Blown in insulation experience

[Chadi]

Hi everyone. I would appreciate some advice from anyone that has had blown in insulation in an older home. I have a 1930 colonial up in Connecticut with no insulation in the walls (walls are lathe and plaster). Needless to say energy bills are high and as well as air infiltration. We are stripping our cedar shakes down and repainting next year so it would be an ideal time to blow in some insulation. I am aware of blown in Fiberglass, rock wool, cellulose and cementious foam but don't know if there are any others. Has anyone retrofitted their homes with blown in insulation? If so what has been your experience with energy savings and overall comfort? Any advice would be helpfull. I have been replacing windows and doors over the past couple years so i have been benefiting from that.

Thank you,

Chadi

[DUD]

I haven't blown in any into walls, but ceilings are a different thing. If You have someone loading the machine it is fairly easy to move the hose around in the attic.

As far as walls go, I have seen the holes drilled in top and bottom of each stud cavity and it blown into that space.

My Thoughts, Bill

[scmhogg]

Chadi,

An old episode of This Old House had a contractor who blew in an expanding foam that hardened with a very high R value. It required fairly small holes at the top and bottom of each fire stop. The foam did not "over" expand so it didn't damage the existing plaster.

Steve

[Cheeky]

Chadi,

An old episode of This Old House had a contractor who blew in an expanding foam that hardened with a very high R value. It required fairly small holes at the top and bottom of each fire stop. The foam did not "over" expand so it didn't damage the existing plaster.

Steve

it's the most expensive option, but it also has the highest R value per area.

might want to consider the Soy expanding foams, as they don't contain VOC's.

[mineengineer]

My old house

My 1930's brick pittsburgh foursquare had the cellulose blown in through the mortar joints on the outside and into the stud bays.

[Slik Geek]

I would expect that the expanding foam wouldn't settle and leave uninsulated upper wall areas like most blown-in materials will. (Not my area of expertise, so don't take my word for it).

[eccentrictinkerer]

I called a foam guy last week about insulating my 95 year old house. It's stucco, so I told him I'd rather have the foam blown in from inside.

I don't like the belly-buttons where the stucco gets patched and I can repair plaster easily.

He said no problem. Just open a one foot wide slot, half way up the wall, all the way around the outside walls of the house. Don't think the LOML would approve.