How to Install Cellulose Insulation

Fully insulating a wall is the single best thing you can do to improve your home's heating and cooling efficiency. It's very easy to do if the wall is open for new construction or remodeling. However, if the wall isn't open, insulating it becomes more complicated. Talk to your home improvement store about renting an insulation blower than can fill the walls with loose cellulose insulation (mainly, ground-up newspapers). Since the process requires cutting holes in your walls and then patching them, it's a good idea to combine it with a repainting project.

Things You'll Need

• Electronic stud finder
• Pencil
• Drill
• Hole-saw bit, slightly larger than the hose for your insulation blower
• Insulation blower
• Loose cellulose insulation
• Rag
• Particle mask, goggles and long-sleeve shirt
• Drywall mesh tape
• Drywall joint compound
• Drywall knife
• Drywall sander
• Re-painting supplies

Instructions

1. Use your stud finder and pencil to mark all the studs on the wall that's going to be insulated. Mark them near the ceiling. Then mark the center of the spaces between the studs for your access holes. Cut each hole using your hole saw, about six inches down from the ceiling. Save the cutout wall pieces, numbering each of them with your pencil so you'll know which hole they go back into when you're patching the wall at the end.

2. Set up your rented insulation blower with its loose insulation and its hose. Put on your mask, goggles and long sleeves. Put the hose into the first hole, pushing it down into the wall as far as you can. Stuff the rag around it at the hole to seal it. Turn on the machine. Slowly move the hose upward in the wall, back toward the hole, as the cavity between the studs fills with insulation. When it's full and insulation is coming out the hole, stop and move to the next hole. Repeat in each hole until you've done them all, and the insulation is visibly packed just inside each opening.

3. Put the hole cutouts back into their appropriate holes. Put mesh tape around the edge of each hole. Spread joint compound over each hole with your drywall knife. Let it dry, sand it smooth with your drywall sander, then apply a second coat of joint compound. Repeat for a third coat, giving it a final, thorough sanding to make the wall smooth. Repaint the wall.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't allow the cellulose insulation to have prolonged contact with your skin or eyes.

References

• Blown-In Insulation Options