Well-Built Home, Under-Insulated Attic: What We Found in Winnipeg

Yesterday I was inspecting a well-built older home here in Winnipeg.

And I’ll say it straight —

👉 The house was solid

👉 Layout made sense

👉 Overall, very well done

But then we checked the attic…

What We Found

The attic had:

• About 6 inches of insulation

• A mix of old wood chips and thin batt insulation

• Insulation that was uneven and compressed

Now — back when this home was built, that was pretty standard.

Today? Not even close.

What Should Be There?

In a climate like Winnipeg ❄️, attics should typically have:

👉 12–18 inches of blown-in insulation

That extra depth isn’t overkill — it’s what keeps heat inside where it belongs.

Why 6 Inches Isn’t Enough

When insulation is lacking, a few things start happening:

• Heat escapes straight through the roof

• Energy bills climb

• Rooms feel colder or uneven

• Moisture issues can develop over time

And when you mix materials like wood chips and batt insulation?

It settles, shifts, and compresses —

👉 leaving gaps

👉 reducing effectiveness

👉 making things worse over time

The Good News (Easy Upgrade)

This isn’t a major structural issue.

💥 Topping up attic insulation is one of the easiest and most cost-effective upgrades you can make.

Even better:

👉 With Manitoba efficiency programs, adding blown-in insulation can be very affordable thanks to rebates and incentives.

A lot of homeowners don’t even realize this is available.

Final Thoughts

Here’s the key takeaway:

A home can be very well built… and still fall short on today’s energy standards.

And that’s exactly what we saw here.

👉 Strong house

👉 Great layout

👉 Just needs an attic insulation upgrade

All in all — great property. Great job overall.

Why It Matters

Attics are out of sight…

But they shouldn’t be out of mind.

What’s above your head directly affects:

• Comfort

• Energy costs

• Long-term performance of your home

365 Home Inspection

At 365 Home Inspection, we check everything —

even the stuff most people never see.

📍 Winnipeg & surrounding areas

📞 Call or message to book your inspection