OT: home insulation

[GemParty]

A client of mine who recently purchased a home, needs insulation. There was evidence of carpenter ants in the home, which can destroy wood. He was thinking of buying insulation from Orkin Pest called TAP, which helps Prevent termites, ants, pests. Ever use it?

Also, what's your opinion on Rvalue of the cellulite blow in style? 13-18" offered. Thanks

 

[upstater]

A client of mine who recently purchased a home, needs insulation. There was evidence of carpenter ants in the home, which can destroy wood. He was thinking of buying insulation from Orkin Pest called TAP, which helps Prevent termites, ants, pests. Ever use it?

Also, what's your opinion on Rvalue of the cellulite blow in style? 13-18" offered. Thanks

I've had cellulose (cellulite? herrrr) blown into our house several years ago and heating bills dropped by half. Also, house is cooler in the summer.

If you look on line and do some research, you might find some of the insulants are questionable in terms of being health hazards. Cellulose coated with borax is healthier than most. I'd wonder if anything that had anti-insect chemicals would be healthy (remember, air is passing through those walls, you're breathing it, and once that insulation is in, it's in).

Our house is over 6k sq. feet and the walls at points were 18 inches thick. The insulation company seemed to be surprised by this.

The big key is to make sure the company your friend goes with has modern equipment, such as infrared viewing. Part of our deal is that after the house was filled on the first go, we would get an infrared viewing that showed where any leaks might have been occurring. And I went through that day with the foreman and his machine, and there were large gaps that would have caused a lot of heat loss, and right before my eyes, as I held the infrared scanner, I could see them addressing the opened spots, and the scanner would immediately detect the fill-in.

I was pretty convinced by the contractor that without this scanner, it's more or less a guessing game as to what is going on inside your walls when they blow stuff in.

 

[GemParty]

Great points, I think just the attic area is needed.

 

[sledog]

I'm thinking of having spray foam insulation put in the roof rafters. 2 kinds: open cell, and closed cell. Open cell seems a bit better (also cheaper) at this point of research. Talking to Natures Way, which has been used on This Old House. Supposedly, attic space will be only 10 degrees warmer than house in summer, and only 10 degrees cooler in winter - vs 110 in summer, and 0-10 in winter. Lower heat / cool bills.

Anyone have it?

 

[GlastonTim]

If you use cellulose make sure your contractor uses the dense-pack method.

 

[pnow15]

If you are putting the insulation in the attic, use the roll fiberglass insulation, especially if you intend to store anything up there. I had the insulation blown in the attic and it is messy and clumps up. Drops out every time I open the attic door. Get an exterminator to kill the bugs. Any poison put in the insulation will be in the house for years as it breaks down. And you will be breathing it.

 

[GlastonTim]

Make sure to air seal first