Has anyone blown insulation?

[Red Squirrel]

That is foil tape. Duct tape is not to be used on ducts.

Funny thing is, at our Home Depot in the ductwork section, they have an entire rack of duct tape rolls. For the foil tape you need to go in the other isle. I'm sure so many people get fooled by that.

I think it's even against code to use duct tape, because it's not meant for heat applications. Not that the ducts would get hot enough to be a danger, but still.

 

[Locut0s]

I know a girl who tried to blow it, she couldn't fit her mouth around it. So I broke up with her.

You call your dick Insulation? :hmm:

 

[cerebusPu]

i remember a insulation thread in the past but i am too lazy to search for it right now before bed.

i can tell you that blowing it in yourself can be much cheaper than someone else doing it. i had a quote for $2500 for R36 1000 sqfeet. i got 15 bags of blown fiberglass from lowes and did it in half a day for $450. it was hot and tiring but i protected myself with a n95 mask, goggles, and a bunny suit. you need a second person to load the blocks into the blower.

it will be a long and tiring day but you save a bunch of money.

which reminds me, the fan in the attic is busted and i have to go up there to fix it. bleh. perhaps i should have used rolled batts instead. lol

 

[Greenman]

Yes in a past life I worked with blown in insulation. I don't know where this thread crazy dead end is going, but the chief value of blown in insulation is filling side wall with no previous existing side walls insulation with an method of installing that does not require removing existing side walls to add insulation in existing construction.

When one is dealing with attics that are more accessible, its far better to use off the shelf Fiber glass by the bag in the form of batts methods.

It's also used and code accepted for attics. Blow in also tends to be tighter than batts, less air movement = better insulation.

 

[coldmeat]

i can tell you that blowing it in yourself can be much cheaper than someone else doing it.

I imagine it is, but I can't reach.

 

[dank69]

Funny thing is, at our Home Depot in the ductwork section, they have an entire rack of duct tape rolls. For the foil tape you need to go in the other isle. I'm sure so many people get fooled by that.

I think it's even against code to use duct tape, because it's not meant for heat applications. Not that the ducts would get hot enough to be a danger, but still.

Maybe not a danger but it just dries out and cracks/falls off (except the glue, that shit will never come off).

And no, I didn't apply it myself, I've seen it in other people's houses...

 

[chusteczka]

I recommend pushing the blown insulation to the edges and pushing it down into the sidewalls. Then purchase rolls and roll the insulation between the support beams by hand. This will provide much better insulation than blown insulation. The house will be noticeably warmer in the winter.

 

[amdskip]

I recommend pushing the blown insulation to the edges and pushing it down into the sidewalls. Then purchase rolls and roll the insulation between the support beams by hand. This will provide much better insulation than blown insulation. The house will be noticeably warmer in the winter.

This is bad advice. First, insulation cannot be pushed down in to walls in a conventionally framed house. Second, blown produces a better end result for the attic. It fits all voids and seals everything up tighter than batts of insulation.

 

[amdskip]

Here's pics from my attic insulation job.

Not shown are the Styrofoam baffles I installed in between each rafter to keep airflow in the eaves. I also crawled around and use a combination of caulk and spray foam to seal up each wire and pipe coming into the attic to cut down on air flow.

 

[iGas]

Funny thing is, at our Home Depot in the ductwork section, they have an entire rack of duct tape rolls. For the foil tape you need to go in the other isle. I'm sure so many people get fooled by that.

I think it's even against code to use duct tape, because it's not meant for heat applications. Not that the ducts would get hot enough to be a danger, but still.

It is not combustion is the problem with "Duct Tape", but it has more to do with the adhesive lose it elasticity (delaminate) and become hard brittle due to the heat.

 

[DrPizza]

In addition to sealing where wires/pipes, etc., go up into the attic, it also seals where the blown in would otherwise eventually settle OUT of the attic. Not really a huge quantity, but given the right types of spaces, it can add a little bit of dust to the house.

If you want to add a LOT of dust to the house, then insulate the walls of the house from the outside with blown in, on old construction that contains pocket doors that were framed in with the house. Yeah... the exterior hole lined right up with the door. Had I removed the door, I would have been able to see through the pocket and right to the outside. The insulation is going in and in and in..."Hun, did you put in another bag of insulation when I told you too?" "Yeah" "Well, it seems to be out. Put in another bag." What a mess! They were double doors. It pushed the door all the way across & I had about 1 1/2 bags of blown in insulation blown into my dining room and living room.

