shake & rake vs. blown

[kartracer23]

Need to insulate the ceiling of my new garage and am debating between blown & shake & rake. My issue is that the nearest place to get a blower is a few towns away (which means a few trips by the time I load up the insulation / blower / take the blower back, etc.).

Has anyone done the shake & rake? It it a PITA? I was thinking about getting a small (8" wide) rake to fluff it if I go that route. My rafters are pretty tight (hip roof). Here's a pic kinda showing it. Not a lot of working room up there.

 

[tdkkart]

Insulation and garage doors are 2 things that you can have done professionally for the same price or less than what you can do it for, and it is WELL worth the price.

When I did my shop our gas/electric utility was doing an incentive program that paid 75% of updated insulation installs(houses only), so when I called to get bids for the house I had them look at the shop too. Too my surprise, I had both the shop and house done for not much more than just the insulation would have cost for the shop, and then the utility paid for 95% of it all because their auditor WAY over estimated the house.

 

[jack stand]

I second the above post. It might amaze you that (if you shop) an insulation contractor can prolly supply & install it for less than you can buy it for. I'd do a little homework on *types of insulation (many) and request prices on what ever type(s) you decide might suit you. Get quotes from several local contractors.

* There is normal fg "batt" for walls and ceiling. Then there is a blow in wall type. There is also a nice system called "flash and batt" where they shoot a thin spray on foam layer to completely air seal your bldg then fill the rest of the wall cavity with normal fg.

Your local contr. should be able to give you several ideas and options, and once they have the S/F measurements, "plugging in" the different types is easy for him.

Nice garage!!

 

[Gary S]

Shake and rake will never fluff the insulation up like you want it. Spend the extra money now and get it right.
Check with local installers. You might find somebody who will do the job for the same or less than you can spend running after the blower yourself.
I blew in my own insulation. I bought it on sale cheaper than any installer would sell it to me for. Then I got use of the blower FREE.
Seldom will you hire someone to do work at even close to the price you can do it yourself.

 

[gatchel]

I also agree on getting someone to insulate. I priced out insulating my ceiling when the garage was built and it was $50 cheaper for someone to come in and do it. It was done perfectly. All wire penetrations were foamed...a much better job than if I had done it myself. I HATE insulation. Oh, they also installed the air baffles in the parts where the insulation would contact the underside of the roof.

 

[Highbeam]

While I agree with hiring out the blow-in job. I would add that you should do all the sealing and baffles. The details are often overlooked by the insulation guys and once they blow in that insulation you won't want to go back and work in there. Not even to check that every penetration was sealed.

So you do the sealing and baffles properly, then hire the blowers.

 

[kartracer23]

While I agree with hiring out the blow-in job. I would add that you should do all the sealing and baffles. The details are often overlooked by the insulation guys and once they blow in that insulation you won't want to go back and work in there. Not even to check that every penetration was sealed.

So you do the sealing and baffles properly, then hire the blowers.

I made sure my contractor put in the baffles before they put the ceiling up, so I'm good to go there. With as shallow pitch as I have, don't know that you would have even been able to get them in there once the ceiling was in.

And it's an unattached / unheated garage so I don't need perfection. But it was nice that it was 34* out this morning and when I opened the door in the garage it was 59*-even without ceiling insulation. I'm sure that will change as it stays colder during the days, but for now it's nice to get into a warm car. I'm hoping for about 20* warmer than ambient. I was getting 10*-12* warmer with my completely uninsulated / holes in the roof & walls old garage.

 

[Highbeam]

That's good. My pole barn inside temp matches the outside temp really well. Almost eerily well. The comp roof should help but the huge metal sides must be very good at heat transfer.