Blown in Insulation

The beauty of blown in insulation is that it can be retrofitted to an existing finished wall with minimal disruption but still achieve great thermal insulation to bring down those heating and cooling bills. Blown in insulation is quick and relatively inexpensive to add to drywalls without having to pull open panels - in fact it is probably the most convenient and cost effective way of installing insulation to most homes, rooms, and attics. Blown in insulation works by using compressed air to blow small bits of insulating material into spaces. It can be a top up to other forms of insulation such as insulating board and battens, or it can be a full insulation technique on its own, for example insulating an attic floor before putting boards down. For most property owners, however, the most common reason for turning to blown in insulation is adding insulation into the cavities of dry walls which can be done through a hole in the drywall which is then sealed with a plug. Because it is so very quick, blown in installation comes with very low labor costs and that, along with relatively cheap materials, is what makes it so cost efficient.

 

Different Types of Insulation

While the most common blown in insulation is probably cellulose it is worth noting that there are three main types of material that can be used for the job and we are happy to advise you about each one and where it should best be used for your property.

 

Fiberglass Insulation

We all know fiberglass - the magic material that results when glass is heated until it turns liquid and then spun into fibres so thin and fine that the results are nearly light as air. Fiberglass has an insulation R rating of 2.5 per inch (the higher the number the greater the insulation factor) which isn’t as high as solid insulation but has the advantage that it is cheap and can be blown into pretty much any gap to reduce your heating and cooling bills.

 

Cellulose Insulation

Cellulose is typically really finely shredded cardboard boxes, newspapers, or other organic material such as wood or corn cob shavings which means it is often promoted as the eco-friendly form of insulation. There’s a lot of truth to that since about 85 percent of the material used is recycled. It is worth noting that chemicals are then applied since in order to ensure that it is fireproof (an absolute must for in-wall insulating material) cellulose is then treated with fire retardant borates

 

Rockwool Insulation

Rockwool, or mineral wool as it is sometimes called, is typically blast furnace slag that is heated and spun into a wool like material that can be used for blown in, loose fill insulation. It is more expensive than either fiberglass or cellulose but its excellent fire resistance means that there are some spots where it is the go-to choice.  Let us advise you on exactly what kind of insulation will work best and where.