Blogs by a Cincinnati Insulation Contractor

Oct 19 2021

Blow-In Insulation FAQs

Valley Insulation is one of Cincinnati’s top insulation companies for installing blow-in insulation. We’ve been in business since 1977, and we know a thing or two about residential and commercial insulation.

Our staff answers several FAQs about blow-in insulation.

What is blow-in insulation?

This type of home insulation refers to thick clumps of thick material filling the gaps in walls and on attic floors to improve heat exchange in your building.

What is blow-in insulation made of?

The best products are made of recycled paper materials, such as newspaper or cardboard. Other materials are made of glass or waste minerals.

Why should I invest in blow-in insulation?

This type of insulation is perfect for attic areas and interior walls with nooks and crannies that are impossible to fill with batt insulation because of the size and shape of the spaces.

Is blow-in insulation eco-friendly?

Yes, in three ways.

Some home insulation is made of post-consumer recycled newspaper or cardboard, which keeps this type of solid waste out of landfills.
Quality home insulation can save you hundreds or thousands of dollars on your utility bills over the years, depending on how long you own your home. Reduced utility bills can lead to less combustion being used to generate electricity, which reduces carbon emissions.
Some brands of home insulation take ten times less energy to produce than fiberglass batts or rolls, which allows you to reduce carbon emissions even more.

Is blow-in insulation better than rolls or batts?

Yes, because it fills in gaps better and has a higher R-value. Cellulose insulation carries an R-value of 3.8 per inch, while batts and rolls typically have an R-value of 3.2 per inch. This means that the more inches of insulation you add, the better it insulates versus the same thickness of batts or rolls.

Can insulation be blown into existing walls?

Yes, by using a specific process of drilling holes in walls.

The process follows these steps:

Home insulation installers will cut a round, 2-½ inch hold towards the top of a wall in between two studs.
Installers hold a flexible tube in each hole while a high-powered blower distributes blow-in insulation into the wall cavity between the studs. This process takes a few minutes in each cavity.
After installation companies complete this process with every wall cavity, they replace the wall cut-outs.
Add a small amount of spackle to cover up the cut made in each wall cavity and dry it thoroughly.
Paint over the wall cut-outs to make it appear as if you never cut into the wall for blow-in insulation.

Blowing insulation into walls offers a great way to insulate your existing residence for exterior walls. Since wall cavities are about 3 inches deep, you’ll get around 3 inches of high-quality insulation in the walls.

How long does blow-in insulation last?

Typically, anywhere from 20 to 30 years. It can degrade if moisture, pests, or rodents invade the insulation. However, it can last anywhere from 80 to 100 years under the right conditions.

How much blow-in insulation do I need in my attic?

The U.S. Department of Energy recommends anywhere from 10 to 14 inches of attic insulation or around R-38. For Greater Cincinnati, experts recommend R-values of anywhere between R-38 and R-60, which is 10 inches to 16 inches of insulation.

How does an insulation blowing machine work?

Blowing insulation into your home takes some special machinery, but it is a simple process similar to vacuuming only in reverse.

A large machine sits in the back of a truck, similar to a moving truck, allowing installers to feed insulation into the top of the machine.
Installers unwrap 30-pound packages of insulation before dropping them one at a time into the open-ended top of the machine.
Slow-moving blades at the bottom of the machine turn the insulation to loosen it.
Another set of blades, smaller than the first set, turn in a 90-degree direction from the larger ones. These blades feed into the tube.
A powerful blower then moves the small clumps of blow-in insulation towards your home or business through a very long series of hoses.

Because the blowing machine is large and heavy, professional installers keep the machine in their truck for ease of use. The team might use ladders to access the attic, while several hose lengths make it easy to distribute the insulation.

What are the best times of year to install blow-in insulation?

Spring and fall represent the two best times to get new insulation for your residential or commercial property. That’s because the temperatures are generally mild. Think late September to early November or late March to early May. These times may fill up fast, so book your installation as soon as you know you want to invest in this type of quality insulation.

How much does blow-in insulation cost to install?

On average, homeowners may spend $1 to $1.50 per square foot for home installation and anywhere from $40 to $70 per hour for technicians.

How long does it take to install blow-in insulation?

Most residential projects take around one day to install, depending on the size of the building. Larger projects may take two days, while commercial buildings may need up to a week.

Is blow-in insulation fire-resistant?

Yes, many types of insulation contain borate, which has fire-resistant properties. The best blow-in insulation brands have a Class A fire rating, which is the best rating you can find for reducing the spread of fire. This rating means a type of insulation withstands fire than other classifications.

Does blow-in insulation resist mold and insects?

Yes, thanks to borate compounds added to the insulation during the manufacturing process.

How much borate goes into blow-in insulation?

Up to 20 percent of the weight of each 30-pound block of insulation contains borate.

