- Totally agree with this:
“with insulation (and anything that touches moisture or air flow), it pays to do it right.”
- Seen a lot of “creative” insulation—old carpet scraps, even plastic bags once. Always ends up trapping moisture or pests.
- Quick fixes might save a buck short-term, but the long-term costs (mold, rot, energy loss) are way higher.
- Curious if anyone’s tried eco-friendly insulation (like cellulose or sheep’s wool)? Wondering if it holds up better in these situations or just creates different headaches.
- Also, ever find weird stuff in attic insulation? I once found a stash of vintage soda cans...
“with insulation (and anything that touches moisture or air flow), it pays to do it right.”
That couldn’t be more true, especially in older homes where shortcuts from previous owners tend to show up in the weirdest ways. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve seen “creative” insulation solutions—old towels, newspapers, even a mattress pad once. It’s always a headache later on. Like you mentioned, all that stuff just traps moisture and becomes a home for critters. I’ve had to deal with ants and mice more than once because someone thought plastic bags were a good idea.
Regarding eco-friendly insulation, I’ve worked with cellulose in a few properties. It’s great for coverage and uses recycled material, but it does have some quirks. If there’s any risk of leaks or high humidity, you really have to stay on top of vapor barriers and ventilation. Otherwise, it can settle or clump, and in rare cases, get a bit musty. Sheep’s wool is interesting—never used it myself, but I’ve heard it handles moisture better than most alternatives. Still, I wonder about pest issues unless it’s treated.
The “quick fix” approach just doesn’t hold up over time. It might look fine at first, but you’ll pay for it tenfold with mold remediation or even structural repairs. I’ve seen insulation jobs where someone just covered up old problems instead of fixing them, and then five years later, there’s rot in the attic rafters.
And yeah, you do find some wild stuff up there. The best was a collection of 1970s comic books stashed behind a knee wall—wish they’d been worth something. The soda cans thing is classic. Once found a whole box of ceramic cats tucked into blown-in insulation (no idea why). Makes you wonder what people were thinking sometimes...
Anyway, I’d take a well-installed batt or blown-in job over “DIY mystery materials” any day. Even if the up-front cost is higher, you avoid so many headaches down the line. If it looks like a shortcut, it probably is.
You nailed it about shortcuts coming back to haunt you. I’ve seen insulation stuffed with everything from grocery bags to old sweaters—never ends well. Curious, have you ever run into hidden water damage that wasn’t obvious until you pulled out the “creative” insulation? I always wonder how many problems get missed in those quick fixes. And yeah, sheep’s wool sounds promising, but I’d worry about critters too unless it’s treated. It’s wild what people stash in their walls... ceramic cats is a new one for me.
I get the concern about critters with sheep’s wool, but honestly, every insulation has its own issues. Even the treated stuff can attract mice if there’s easy access. I’ve actually found less water damage behind “creative” insulation than behind poorly installed vapor barriers—sometimes those shortcuts just hide the real problem, but sometimes they’re not the main culprit. The worst is when folks use plastic bags thinking they’re stopping moisture, but it just traps it instead. Ceramic cats, though... that’s a new one for me too.
I hear you on the vapor barrier thing, but I’ve actually had more luck with a simple, well-taped poly sheet than some of those fancy “breathable” membranes. Maybe it’s just my drafty old place, but sometimes the basics work better than the latest trend. Never tried sheep’s wool though—my luck, the mice would knit themselves sweaters.
