blown in insulation

[AV8R4AA]

I tried this the last 2 days. I have a basic 18 X 24 garage.

2 cars and not much else. Anyway, I have a 1 story house and above the
garage is an attic that I have floored out. I am transforming my garage
into a well lit, Heat and Air Conditioned Man Cave.

I rented a insulation blower and thought I would share my experiences.

I rented my unit from the local Home Depot. There is no charge if you purchase
20 bales of insulation or more.
Moving along, I learned a few things. As I mentioned, I have the attic floored out. The perimeter had just soffit vents.
I bought some 1/2 inch thick foil backed foam board and made a dam so the
insulation would not blow all the way out to the eves. That was a little time consuming, cutting and trimming all the boards. I think it was a good idea after the job is done.

Some tools that you WILL need in the attic are as follows.
Goggles , not safety glasses, get goggles, the dust is intense.
High power flash light 2 D cell minimum. You need to be able to cut through
all the dust created. Also get a dust mask, not a cheap one, buy the 3M brand or better.

I tried a few different methods and found this one to work the best. I removed the center floor boards. That way I could lay down and look left and right down the rafter runners. I then slid the hose down the center
of the tunnel. I would have my helper turn on the blower and watch the cavity fill up with the cellulose. I started retracting the hose as the insulation
started to fill up. This method produced the LEAST amount of dust. It also
filled up the cavity the best. I removed a floor board and inspected, topped off and looking good!

I think I did a good job and the insulation is well placed. I have purchased a
Mini -Split A/C and will get that going soon. I wanted to eliminate as many hot spots as possible. The sides of the garage are not insulated. The garage
door has insulation as does the nose of the garage where it shares a wall with the living area.

I calculated my "R" factor and feel it is between 30 and 34. I used a lot of insulation and hope I can hang out in my Man Cave this summer when all the neighbors are running for the inside of the house.

Overall the blown in insulation was not too bad. 2 people are required to do a
fast, even job. If your Lady is helping have her be the hopper loader. The other end and she will quit and leave.

 

[sharkytm]

I found that a small, powerful LED flashlight (mine is a Romisen from China, costs about $10 from DealExtreme, and is a great light) electrical taped to the end of the nozzle made all the difference in the world. I used a woodworking dust mask with removable filters, and yes, real googles (I wore my scuba mask ). The boric acid burns the eyes mouth, and nose.

 

[Dragster Racer]

Thanks for posting your experience. That is in my future also!

 

[ripsnortMN]

Thanks for the info. I will be doing exactly this next saturday in my 20'x22' garage attic. I will be blowing in 30 bags of the cellulose. I am doing about R49 which is roughly 15" thick. I don't see how I would be able to blow in 15" close to the eves of the garage. I dont think there is even a 15" space that close to the wall in the eves.

 

[sharkytm]

Thanks for the info. I will be doing exactly this next saturday in my 20'x22' garage attic. I will be blowing in 3 bags of the cellulose. I am doing about R49 which is roughly 15" thick. I don't see how I would be able to blow in 15" close to the eves of the garage. I dont think there is even a 15" space that close to the wall in the eves.

3 bags certainly isn't going to cover it. I assume you meant 30 or 23 or something. As for the eves, install the foam eve guards so they don't get clogged, and insulate up to the guards.

 

[ripsnortMN]

3 bags certainly isn't going to cover it. I assume you meant 30 or 23 or something. As for the eves, install the foam eve guards so they don't get clogged, and insulate up to the guards.

Yeah I meant 30. Sometimes certain keys dont work. Yes I did install the eve shoots. It just doesnt seem like 15" on insulation would fit in that area. The insulation estimator actually called for 34 bags but I figure I cut out a few bags for the attic door and for the eve area being not that tall.

 

[nate379]

How do you have R30-34 in a 2x6? cavity?

I have blow in as well, it's about 20" thick and that only gave me r48. I did think about flooring it in like you did for storage, but I'd have to do quite a bit of frame work and end up with a fairly small area

 

[AV8R4AA]

A quick and easy "fix" for overblowing the insulation
onto the eves is this:
Grab your leaf blower and blow backwards ( from the outside)
through the soffit vent. I did just that and then actually
took one off to be sure it worked...... it does.
00

 

[AV8R4AA]

interesting observation the other day.
I have a digital thermometer in my garage.
I also have a digital temp readout in my Explorer SUV.
Until I did the ceiling insulation my car Ford and my garage
always read the same temperature.
Last night it was a little chilly, The Explorer read 51 degrees driving
home. inside the garage it was 61 degrees. I guess this stuff works!

I have one of the cars I want and working on having a good looking garage/shop.
Interesting note, The picture was taken at 11:30 PM and no flash was needed.

Great lighting, Wooo Hoooo

Thanks guys for all the great ideas!

 

[ripsnortMN]

Not trying to highjack the thread or anything but I will be doing the blow-in insulation as well this saturday. We will see how it goes for me and will add some info on my experience after the project is done.

 

[Gary S]

Insulation definitely works. Last January when the outdoor temp dropped to -44, my unheated, but well insulated garage was at +19. That is over 60 degrees temp difference without adding any heat.

