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Adding or replacing attic insulation in a Kamloops house: what to check first

A plain-language Kamloops guide to attic insulation: identifying vermiculite, air sealing, spray foam at the floor or roof deck, venting, ice dams and rebates.

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Home › Guides › Adding or replacing attic insulation in a Kamloops house: what to check first

What is in your Kamloops attic right now

Before anyone quotes attic insulation for a Kamloops house, look at what is already up there. Natural Resources Canada's guide Keeping the Heat In says to examine the existing insulation for type, condition (dry, wet or compacted), average depth and coverage. The same steps apply in Brocklehurst, Sahali, Westsyde or Barriere.

There are three common finds. Batts are blankets laid between the ceiling joists. Blown or loose-fill insulation is grey or white fluff spread across the floor. Vermiculite is different: loose, pebble-like granules, grey, brown or gold, often with a shiny look. If you see that, stop and read the next section.

NRCan also says insulation damaged by mould or vermin should be removed.

Vermiculite and asbestos in homes built before 1990

From the 1920s to 1990, according to NRCan, a vermiculite ore from the Libby mine in Montana may have contained amphibole asbestos. It was sold in Canada as Zonolite Attic Insulation. NRCan's instruction: if you find vermiculite insulation in your home, do not disturb it, and consult a professional qualified to work with asbestos. Health Canada adds: do not use the attic for storage, keep children out, and do not try to remove it yourself.

WorkSafeBC says asbestos was widely used as a building material until the early 1990s, and if you suspect it, stop work and have a qualified asbestos professional complete a survey. Since January 1, 2024, asbestos abatement contractors in BC must be licensed and use certified workers. The City of Kamloops says that before renovating a home built before 1990, hire a qualified professional to do a hazard assessment and test for asbestos. The City lists attic insulation as a potential asbestos-containing material: untested material from before 1990 is treated as asbestos and is accepted only at the Mission Flats Landfill, double-bagged in 6 mil bags, at $300 per tonne.

So testing comes first, and if asbestos is confirmed, a licensed abatement contractor removes it before any insulation work starts.

Air seal the attic floor before you add anything

NRCan calls air leakage control the single most important retrofit activity and says it should come first in any upgrade. In an attic, the leaks are where things pass through the ceiling: the hatch, plumbing stacks, wires and light fixtures, ducts, the chimney, and the top of interior walls. Moist house air moving through those gaps condenses on cold sheathing, and adding insulation makes the attic colder, so NRCan says it is essential to seal first.

Standard recessed lights can become a fire hazard if covered with insulation; replace them with approved airtight fixtures or build a barrier that keeps insulation at least 12.5 mm from the sides and top, with 150 mm above preferred. If questionable wiring is present, consult an electrical contractor first. NRCan also warns that a tighter house needs enough combustion air for furnaces, water heaters and wood stoves.

Spray foam at the attic floor or at the roof deck

Spray foam is used two ways in a Kamloops attic. The first keeps the attic vented: foam is sprayed across the attic floor to seal the ceiling, then blown insulation goes on top to reach the target depth.

The second moves the thermal line to the roof. NRCan describes closed-cell spray foam applied directly under the roof surface, down to the junction of the ceiling and exterior walls. This eliminates roof venting and creates a hot roof, where the attic becomes part of the conditioned house. NRCan says this may suit some attics but not to proceed without approval from your building inspector, and then only with a certified spray foam contractor. Our open-cell vs closed-cell guide explains why closed-cell is the one used against a roof deck.

Ventilation, ice dams and how much insulation to aim for

After air sealing, NRCan calls attic ventilation the second line of defence against water vapour, because it keeps the attic colder and less prone to ice dams at the eaves. For a peaked roof with an accessible attic, the guide uses a ratio of 1 to 300: unobstructed vent area to insulated ceiling area, increased if the vents have screens or baffles. Existing soffit vents must not be buried by new insulation.

Ice dams form when the attic runs above freezing and warms the roof sheathing, so snow melts, runs to the cold eave and refreezes. NRCan's preferred fix is to keep house heat out of the attic through air sealing and insulation, which matters in Kamloops, Sun Peaks and Chase.

For depth, NRCan's Table 2-1 lists a recommended minimum of RSI 9.7 (R-55) for a roof or ceiling in Zone 5. Our BC Building Code R-value guide covers what the 2024 code requires for Kamloops.

Rebates and a checklist for getting attic quotes in Kamloops

The CleanBC Better Homes and Home Renovation Rebate Program, for invoices dated on or after May 15, 2026, pays $0.02 per square foot multiplied by the R-value added for attic insulation, with a minimum of R12 added, to a maximum of $900. The installer must be a Home Performance Contractor Network member and self-installs are not eligible. Our rebates and financing guide covers the rest. Ask each contractor for the following.

Need it hauled or installed?

Call (778) 765-0272 or request a call back. This website connects Kamloops homeowners and builders with a local, licensed and insured spray foam insulation contractor. Calls and form submissions go directly to that contractor, which quotes and completes the work.

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