Insulation, Radiant and Vapor Barriers - Blow in for walls?
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suobs
10-04-09, 07:33 AM
The blow in insulation that I see in the big-box stories (cellulose I think - looks like lumps of grayish ground fabric) says "Attic" on the packages without additional elaboration. Can this be blown in from the top to insulate a 2x4 wall? If so, would the insulation be less effective than fiberglass and are there tricks I should know for distributing it properly?
If not, is there a product designed for this purpose?
If not, is there a product designed for this purpose?
diyplank
10-04-09, 06:24 PM
I did my attic and walls with this stuff. We live in Central Northern Pa, in a 1940's house 2 story. It worked great!! It isn't a perfect fix like tearing your sheetrock out and putting in fiberglass but it works!! Our first yr we spent over 3k in heating oil between Oct. to April. Our second yr. even w/ the rate hike in oil we spent around 2300. So easily saved us 1k. I spent around 600 or so to do the whole house. Attic was around 200 dollars and the walls were around 400 bucks. The machine will be rented to you for free if you buy over a certain amount of bags of cellulose, I think its 10.
What kind of siding do you have? Is your house single or 2 story? Reason for asking, is I tore off a section of my wood lap siding, drilled holes in each studded space, blew in the cellulose, and put a dowel that fit the hole in w/ caulking around it, then put the siding back up! Worked great.
You'll need atleast 2 people. It is messy(dusty!) You'll need to wear masks, not the cheap paper like ones either. Also when you rent the machine ask for the hose reducer, and you'll wanna size that w/ your spade bit. Irwin makes a great bit. I went through 3 of them and that did a hole in each studded space on the first and second floor. If they do not have a reducer, there will be a rubber reducer attachment in the shop vac section. Lowes rented it out already and I had to buy this. It was 10 dollars, but with this one you can cut it to fit the hole. Its tapered from roughly 1" to about 2 1/2".
When you say blown in from the top? Do you mean through the top plate of your wall?? If so check w/ an engineer or someone of that nature. I was told not to do this b/c that might weaken the structure since that is more weight bearing than your sheathing.
Hope this helps!!
Chris
What kind of siding do you have? Is your house single or 2 story? Reason for asking, is I tore off a section of my wood lap siding, drilled holes in each studded space, blew in the cellulose, and put a dowel that fit the hole in w/ caulking around it, then put the siding back up! Worked great.
You'll need atleast 2 people. It is messy(dusty!) You'll need to wear masks, not the cheap paper like ones either. Also when you rent the machine ask for the hose reducer, and you'll wanna size that w/ your spade bit. Irwin makes a great bit. I went through 3 of them and that did a hole in each studded space on the first and second floor. If they do not have a reducer, there will be a rubber reducer attachment in the shop vac section. Lowes rented it out already and I had to buy this. It was 10 dollars, but with this one you can cut it to fit the hole. Its tapered from roughly 1" to about 2 1/2".
When you say blown in from the top? Do you mean through the top plate of your wall?? If so check w/ an engineer or someone of that nature. I was told not to do this b/c that might weaken the structure since that is more weight bearing than your sheathing.
Hope this helps!!
Chris
suobs
10-05-09, 04:15 AM
It's a nonstructural interior wall in a garage. I'm insulating part of the garage but not the other. It's even easier because the plywood used for wall board is open at the top. So no I won't be going through the top plate.
diyplank
10-05-09, 10:38 AM
Then sure, I think that would be great to use cellulose. Even if you only need liek 6 bags, buy 10 so you don't have to pay the machine rental fee. Then take the 4 back. Also to let you know they will charge you almost 300 dollars, then when you take the machine back you'll get it back. Just don't break it!! LOL
Good luck
Good luck