Is borate safe for humans?

Yes, the U.S. government has certified that borate is safe when used as part of home or commercial insulation.

Does blow-in insulation smell?

Some brands may have a slight newsprint smell because manufacturers make it out of recycled newspapers.

Who installs blow-in insulation in Greater Cincinnati?

Talk to the experts at Valley Insulation, serving the Greater Cincinnati area since 1977. We’ll come to your home, give you a free estimate, and provide you with excellent customer service from start to finish. We promise to answer your questions every step of the way.

Aug 10 2021

How Long Does It Take to Install Blown-In Cellulose Insulation?

If you need new insulation installed for your home, you’re probably wondering how long the process will take. Well, the amount of time it takes to install blown-in cellulose insulation varies from project to project due to the following factors:

The size of the house or area
Where the insulation is installed
If your old insulation needs to be removed

At Valley Insulation, we want to make sure you fully understand the installation process so you know what to expect. Let’s take a closer look at each of these factors below.

How does the size of my house affect installation of blown-in cellulose insulation?

Generally, the larger the space, the longer the installation will take.

For example, if you’re having blown-in cellulose insulation installed in a 1,000-square-foot attic, the project is likely to only take a few hours. On the other hand, if our crew is installing insulation all over your home, you can expect it to take significantly longer. We’ll need to get into wall cavities and maybe even your crawlspace to fully insulate a home.

Where does your company install cellulose insulation?

Depending on the area of your home, certain projects may require different prep work, which will add to the total time of installation.

Depending on where the blown-in cellulose insulation is being installed, our crew may also need to:

Remove exterior singing or drill into drywall with a small hole
Install vents
Seal walls
Prep soffits
Apply weather stripping
Insulate the access door (if insulating an attic)

Certain tasks like these may be necessary to ensure that your insulation is as effective as possible. But, they will take some additional time to complete. Before you hire a crew to begin a project, you should make sure to ask what type of prep work or additional work will be required to complete it.

What happens if I need old insulation removed first?

Before the space can be filled with blown-in insulation, our crew may need to remove the old insulation.

Insulation can become damaged over time. In some instances, our crew can install blown-in cellulose insulation directly over the top of old fiberglass insulation. But in other cases, the old insulation may be too damaged or may be a health hazard due to insect or rodent infestation, flooding, or fire.

If your old insulation needs to be removed, this will tack on a significant amount of time onto the overall project, but one of our technicians can give you an accurate estimate of how long it will take depending on the scope of the project.

Who can help me install insulation in my home or business?

The best way to find out exactly how long an insulation installation project will take is to get a quote from our crew. Contact us online or call (513) 353-4100 today to get started.

Aug 04 2021

How to Find Out Where Home Air Leaks Are Coming From

Who doesn’t want to reduce energy costs? Air leakage in the home is equivalent to energy loss, so you may see higher heating and cooling bills. By understanding, locating, and sealing air leaks in your home, you can save a lot of money. Read on to learn how to identify and fix air leaks in your home. Don’t forget, you can always call in the professionals with Valley Insulation for help.

What are quick methods to take care of air leaks in my home?

There are some signs that your home may be leaking air. The most obvious is higher energy costs. Compare your utility bills (gas and electricity bills) with the same period a year ago. Have your costs risen sharply this year? There may be new air leaks in your home.

Other signs of recent air leaks include rattling windows, hot and cold rooms, and even excessive dust.

Inspect windows and doors for leaks. If you can rattle your windows or doors, you might have possible air leaks because movement means possible air leaking. Look at the outside of your windows and doors to see if any caulking is missing. Missing caulking can indicate air leaks.

Check your house for damage to siding, windows, and the roof.

How do I troubleshoot air leaks in my home?

Air leaks most often occur around doors and windows, on top of basement walls, fireplaces, recessed lights, duct vents, wiring holes on walls, and attic roof hatches.

Fortunately, there are three inexpensive ways to locate leaks of various sizes around these places.

Flashlight test. Wait until night, turn off all the lights in the room. Ask a friend or family member to come out and stand in front of where you think the leak is coming from. Then turn on the flashlight from the inside. If your friend can see the light coming in from the house, it may have some leaks.

Incense or toilet paper. Hold up an incense stick or one piece of toilet paper near a window, door, or suspected leaky air spot. Drafts and air movements will move the incense smoke or toilet paper in erratic directions.

Manual inspection. Expecting an extremely hot or cold day. Check all the seams in your home. Don’t forget the outside of the structure. For best results, moisten your hands with water to make it easier to feel the temperature change. If you can feel a drop or a sudden rise in temperature near the joint, you may have noticed an air leak.

How do I seal air leaks?

Don’t worry, there is a sealing solution for every leak! Once you find out where the air is leaking in your home, take action.

Check out these quick tips for air leaks in sealed homes.