 

[PurdueSD]

I need to finish up the blown in portion of insulation in my attic. I have heard its cheaper/ same price to have someone come in and do it.

Anyone with any direct experience?

 

[Gary S]

I need to finish up the blown in portion of insulation in my attic. I have heard its cheaper/ same price to have someone come in and do it.

Anyone with any direct experience?

I did mine myself. I didn't get quotes from any contractors, but I can't believe they would have done it for even 2 or 3 times what it cost me to do it myself. Last Fall, our local Menards had a great sale on the blown in insulation, and they provided the blower to use if you bought the insulation. I put enough in my house to bump the house attic up to R50 and enough in my garage to put it up to R40. The total cost doing it myself was just over $200.

 

[chad pickens]

I need to finish up the blown in portion of insulation in my attic. I have heard its cheaper/ same price to have someone come in and do it.

Anyone with any direct experience?

Absolutely!!! I got a quote from rose and walker They actually did the blown in fiberglass for almost 100.00 less than what Lowe's or Menard's wanted for insulation alone ,it was even on sale at that time.
I also had them put bats in my 2x4 walls r-15 .It was the same price as what I could buy r-12 bats for at lowes/menards. They are a very large company,and buy in bulk. I had 2 friends tell me to check with them first and I didnt beleive it either .But it was true !

 

[Dragster Racer]

Absolutely!!! I got a quote from rose and walker They actually did the blown in fiberglass for almost 100.00 less than what Lowe's or Menard's wanted for insulation alone ,it was even on sale at that time.

I hear this all the time, but have yet to get a contractor who will do it for less than twice what the materials will cost me. I'm sure it isn't a pleasant job, but my time isn't worth what they seem to think thiers is. Maybe it is my local market.

 

[ratdoggy]

How hard is it to put blown in in the walls? What about a vapor barrier? Do I even need a vapor barrier for an exterior wall?

 

[nate379]

Yes, if the inside is hot and the outside cold or vice versa you do.

 

[twostory]

I did mine myself. I didn't get quotes from any contractors, but I can't believe they would have done it for even 2 or 3 times what it cost me to do it myself. Last Fall, our local Menards had a great sale on the blown in insulation, and they provided the blower to use if you bought the insulation. I put enough in my house to bump the house attic up to R50 and enough in my garage to put it up to R40. The total cost doing it myself was just over $200.

I had 700 sqft, 12+ inches of cellulose "professionally" installed for less than it would have cost me to buy the materials.

The job cost $340, buying the cellulose at HD or Lowes would have cost $400 (approximately). Then I would have had to get the material home, borrow the machine and do the work.

I am a very avid DIY person, but insulation is a different world. I would always get a quote before I did insulation myself.

 

[ripsnortMN]

Tomorrow morning I am blowing cellulose in the attic of my garage. It is a 20'x22' garage. I am doing R49 which is 15" thick. It will cost me a total of $199 at my local menards and I get the machine for four hours for free. I honestly can't see it being cheaper than that having a company come and do it. Maybe it would be, maybe not. I like doing things myself then I know its done right.

 

[twostory]

Tomorrow morning I am blowing cellulose in the attic of my garage. It is a 20'x22' garage. I am doing R49 which is 15" thick. It will cost me a total of $199 at my local menards and I get the machine for four hours for free. I honestly can't see it being cheaper than that having a company come and do it. Maybe it would be, maybe not. I like doing things myself then I know its done right.

The company who did my work has a $300 minimum. So you will save $100.

I had 700 sqft installed. Using your material cost, I would have spend $316 in material ($199 x (700/440) = $316)

Conclusion: for small jobs, DIY is cheaper. For jobs over $300 in material, get a quote from a pro, it maybe cheaper.

 

[ripsnortMN]

Well my garage attic is done. Yesterday I blew in R49 in the attic. I got the blowing machine for free for four hours. Well the first machine must have been broken. It took fifteen minutes to blow half a bag through it. So we decided we were not going to use the machine anymore and brought it back in exchange for another one. The second one kicked *** and we blew 30 bags in an hour. I didnt have wear goggles, just a mask. It went pretty well. It was just enough material to do at least R49 (which is 15" thick) in the entire attic. In some areas I got 17"-18" of it. So I think my garage will be as comfortable as it could be next winter. And probably be a bit cooler out there this summer. Thanks for the info guys!

 

[FarmerSid]

But what are you guy's using to stop the blown in from falling down into the soffit?

 

[ripsnortMN]

But what are you guy's using to stop the blown in from falling down into the soffit?

I installed those eve shoots made of styrofoam. And the space between the shoot and the sill plate I stuffed some fiberglass batting in there.

 

[buening]

I have found this article helpful prior to installing cellulose: http://www.regalind.com/techPDF/Codes & Specs/tech_bulletin2.pdf

This comes from the Regal website (brand which Lowes carries) http://www.regalind.com/index.htm

 

[Steevo]

. . . . install the foam eve guards so they don't get clogged, and insulate up to the guards.

