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Blowing In Cellulose Insulation

Bob meets up with Joe Sheridan from Energy Guard to learn more about the US Greenfiber Cocoon cellulose insulation application that is taking place in the barn. This is not a do-it-yourself process. A mesh material is first attached behind the wall cavities to hold the cellulose in place until the drywall is applied. The cellulose is essentially ground up newspaper treated during the manufacturing process with borates to resist fungus growth. It's mixed with a litle moisture and blown into the stud cavities. Product that falls onto the ground is vacuumed up and sucked back to the truck where it is remixed and blown back out. While one installer blows the insulation in, a second man follows with a stud scrubber, leveling the cellulose with the studs. The goal is to create a tight fit eliminating air movement through the wall. One can achieve an R-factor of R-13 in a 2 x 4 wall and an R-21 in a 2 x 6 wall, R-factors that will be maintained even in extreme temperatures. Within 24 hours after application the moisture content drops below 25% allowing sheetrocking to proceed. Another benefit of the product is sound attenuation. Upstairs in the attic, Joe's crew is doing a dry application. The cellulose is blown in under pressure. The hose is fed down to the bottom of the cavity and pulled back as it fills up. A proper vent in the ceiling is not necessary because the insulation is so dense that air doesn't travel through the insulation and miosture therefore never gets out to the roof sheathing. The price of the Cocoon product is comparable to fiberglass insulation.

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Chapters from this episode

Structured Wiring Installed Now Playing

Structured Wiring Installed

Recycling Old Porch Posts for Use Now Playing

Recycling Old Porch Posts for Use

Architectural Design of the Connection Between the Home and the Barn Now Playing

Architectural Design of the Connection Between the Home and the Barn

Reviewing the Barn's Air Conditioning System Now Playing

Reviewing the Barn's Air Conditioning System

Blown-In Insulation in the Plaster Walls Now Playing

Blown-In Insulation in the Plaster Walls

Blowing In Cellulose Insulation Now Playing

Blowing In Cellulose Insulation

Clip Transcript For:

Blowing In Cellulose Insulation

computer-generated transcript - may not be 100% accurate

" Joe Sheridan is here from energy guard and he's gonna tell cause of all about. Cellulose insulation right I don't look good. Now Joe this is not unusual situation we have here in the we've got an old attic. A barn that's being converted into two studio spaces -- garage portion which will be unheated. How do we get started here."

" Well in this area the first thing we have to do is back the walls with this mesh material so that when we spray the product on it. It has something to hold it until they get sheet rock and the cellulose itself. Is ground up newspapers right exactly. Forty years worth of Reading that's what somebody told me it would be equivalent of forty years worth of newspapers recycled. Into the average house there now who are there any drawbacks from the point of view of humidity getting into it or rodents or the like. The did the borates that the -- is treated with are resistant to fungi through all kinds of I basically forecast it is -- let me read it right right and it terms of the the water think like that it doesn't have any effect on the wood. It actually will resist these things more than the wood itself -- in the turret."

" Water that's used in the application. Yes it is -- it right okay are they ready get started there. His watch as I know that this involves blowing the cellulose into the wall cavities but also mixing a little bit of moisture. So that it stays in place exactly. There you go. Nice kind of messy though don't you waste a lot of product like this."

" Justin's gonna come right in behind him with a vacuum cleaner and asked them. Take the -- back of the truck work ridiculous the paper and the fact -- the hose that Brian."

" All right so one fellow's making the mess but leaving behind. Fair amount in the stud cavity while the other fellow picks up the mess."

" What's the also it tends to hold without value. And it's been interpreted this. Much more like morning when editors that typical. OK so Joe. Here's what -- it starts proper rubber. Basically brings the part of flush with the studs that are on the sheet rockers and then. They can apply the sheet rock you -- all right and what keeps it all from crumbling out is the moisture that's been. Put into it right now in the application -- is the forecast that mixed in with the water or is that something that was applied through. The cellulose when it was shredded when it's manufacture their private borates they apply starch to help it. Stick to netting and the wood is -- by the now from the point of view of the moisture content that is used to apply this is not a problem. No within about point four hours this will drop down to let -- point 5% more coupons from apart from -- sheet rock as long as they're below the point -- Let's take a look upstairs and see how we're using it up in the roof rafter right."

" So I suppose one of the advantages of this product is sound attenuated right it'll kind of didn't the space."

" But yes because of the density that we actually pulled apart and sound just like to hear the sound can't travel -- as well yeah they're really does that up the sound yeah. What's it for granted it. -- cocoon made by green fiber gotcha now how how is the process any different up here. Or here joins doing a dry application where we're blowing in under pressure. He'll feed the hose down the bottom of the cavity and then as it fills up killed Paula back and and he can tell when it's -- states you're."

" So this is packed in -- don't you have to provide some sort of ventilating proper ventures like that while the purpose of it would be proper -- it's -- that warm moist air from coming into contact with the cold roof sheathing. In this situation because of the density of -- morning of the air never travels through through the insulation therefore the moisture never gets out through the roof sheathing. As the moisture is airborne is an airborne 98% of the sure. But what about if you have a leak in the roof. Well let you know that's an issue when it's an issue whether you're going ministry of installing fiberglass if you have a real. -- the roof you have -- fix the -- you have to fix it -- wreaths are laid -- effort is if you do get. Humidity and and water into the product you're gonna eventually have a big problem right and can be an issue if you know what this product if you. It could be worse if you'll see the problem sooner than later yeah but the problem is still there and what about the cost comparatively speaking. It's very very close to fiberglass the market."

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