Insulation, Radiant and Vapor Barriers - Walls not insulated!

Just curious if this idea would work:

My walls aren't insulated and it made for a chilly, expensive winter. I have plaster over sheetrock walls and my exterior siding is the "cementious shingle stuff...asbestos".

I want to blow insulation into the exterior walls but I definately don't want to do it from the outside since I don't want to risk damaging the siding and have to search for a replacement. I don't want to have to do anything to my plaster walls because I don't want to have to spend a year patching the plaster and trying to match the texture. So, my proposal would be to drill at the top of the wall (on the inside) between my studs and blow as much insulation as possible from there. Then I'd install crown molding over my holes and I wouldn't have to bother with the patching since they'd be covered up.

Am I an idiot, or would that work?

Chuck

It is feasible to an extent, you'd loose coverage below windows, but other than that, it'll work. I would at least plug the holes with sheetrock patch before putting up the crown moulding & figure on using a wide or maybe a built up crown trim to finish & cover all evidence of the improvement. Good luck! ;)

You could also pull the baseboard and blow from there.Dont know how much paint on the walls now. But when done paint the walls with a good V/B paint.

ED;)

Thanks for the advice gentlemen! V/B paint?

Didn't even think of pulling base boards.

Glad to read this thread since I am also planning to blow insulation into my walls as well. I have a couple of follow-up questions:

1) how wide do the holes need to be?

2) for those who have done this project, how long does it take? (i.e., how long per cavity between studs with an 8 foot ceiling)

3) i stopped off at home depot to inquire about renting a blower and was told that if i bought enough insulation, they would essentially let me use the blower for free. has anyone done this before?

4) why the need for a vapor barrier paint?

3) i stopped off at home depot to inquire about renting a blower and was told that if i bought enough insulation, they would essentially let me use the blower for free. has anyone done this before?

You can do it. They will tell you what size holes you need for the blower. "Time" you can tell by the way the blower will sound when the wall is full.

#4This is so the moisture in the home in the winter dont get out to the insulation. Now if there is a lot of paint on the walls now you might not need it. The V/B paint is like the 4mil poly they put over the studs and then the drywall.

ED;)