Were the exterior top plates sealed?

A homeowner posted photos and questions after a roof replacement uncovered work from a past insulation job. They're trying to figure out whether the contractor actually did what the contract called for, specifically around sealing the top plates — the wood framing at the top of exterior walls where they meet the attic. Gaps here are a common spot for warm indoor air to leak into the attic, so sealing them matters for both energy bills and preventing moisture problems in the roof.

The homeowner also raised a separate concern: in several spots, blown-in loose insulation had spread all the way out to the soffits, the vents under the roof eaves that bring in fresh air. Normally a baffle — a piece of rigid foam or batt insulation — gets installed to keep blown insulation from blocking soffit vents, since blocked vents can trap moisture and heat in the attic. The post asks whether this was simply a poorly done job.

This is a homeowner's question to a building-science forum, not a resolved case, so there's no verdict yet on whether the original work was done correctly. But the underlying issue is one worth knowing about if your own attic has ever had insulation blown in: air sealing at the top plates and keeping soffit vents clear are both basic parts of a proper insulation job. If you've had similar work done, it's a fair thing to check next time you're in the attic or having roof work done, since both problems can quietly cost you in heating and cooling bills or attic condensation down the road.