 

[Squisher]

In addition to sealing where wires/pipes, etc., go up into the attic, it also seals where the blown in would otherwise eventually settle OUT of the attic. Not really a huge quantity, but given the right types of spaces, it can add a little bit of dust to the house.

If you want to add a LOT of dust to the house, then insulate the walls of the house from the outside with blown in, on old construction that contains pocket doors that were framed in with the house. Yeah... the exterior hole lined right up with the door. Had I removed the door, I would have been able to see through the pocket and right to the outside. The insulation is going in and in and in..."Hun, did you put in another bag of insulation when I told you too?" "Yeah" "Well, it seems to be out. Put in another bag." What a mess! They were double doors. It pushed the door all the way across & I had about 1 1/2 bags of blown in insulation blown into my dining room and living room.

Sorry, but I LOL.

 

[EagleKeeper]

Last fall, I had the walls redone in the house. $1.25/sq ft of wall space.

Regretfully, they counted window area as wall space. But they had to do above and below so in terms of labor costs, it evened out.

One should easily be able with two people do the attic with blown in. One can also do an attic with bats. Do not recommend bats on top of blown in.

As others stated, just make sure that you do not block the ventilation areas. You can also add bats to the ceilings; if they have a moisture barrier (facing); make sure the barrier faces inward; not against the roof line.

Lowes/Home Depot will sell the bags and loan you a blower with min purchase. The bags are about $1-2 more than in bulk; but you save with the blower rental.

 

[Vette73]

Yea the blow in is the best option for most IMO.

Make sure you don't block the side vents, cover any non-contcat lights, seal any holes, etc... and go crazy.

Get a mask as the stuff is awful. Do it early or late in the day due to summer heat. Lowes will rent the machine for free if you buy 20bags or more. So buy at least 20 bags. I bought 24 for 1000sq/ft add on.

 

[Turin39789]

We added blown in cellulose to our attic, was actually cheaper than bats IIRC. I didn't add as much as I should have, but before we maybe had an inch. We also didn't have much storage space, so I added some 2x4's on top of the 2x6 framing blew in insulation to the top and then put plywood down on top of the 2x4's.

edit - Did this in January, wife fed the machine on the front porch. We got a late start and finished up after midnight, but the cold kept it from being too uncomfortable.

 

[Fausto]

My neighbors did this. As mentioned, you can save yourself some $ but it is a pain in the ass. The worst part in this particular case was installing the doodads that keep the insulation from blocking the soffet vents. If your roof has a low pitch be prepared to take nails in the head all day getting this accomplished.

 

[cmf21]

I've insulated thousands of houses for many years around the East Idaho / Western Wyoming area. I got so burned out from working 16hr days that I eventually quit. Friend / boss wasn't too happy.

At the time, we were buying bags of cellouse from the manufacture for about $3.50 a bag. The stores rip you off.

Flat ceilings are simple to insulate. If you have a valulted ceiling, cold space, sky light, or dormers, it takes a little more work but can be done properly if you take your time and do it right. And if you have celing fan vents for your bathroom make sure their vented to the outside and be careful around fireplace venting, you might have to do a little research for this.

If you have a flat ceiling, it's simple to install. Just make sure you have enough air flow at the eaves and install those baffles. If you have signs of light or air flow coming in around the bottom of the baffles I always took some foam and blocked them up. Strips R19 of fiberglass is also great for stuffing up those eaves that you can't get a baffle into or that don't need it. You do have to be careful though, because if you get any wind and don't properly install the baffles or block up the eaves, you'll find your insulation blown around leaving a bare spot in your attice with no insulation. And make sure to insulate your attic access. It's amazing how many people don't do this.

If you do get blown insulation, get Cellouse. Blown fiberglass sucks for so many reasons plus it itches.

 

[Fritzo]

Hello. My name is Insulation.

 

[gophins72]

for me it was cheaper to hire someone than to do it myself, I added A LOT of insulation. also, i was paid back within a year due to the energy savings. do research on how much you need for your part of the country.

 

[AlienCraft]

I wouldn't want to. Your mouth would be itchy for weeks.

:whiste: Thank you. Saved me from posting this a second time.

Really, the punch lines just keep coming....:biggrin:
#2. Well it was summer camp and .... :$
#3. The '60s was a differnt time. People were FREEee, man!
#4...

Hello. My name is Insulation.

#5.."Doctor sez you're gonna die."