How to Fill Insulation Holes With Expandable Liquid Filler

With the rising cost of home heating oil, people are taking more care in ensuring that their home is weatherized. Often there are small holes in the insulation through which precious heat will escape. Fortunately, it is easy and inexpensive to fill these holes with expandable liquid foam filler. For a modest cost up front, the end saving will make you smile.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Purchase cans of expandable liquid filler at your local hardware store or building supply store. Read the labels to familiarize yourself with the different kinds that are available. Some foams expands only a little; others double or even triple. Latex liquid filler is far easier to clean, but experts prefer the standard liquid filler because it is often more effective and it fills holes more efficiently. Make sure the can you buy contains enough liquid filler to suit your needs.

2. Decide if you wish to buy the standard expandable liquid filler or the latex liquid filler. The good news is that the

3. Access the hole in the insulation. If you need to use a stepladder, take care that it is properly placed and level. Gently push back the insulation that's visible in the hole with your fingers.

4. Place the nozzle of the expandable liquid filler near the inside edges of the hole so that it is touching the edge of the drywall.

5. Spray the liquid filler around the entire edges of the hole so that you form a seal, thus filling in insulation holes with the expandable liquid filler. You can spray the liquid filler with one hand while guiding the nozzle with the other. Continue spraying until you have completely filled the insulation hole.

6. Clean the nozzle before the liquid filler dries. This ensures that the expandable foam will not dry on the end of the nozzle, blocking the nozzle's end.

7. Cut the expandable liquid filler with a knife when it's done drying. The curing time will depend on the filler that you use.

8. Sand the expandable liquid filler so it's smooth. Spackle and paint so your repair blends in with the rest of the wall. The expandable liquid filler that you used to fill the holes in the insulation will virtually disappear.

Tips & Warnings

• Spray slowly so that you give the expandable liquid filler time to expand while you spray. This helps prevent you from spraying too much liquid filler as you fill in the holes in the insulation, as well as getting foam in places you don't want.
• Standard expandable liquid filler often comes with its own bottles of cleanser.