Does anyone have pictures or a source for these foam eave guards? I was about to start making some dams from something (was thinking maybe corrugated polypropylene) to dam the insulation from spilling into the soffit spaces when I blow my shop attic.

If these are something readily available, I may look for some rather than making them.

 

[walrus]

Does anyone have pictures or a source for these foam eave guards? I was about to start making some dams from something (was thinking maybe corrugated polypropylene) to dam the insulation from spilling into the soffit spaces when I blow my shop attic.

If these are something readily available, I may look for some rather than making them.

Home depot sells the pieces. Forget what they were called. They had 2 kinds, one out of foam and one out of plastic. Its just a 3 sided box that you staple up to your roof sheathing. I used rolled up fiberglass to dam the soffit so cellulose wouldn't spill in

 

[Steevo]

Home depot sells the pieces. Forget what they were called. They had 2 kinds, one out of foam and one out of plastic. Its just a 3 sided box that you staple up to your roof sheathing. I used rolled up fiberglass to dam the soffit so cellulose wouldn't spill in

I'll have to look at what they have. Rolled up fiberglass stuffed in there would block off the air flow from the soffit to the attic, wouldn't it? I want to dam the edges at the top of the outside walls, then run up the rafters about 30", leaving an open space of fur inches or so above the dam for air flow above the insulation.

I had drawn up a template for cutting sheet goods for folding into a piece to staple in each rafter bay, but if these are off-the shelf items, I may skip that extra work.

 

[walrus]

I'll have to look at what they have. Rolled up fiberglass stuffed in there would block off the air flow from the soffit to the attic, wouldn't it? I want to dam the edges at the top of the outside walls, then run up the rafters about 30", leaving an open space of fur inches or so above the dam for air flow above the insulation.

I had drawn up a template for cutting sheet goods for folding into a piece to staple in each rafter bay, but if these are off-the shelf items, I may skip that extra work.

Yes, rolled up would without those 3 sided boxes nailed to the roof, they allow the air to flow past the rolled up insulation,

 

[walrus]

This is different than what I used but should work for you
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

 

[Steevo]

Thanks, walrus.

That looks very similar to what I was going to make, except that I would like to staple the sides to the rafters rather than stapling the "bumps" to the underside of the sheathing.
Should work. I'll have to see if any HD's near me stock these so I can check them out.

 

[airwalk]

I have found this article helpful prior to installing cellulose: http://www.regalind.com/techPDF/Codes & Specs/tech_bulletin2.pdf

Very good article, I like how it details the advantage of cellulose over batt fibreglass.

 

[FastEddieG]

How hard is it to put blown in in the walls? What about a vapor barrier? Do I even need a vapor barrier for an exterior wall?

I've been reading that dense cellulose insulation restricts air flow and thus doesn't need a poly vapor barrier. That seems contradictory but I am by no means knowledgeable on the subject.

I know anyone can write anything on the good old Internet, but here's a few pages I quickly found.

http://www.nationalfiber.com/upload...d_Cellulose_Insulation_and_Moisture_Facts.pdf

Vapor Barrier
o Not recommended by any cellulose manufacturer.
o Prohibits drying of the wall assembly to the inside, especially during the warmer months.
o Future code offerings are likely to reduce or eliminate the use

http://www.brooklyninsulation.com/compare-faq-cellulose.html

What about moisture and mold?
Airflow accounts for 98% of moisture movement. Since fiberglass is not an air barrier it provides no protection against moisture and mold. Cellulose is so effective at blocking airflow and managing moisture that you don't need a poly vapor barrier.

While the air-blocking capability of high-density cellulose insulation prevents moisture flow, the borates in cellulose insulation inhibit mold and fungus growth from any condensation. Cellulose insulation wicks moisture away from the surrounding building components and carries it to drier areas.

Even Tom Silva is on board!

http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/asktoh/question/0,,1576647,00.html

Now, it's possible that the garage ceiling doesn't have enough insulation—you'll need to cut an inspection hole to find out. If you do need more, have a contractor blow in dense-pack cellulose, which is so effective at stopping air movement it doesn't require a vapor barrier.

-Ed

 

[FastEddieG]

I'll have to look at what they have. Rolled up fiberglass stuffed in there would block off the air flow from the soffit to the attic, wouldn't it? I want to dam the edges at the top of the outside walls, then run up the rafters about 30", leaving an open space of fur inches or so above the dam for air flow above the insulation.

I had drawn up a template for cutting sheet goods for folding into a piece to staple in each rafter bay, but if these are off-the shelf items, I may skip that extra work.

If I understand what you are asking.. they are 15" wide or 23" wide (or the 23" wide ones break in 1/2 to use in the 15" spaces like at Lowes). They are usually nailed to the roof where insulation could compromise air flow such as in cathedral ceilings or near a wall/rafter intersection.


Here's a link to some I saw in Menards today
http://www.adoproducts.com/building.html

This shows how the AccuVent is installed (helped me understand)
http://www.brentwoodindustries.com/spg/building-products/index.aspx

I don't know that I would go this ******** (as it looks like it'd fill the soffit), but here's a picture in use
http://www.usinspect.com/resources-...ves/technical-jargon-attic-insulation-baffles

-Ed