Blowing insulation tomorrow, got any pointers?

[dbonne]

Tomorrow (Saturday the 27th) I am going to insulate the attic of the shop with cellulose blow in insulation. I have done a lot of things, insulation blowing is not one of them. I have 2100 sq. feet of attic to blow. It can't be that hard, right? Here's where I'm at:

1. Picked up Blower unit from friend and repaired the rotary valve remote control circuit.

2. Made sure I have enough 2.5 inch hose to get all the way across the attic and to the floor where the blower will be.

3. Got a tyvex suit and good quality dust mask.

4. Picked up 116 bales of cellulose thermolock loose fill insulation

5. I have a 3 horsepower exhaust blower built into the end of the shop attic, will pull the 8 inch intake hose off in attic and run it to evacuate the attic while blowing insulation.

6. Installed a couple of cheap lights in attic.

7. Got my friend (who works for Crown Royal) to help me by loading the hopper with bales while I am up blowing away.

Ok, here's where I need your help. Any of you with some experience, tell me what I am missing, what to expect, I need your pointers to make this all I expect it to be.

 

[IHI]

You fill the hopper and send friend into attic.

We used to keep this sort of work in house, but ended up being cheaper to sub it out. My insulation contractor bought his products by the train load and I literally could not do the job myself for what they charged for everything.

wear a good respirator, not a dust mask...they don't do diddly. Tape all your wrist/ankles of your zoot suit because all that dust will enter at those points...it's not itchy, so mainly focus on respirator so your not breathing that dust your going to be hanging out in for a long period of time, as well as goggles that seal to your face to prevent eye irritation. We have safety glasses with a foam surround the inner frame that protect your eye's from flying debris and they work great.

 

[awdblazer]

you have insulation stops?
put lots of marks to the level you want

 

[cheechi]

Got a tyvex suit and good quality dust mask.

full face or just mouth & nose? You will want eye protection.

 

[signcrafter]

A really good mask. The air will be filled with insulation to the point where it's almost hard to see. Some lights, I used a little halogen plugged into an extension cord and it was a pain dragging it around and the dust settles on it so it blocks most of the light. If I was to do it again I would hang some temporary lights from the trusses so you don't have to drag a light around and so they can't get covered.

Did you close up where the trusses meet the walls so the insulation can't fall down into the soffit area? Need to use those Styrofoam vents to let some air flow threw but don't want insulation escaping.

I've seen some guys tape a wooden ruler to their leg to keep the depth right. I just filled an area and measured it and then added to any low spots. Work your way from the edge in to the attic opening. Be careful walking on the trusses so you don't fall threw the ceiling. Can be a challenge as you start covering them. In theory you don't want to disturb the insulation after it is in so you don't compress it.

Not sure if a fan would be a good thing or if it would make things worse? It sounds like a good idea but it might make things worse by creating air flow.

It goes by pretty quick, have a case of cold beer waiting for you when done!

 

[Thumper68]

Make sure to take a few breaks and drink lots of water.

 

[dbonne]

A really good mask. The air will be filled with insulation to the point where it's almost hard to see. Some lights, I used a little halogen plugged into an extension cord and it was a pain dragging it around and the dust settles on it so it blocks most of the light. If I was to do it again I would hang some temporary lights from the trusses so you don't have to drag a light around and so they can't get covered.

Did you close up where the trusses meet the walls so the insulation can't fall down into the soffit area? Need to use those Styrofoam vents to let some air flow threw but don't want insulation escaping.

I've seen some guys tape a wooden ruler to their leg to keep the depth right. I just filled an area and measured it and then added to any low spots. Work your way from the edge in to the attic opening. Be careful walking on the trusses so you don't fall threw the ceiling. Can be a challenge as you start covering them. In theory you don't want to disturb the insulation after it is in so you don't compress it.

Not sure if a fan would be a good thing or if it would make things worse? It sounds like a good idea but it might make things worse by creating air flow.

It goes by pretty quick, have a case of cold beer waiting for you when done!

Sounds like you have done this before! I installed a couple of keyless lampholders in the attic for light. I did not think of marking the height on the trusses, thanks.

My fan is actually the shop exhaust fan, it is a 3 HP variable speed blower that exhausts to the outside. It is located in the attic, I am going to pull the intake hose that goes to shop area and use it to exhaust the attic. Hopefully it will keep the dust moving toward the fan.

Thanks to all for the advise, it will be used! Got the beer and it will be cold!

 

[54FordPanel]

I've done it 3 times, with the rental unit from Home Depot. I don't know if the unit your using is the same.

Biggest mistake was the 1st time I opened the slide valve from the hopper too much, and it clogged and clogged and clogged.

Once we shut the slide valve to about 1/3, it started putting out.

And make sure the guy in the attic and the guy on the machine have a cell phone to talk.

Also, if you have soffit vents, you'll want the baffles to keep the insulation from clogging the soffit vents.

 

[Packard V8]

A bit late asking for advice, but if you'd come to us earlier, I'd have gone X2 on this one

We used to keep this sort of work in house, but ended up being cheaper to sub it out. My insulation contractor bought his products by the train load and I literally could not do the job myself for what they charged for everything.

Same as drywall work. The guys who do it every day have the purchasing power, the tools, the techniques to get 'er done so much quicker and better, plus the price is often less than you can DIY.

jack vines

 

[IHI]

A bit late asking for advice, but if you'd come to us earlier, I'd have gone X2 on this one


Same as drywall work. The guys who do it every day have the purchasing power, the tools, the techniques to get 'er done so much quicker and better, plus the price is often less than you can DIY.

jack vines

Exactly. Sounds crazy but I spent just about everyday of my adult life as a gc crunching numbers for customers getting them the most for their money. Small jobs we could often do the work for less and it gave me more control of the job since I knew our schedule and knew/could plan for aspects to be done by such and such day and time...I had great subs but things can happen and it turns into a huge domino effect on tight schedules..plumber can't make it today, well that turns into moving back inspector rough in, insulation contractor, drywall crew...all whom already set aside "this date" for my job...and now it turns into them shuffleing their long term calender and customers..all because we had one guy in the mix drop the ball for one day.

But yeah..I got to see first hand things folks thought would be expensive end up being hired out cheaper or for the same rate we could do it for ourself. Even today since closing my busi ness..and I'm a big diy guy since I still have the knowledge and all the tools..that many times I end up farming the work out since for a few hundred bucks...I don't waste my time and can go fishing, motorcycle ride, road trip with the family, etc..sometimes it just ain't worth doing it myself...esspecially insulation, not as bad as roofing but still and undesirable aspect to perform lol

 

[rick carpenter]

I recommend no cell phone, not even in your pocket. You won't be able to hear or see it to operate much less punch the keys, and the insulation may infiltrate it. (A jeweler once found a cat hair inside a watch I never opened!) So make sure you can communicate with the hopper filler friend adequately via voice. A third person stationed between you two for communicating and gophering would help. Kneepads would be good and two scraps of plywood about 8" wide by whatever ceiling joist span+ you want, fasten cleats on the bottom to keep them on the joists. It's gonna be hot no matter where you are on a sunny day, so take breaks, drink plenty of bottled water on the job, and plenty of beer and chips and salsa later but cool off some first.