Attic Insulation Replacement Project in Saline, MI

This attic had a little bit of everything going on
We were out in Saline recently for an attic project that ended up being a bigger upgrade than the homeowner originally expected.
They knew the attic insulation was old. That part wasn’t really a surprise. The house just never seemed to stay comfortable for very long, especially during the hotter months. The AC would run, the house would cool down, and then it felt like all that conditioned air disappeared somewhere.
Honestly, I figured we’d find outdated insulation and call it a day.
We didn’t.
Once we got into the attic, it made more sense
The attic had a mix of old R11 batt insulation and cellulose spread across roughly 848 square feet.
At first glance, it didn’t look terrible.
Then we started moving around up there.
Different story.
Some areas had settled more than others. Some spots weren’t covering much at all anymore. You could tell the insulation had been there for a long time. The attic was already warming up even though it was still fairly early in the morning. That heavy summer attic heat was starting to build.
Not great.
The homeowner said something we’ve heard before
At one point the homeowner told us,
“I didn’t realize how old all of this actually was.”
That’s pretty common.
Most people don’t spend much time in their attic. And honestly, I don’t blame them.
You throw a few holiday decorations up there, maybe a storage bin or two, and that’s about the extent of the relationship.
We thought the insulation was the biggest issue
For a little while, I assumed the old insulation was going to be the main story.
Turns out it wasn’t the only one.
As we worked through the attic, we found several areas that needed air sealing. Nothing unusual. Just the kind of gaps and leakage points we run into all the time around plumbing penetrations, wiring, and other openings.
And then there was the ventilation.
That part mattered.
The existing setup wasn’t doing the attic any favors, so we installed baffles to help maintain proper airflow and added a solar attic fan to help move heat and humidity out of the space.
A quick side note
Every attic seems to have something interesting in it.
This one had a few boxes that looked like they hadn’t been touched in years. Probably longer.
It’s funny how attics become time capsules. You go up there expecting insulation and end up finding pieces of someone’s life from ten years ago.
Anyway…
It wasn’t just about adding more insulation
After removing and disposing of all the old insulation, we installed new R49 blown-in fiberglass throughout the attic.
The attic looked completely different afterward.
Actually, that’s not the best way to describe it.
It felt different.
Cleaner. More uniform. Everything had a purpose instead of looking like layers of different projects piled on top of each other over the years.
We also applied an attic disinfecting enzyme treatment and installed an insulated attic hatch cover to help reduce air movement between the attic and the living space.
Little details.
But they add up.
That’s when the whole project came together
By the time we wrapped everything up, the attic had new insulation, improved ventilation, better air sealing, a solar attic fan, an insulated hatch cover, and a much cleaner overall setup than what we started with.
The homeowner was excited to see the before-and-after photos because a lot of the work happens in places people rarely see. That’s usually the case with attic projects. Most of the improvement is hidden above the ceiling. If you’re in Saline, Ann Arbor, or the surrounding area and you’ve been wondering if your attic is helping your home or working against it, give Koala Insulation of Greater Ann Arbor a call or visit our website for a FREE evaluation!