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How much to blow in?

Dragster Racer

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40X40X15 pole building. R19 batts in walls. Going to heat to 40F unless I am out there. Northern IL. I want to check the price difference of doing the blow in myself vs having it done. Sounds like cellulose is the way to go? We will be putting the ceiling and vapor barriar in soon.
 
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walrus

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I'd blow in as much as you can afford. Energy costs are only going to go up and comfort while out there has no price:)
 

jerry j

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Feb 16, 2006
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eastpointe, mi.
Walrus is right..... As much as you can afford.... 12" would give you an
R-44... My home attic is an R-56 and has been that way for more than 15 yrs. True, back then I was saving a little over, say an
R-30 or R-40, but now it's a diff story, I saved then and am saving now,
and I only had to do it "Once".....

Good Luck :beer:
 

jerry j

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eastpointe, mi.
How much do you have now ?? (thickness)...

I'm hearing the "settling" stories -- and I don't understand it ! Really...

Measure what is existing, figure the R-Value that you have and that will determine
what should be added.....

:beer:
 
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walrus

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Agreed, but I understand that there is a thickness where effectiveness no longer really increases. 10"? 12"?

The rate of return goes down, no doubt. In a shop, air infitration with a R value over 100 makes little sense. But a tight shop with an R value around 50 makes sense. You pay for insulation once, you pay for heat the rest of your life
 
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Dragster Racer

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I had a builder tell me this the other day with regards to our house that we intend to build shortly. I wonder if the same applys to a non air conditioned shop? Also, we are just putting OSB up, and no mudding of joints. Is the dust from the cellulose going to be a problem?
 

walrus

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In regards to the vapor barrier, the top of the insulation is going to be exposed to ventalation so whats the harm? They give the example of putting wet celluose in a plastic bag??, thats not the same thing as plastic on one side and air on the other? I'd put the vapor barrier up.
 

redsky49

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Not sure you need or want a vapor barrier with cellulose, particularly in a shop.

http://www.regalind.com/techPDF/Gen...er Needed for a Cellulose Insulatied Home.pdf

Stepping very gingerly into this one. :shocking:

I looked at the link above where they refer to the ASHACE. I have never heard of this organization, though the initials are certainly close to ASHRAE, an organization I belonged to for a few decades. Looking thru my long list of professional and industry organizations, this one doesn't appear anywhere. Make of that what you choose.

The link also concludes that all the building codes are going to change their guidelines based on the performance of their insulating product. Sorry, but it just doesn't work that way.

They also distort the reasoning behind a vapor barrier in a convoluted argument over summer cooling.

Again, do as you feel best, but be aware that ASHRAE performs considerable research every year into issues such as this, and that research is used (along with other parties input) to help formulate building code requirements such as minimum insulation values.

I would also recommend that you consider anecdotal information and user comments and opinions with due caution.

As to insulation amounts, follow the manufacturer's recommendations. Excessive amounts of certain insulating materials not only are not cost effective, in some cases can actually degrade the final insulating value. The best approach is to treat any building element (wall, ceiling, etc.) as an assembly. Calculate the insulating performance of the assembly, not just the amount of added insulation. And despite some very vocal critics to the contrary, an effective vapor barrier is indeed recommended.

Offered only as opinion
 

240sxguy

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Madison, wi
The gov't recommends R49 in attics of homes in your area. I live in Madison, so its the same deal for me. I blew in a lot of insulation into my attic and it is saving me a lot of money as evidenced this winter.

Blowing in cellulose is easy and I plan on doing my attic in R49 as soon as I get the ceiling re-drywalled .

BTW; Cellulose supposedly does not lose R-value when it settles.

Evan
 
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Dragster Racer

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It's looking like about 12". I called a guy who does it around here, and his price isn't all that much more than what I can get the materials for. That's a no brainer.
 
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