Windows and doors. Use caulk and weather strips. Depending on the position and shape of the window or door frame opening, you can choose weather strips, felt, foam, rubber, and metal weather strips. Use a caulking gun on small areas. For less durable options, try using rope putty.

Attic and crawl space. This is a tough task, but you need to properly insulate the attic and crawl space. A simple diagnostic tool is a ruler. If your insulation is shorter than 10 inches, fill it with a layer of cellulose insulation. Better yet, invest in home insulation from Valley Insulation. And, of course, wrap the tubing to any HVAC plumbing.

Basement. To insulate the large space (half an inch or more) between the house frame and the foundation, try a can of polyurethane insulation foam. The foam expands to firmly fill the large gaps. Fill in the small gaps with silicone or latex sealant. Always use heat-resistant caulk around the stove or water heater vents.

Who can help me fix air leaks in my home?

Need help with your home insulation? Valley Insulation has the answer! For further assistance or in-person consultation, call Valley Insulation in Ohio at 513-353-4100.

Jul 21 2021

Valley Insulation Discusses Home Insulation Statistics

Wooden man sits on the word Truth in block letters

Valley Insulation is the premier cellulose insulation installer in the Greater Cincinnati area. We offer world-class Nu-Wool insulation for your home’s attic and walls. In today’s blog, we discuss home insulation statistics.

Is home insulation eco-friendly?

Yes, Nu-Wool is 85 percent post-consumer newspapers. Every ton of recycled newspapers saves 17 trees, and those trees absorb 250 pounds of carbon dioxide every year. Let’s say we install 400 pounds of cellulose insulation in your home. Your installation potentially saves 3.5 trees from being used as a paper product.

For every BTU it takes to produce cellulose insulation, homeowners save 12 BTUs. That’s a lot of carbon dioxide staying out of the atmosphere!

What is the R-value of Nu-Wool cellulose insulation?

Nu-Wool is 10 percent more efficient than ordinary insulation. Here’s why. The average R-value of wall insulation is 3.5 per inch. Nu-Wool has an R-value of 3.8 per inch.

How does home insulation help my heating and cooling bills?

On average, heating and cooling account for 54 percent of your home’s annual utility bill. Meanwhile, uninsulated floors waste 10 percent of your home’s heating bills. But here is where cellulose insulation really helps you. You can reduce heat loss in your home by 67 percent by installing wall insulation where there previously was none. You can decrease heating and cooling costs by 40 percent after installing attic insulation to the right depth.

How long does it take to recoup my investment in home insulation?

On average, you recoup the costs of new home insulation in five to six years. After that time period, your investment turns into savings. You can save even more the longer you own your home. The important thing is that your individual results may vary.

How can install insulation in my home in Cincinnati?

Interested in new home insulation from Valley Insulation? Let us know! Call our team at Valley Insulation for a consultation today!

Jul 08 2021

What Does the EPA Say About the Money You Can Save With Proper Home Insulation?

According to the government’s Energy Star program, the average American household spends more than $2,000 per year on utility bills. If you’re a homeowner, chances are you’re always searching for ways to save money on energy costs. Fortunately, there’s a lot of room for improvement, and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has good news for you!

How much energy savings can I see from new home insulation?

When it comes to energy savings, home insulation and sealing can make a big difference. The EPA estimates that homeowners can save an average of 15% on heating and cooling costs (or 11% of all energy costs on average) by sealing their homes and adding insulation in attics, floors over crawl spaces, and basement rim joists.

This estimate emphasizes characteristics that define the “typical” American home, including:

1,700 square feet of conditioned floor area
15% window-to-floor-area ratio
23% total system duct leakage
Four bedrooms
Construction with wooden studs, joists, and rafters with batt insulation in walls and blown insulation in attics

Your individual results will vary.

Why is saving energy important?

Cutting back on your energy costs with home insulation improvements has many benefits for U.S. homeowners like you.

First, it puts money back in your wallet. Chances are, if you could save even a fraction of those $ 2,000 ( ish ) dollars you likely spend on energy costs every year, you’d be happy. While home insulation improvements require an upfront investment, they pay for themselves over time with energy savings.
It’s also good for the environment. Quite a bit of our electricity comes from burning fossil fuels, which contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. The household energy used by the average American family produces about twice as much carbon pollution as a car. Insulation reduces your carbon footprint by sealing and insulating your home, replacing old appliances with newer, high-efficiency ones, and setting your thermostat wisely. At the same time, you are asleep or away from your home are all things that are better for our environment.

How can help me save money on heating and cooling costs?

As you can see, properly sealing and insulating your home can decrease your energy costs and cut back on your carbon footprint. If you’re ready to start making these improvements, Valley Insulation can help. Call us today to get a quote or for more details on our customized insulation services. Keep in mind, your individual results will vary from any examples we have listed here.

Insulation experts since 1977