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Re-insulating after raccoons?

Norman | Posted in Energy, Heating & Insulation on October 24, 2008 05:30am

Greetings all.

<!—-><!—-> <!—->

I have a dormer extending from the roof of my <!—-><!—-><!—->Chicago <!—-><!—-> bungalow. Total length on the roof of the dormer is less than 10 feet from the bottom of the eave to the crown top of the dormer.

<!—->  <!—->

Gawd’s masked bandits, raccoons, have pulled the cover from the underside of the eave and ripped out a bunch of insulation in the rafter void, all the way up to the roof crown. That is, the critters are in between the roof decking and the drywall ceiling inside the dormer.

<!—->  <!—->

Obviously, I have am having the vermin trapped and the opening at the eave has to be sealed up with wood and recovered with aluminum siding, but:

<!—->  <!—->

How do I replace the insulation the bandits tore out?

<!—->  <!—->

I really don’t want to pull down the drywall ceiling, although I don’t mind drilling holes in it. Can I put an opening in the ceiling near the crown and blow cellulose or rook wool into each rafter void? If so, how do I vent out all the air that accompanies the insulation? Add a vent hole above the supply hole?

<!—->  <!—->

Another thought, drill holes into the rafter void every six inches and pump in a lot of Great Stuff. I know I would need to build some kind of model to determine how much to pump in each hole and how far the holes ought to be spaced, which I am willing to do. I just don’t want to cause the ceiling to bulge from the foam expansion.

<!—->  <!—->

Any thoughts or other ideas? Thanx much for your help.

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Replies

  1. Norman | Oct 27, 2008 05:21pm | #1

    Bump. None of the Godz of Breaktime have any suggestions? Say it ain't so!

    Thanx.

    1. geoffhazel | Oct 27, 2008 05:49pm | #3

      Could you rig some kind of "quick release" clamp on the end of a long stick, clamp it onto the end of a fiberglass batt , and "pull" the batt into the cavity by pushing the stick forward, then release the clamp?

  2. Waters | Oct 27, 2008 05:47pm | #2

    I didn't actually know that coons could be used as insulation? 

    What's their R value?

    They're pretty fluffy I guess...

     

    Sorry.  As to your question--I wouldn't do the foam. 

    Take the time to pull the ceiling down -- maybe just half on each side so you can access the bays.  Put in baffles if they aren't there already to keep the insulation off the sheathing and replace with batts or loose insulation.

    The other ideas sound like cobbling to me.

     

  3. MikeHennessy | Oct 27, 2008 06:20pm | #4

    Hard to say without seeing it, but I'd guess it would be pretty easy to blow in celulose through the opening in the eave prior to repair. Save pokin' holes in the DW.

    Mike Hennessy
    Pittsburgh, PA

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