4 questions to ask when you’re ready to hire a blown-in insulation company in Michigan.

It is that time of year again…not only are holiday cheers filling your home, but the cold seems to be continuously creeping in!  If you are ready to help improve your home’s insulation situation, blown-in insulation may be the right holiday gift to give your family.  Here are four questions to keep top of mind when talking with your local Michigan insulation company about investing in blown-in insulation:

What is the best use for blown-in insulation?

During construction of a new home, it is easy to install wall and ceiling batt insulation.  However, when looking to increase or improve insulation of an existing home, it is not always possible to use batting since it is a highly invasive process.  Instead of tearing down drywall to install more batting into your home, many homeowners turn to fiberglass or cellulose blown-in insulation.  Blown-in insulation can easily be blown into walls and attics without removing drywall, helping to seal your home’s gaps.

What are some of the disadvantages of blown-in insulation?

Not every product is perfect, and that means blown-in insulation does have a few disadvantages.  Most commonly, we tend to see complaints with the following:

  • Matching the color & material: Professionals must drill holes at the top of each stud space in order to install blown-in insulation.  The hole must then be filled, and sometimes it can be difficult to match the siding or wall material.
  • Filling the entire stud space: If there is an obstruction in the wall you are installing blown-in insulation in – whether it be a drainpipe, outlet box or something else – it can keep the insulation from filling the entire stud space, leaving your insulation less effective.
  • Potential settling: Blown-in insulation – especially made of cellulose – has a tendency to settle, which leaves a small section at the top of the stud space uninsulated, ultimately reducing the overall thermal resistance or R-value.

What are the most common types of blown-in insulation?

  • Fiberglass: This insulation is made of glass or sand that is spun into thin fibers, making it an eco-friendly option for homeowners.  In comparison to rock wool, Fiberglass is a budget-friendly insulation as well, costing ~$35 for a loose-fill bag that provides a thermal value of R-19 over a ~110 square-foot area.
  • Cellulose: This is also an eco-friendly insulation material, which is made from recycled cardboard or newspaper.  Cellulose has a similar price point and thermal value to fiberglass but has the disadvantage of settling more if it gets wet.
  • Rock Wool: Rock wool is one of the most expensive blown-in insulation materials on the market, although it does have a slightly higher thermal value than fiberglass and cellulose.  The best advantage of rock wool is it has excellent fire resistance, making it great for areas subject to fire codes.

Can homeowners install blown-in insulation by themselves?

We recommend leaving the installation of blown-in insulation to the pros.  Because the activity includes drilling into stud spaces, you could run into electrical wiring and pipes that are best handled by professionals.  If you do decide to take on an insulation job as a DIY project, make sure to ask a friend or family member to be a helper and wear the proper safety gear.

In any case, you can also contact the local experts at Herbert Roofing; we would be happy to help!

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