Furthermore, it is quite evident that home does NOT have r-49 existing in the attic (based on the description), nor did I recommend adding insulation if it did. As for your comment on r-11 and the top-plate, that is why I am such a huge proponent of air-sealing-- top plates are covered.(and this addresses the thermal bridge concern as well):thumbsup:.


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## cschwehr

My antidotal experience suggests that if I wall is closed up with 2x6 in a newer home with fiberglass it would be of little benefit to install different insulation before other upgrades are done in the attic. I know a couple who installed new drywall, insulation and vapor on 2x4 studs with plaster that used to have very old fiberglass (they were told it would be better). Their bill is within a dollar this year for heating costs as before. This is also with new renovator windows on a 1960's house.

I heard it and first thing I thought was, wow - there was some good salesmanship on the contractors part.

I always look at attic sealing, insulation levels in attic, sill plates and any simple air leaks/vent sealing in the home. I'm not a contractor in that area - but it's always seemed like the fastest payoff for the labor (personally - not contracted out).


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## paige2

My house is only 8 yrs old as stated way above in my original post and full brick..i really dont want to start ripping out drywall in my house and adding insulation...lol but what i do want to do is add blown in insulation to the areas that are lacking like the 6" areas!!!! that obviously is the problem here....There is no way that was done to code especially here in Southern Ontario...Either the installer was an idiot or just decided to race through the job...Nobody commented on the foam baffles being butted up against the wood on the overhang by the builder..where the soffit is installed (not sure what you would call that right where the eaves trough would be installed) I was told to install the baffles about 2 inches from the bottom of the roof. Is that correct? Maybe I should get Mike Holmes to come to my house lol!! I would love to spray foam but can't afford it right now!!


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## nickelshine

Can we get a little more information on the "thermal wick". I think I understand the concept... contact between insulation and the sheathing, but... how about if the top plate was completely air sealed with foam?

Here's my situation as it stands: new continuous soffit venting, top plate seams foam sealed wacko: _a struggle_), air baffles in every bay, with R-49 batts at eaves. That's R-19 between joists plus R-30 (15" x 15") piece stuffed between vent baffles and bottom layer.

So the insulation is technically not in contact with the roof, but snug to the stapled baffle vent. Do you think this will still be a problem for ice dams or whatever?


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## billyh

I have a similar situation to Paige. 

I just bought a house that is 60 years old and I looked at the soffits from inside the attic and insulation has been placed on top of them everywhere. The attic is end vented with whirly birds. 

This winter, there was frost on the underside of the sheathing in the attic. I have sealed all of the air holes that I can find (there were quite a few) but I am also wondering if it would be a good idea to switch my venting to soffit and ridge before blowing insulation in?

The soffits are currently solid and not vented at all, but have the perforated covering. I was going to put in the rafter vents (moore?) and make a makeshift wind screen out of fiberglass insulation (the windscreens mentioned above are not available here). 

One big catch is that I have run out of time to finish this before the end of the month and get an eco grant (I've been working my butt off on the house). Is it possible to put in the vents, the makeshift windscreen, then blow insulation in.... then at the end of March (in 10 days), cut the 4" slot in the soffit and take out any insulation that may still be blocking the vent? Basically, I am trying to put off removing the soffit covering from the exterior and cutting the vent because this will take a few days. 

Thanks for any tips on this project.
I want to make sure I get it right before I blow in the insulation!


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## Gary in WA

Builders usually insulate to the minimum required by local Code. The least expensive insulation is low density. Some low density blow-in was tested and found a 30-50% reduction in R-value at 60-70* when 20*F. outside. Check out the density used in the test. Check out the similar low density insulation installed by builders today. R-19 f.g. batt used in walls is compressed to the 5-1/2” from 6-1/4” for a reduction to R-17. This R-19 is a low density insulation with inherent convective loops used in 2x6 walls, and R-11 was used in 2x4 walls. With the new energy codes, R-11 (low density) is no longer produced with R-13 (medium density) taking its place. This is all sited in my stated article on “The biggest loser” I already posted on #4. http://www.buildingscience.com/docu...llation-of-cavity-insulation?searchterm=insul

Cschwehr, you are correct using foam board on edge. Sorry I missed that! With R-5 per inch, 4” would give you R-20 or 96% heat flow reduction. As in my post #15 and a similar one here; http://www.buildings.com/ArticleDetails/tabid/3321/ArticleID/6061/Default.aspx So if your wall top plates happen to be heated, from the drywall ceiling/wall corner joint or the wall cavity convective loops depositing heat there, to 70*, the foam would stop 96% plus a little more due to conductive loss through the plates (5-1/2” wood is R-6.88 minus ? due to contact with the colder sheathing and siding). Rolled up, compressed fiberglass has the fibers in direct contact with others for good heat flow, no air space to slow the heat transfer; http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/book/export/html/12484 At a soffit, because of being exposed to the outside moisture, the f.g. will transfer heat even faster when wet; http://www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/eng/ibp/irc/bsi/90-controlling-heat.html 200 times more effective, though I lost that reference……. I don’t have any heat loss figures on the top plate heat transfer to the roof sheathing, I don’t know of any testing yet. I would be curious though….. Perhaps its minimal, but why take that chance when you’re installing then? 
Dense pack cellulose would solve the cold walls especially if a low density f.g. batt is existing, and help with the stack effect; http://www.wag-aic.org/1999/WAG_99_baker.pdf Just a hole in each stud bay through the drywall. 

Install the continuous venting close to the fascia board for optimum air flow away from the house wall pressure, pp.616; http://books.google.com/books?id=Z8...page&q=attic airflow with gable vents&f=false

Gary


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