Why is blown in insulation in Burlington becoming so popular?
I think that one of the reasons why blown in insulation is becoming more popular is the fact that it is so easy to put in. This is especially true if you are trying to retrofit a home with insulation (i.e., after it has already been built) — you will not have to do extensive tearing out of walls or ceilings or floors — all that is really needed is enough of an opening for your contractors machinery to insert a flexible tube to blow in the insulation particles.
Which areas of my home can be insulated in this way?
Actually, you can use Burlington blown in insulation in many different areas of your home — floors, ceilings, walls, attic crawl spaces — all of these are good places to use it. Often times insulating your home can turn out to be a big expense if you have to insulate large areas — because larger areas require more material. But blown in insulation is made from recycled material, which is much cheaper — and it certainly doesn’t take as many people to install this type of insulation in your home than with, let’s say, fiberglass or rigid foam insulating blocks.
Advantages and disadvantages?
As I mentioned above, blown in insulation is very inexpensive — and safe. It is also very environmentally friendly. Certain types of materials are rated as a Class I fire safety material (your insurance company will love that!) — and insulation that is blown in can be done very simply by drilling a hole, pumping the stuff in, and then sealing the hole — nothing could be easier.
But there are a few downsides as well. For example, if you need to seal up very small, restricted areas such as around electrical junction boxes or plumbing structures, this method will not work as well as expanding foam insulation will. Another thing to be aware of is that over time the materials which are blown in to your wall cavities or above your ceiling can settle — and this can cause some loss in insulating effectiveness (not to mention the fact that the extra weight can cause your walls and ceilings to sag).
What types of materials are available?
A common material used as blown in insulation filler is cellulose. To make it safer, most cellulose insulation products that are sold in the US have been treated with a substance — aluminum sulfate — which acts as a fire retardant. You must make sure to keep this type of treated cellulose dry, as the effectiveness of the aluminum sulfate as a fire retardant will be lowered if it becomes wet.
If your contractor offers the option, you can select wet-spray cellulose as your filler material. Wet-spray cellulose has water mixed in with a special adhesive — and the adhesive will help the small pieces of cellulose to adhere to each other once they have been blown in to your wall or ceiling cavity.
Other types of materials used candy fiberglass, vermiculite, slag wool and perlite, hemp, granulated cork, wood chips — even corncobs! You must be very careful if you choose to use an all-natural material (such as wood chips or corncobs) as over time they may deteriorate or even rot — especially if they become wet.
Can I install blown in insulation myself?
While there is nothing inherently difficult about installing this type of insulation, you probably do not have the necessary blowing equipment to get the job done. As your local building supply store probably does not have those units for renting, your best bet is to rely on the services of a professional installation contractor.
They not only have the necessary equipment but the added experience of having done perhaps hundreds of these insulating projects over the years, in many different types of homes and buildings. You should seek them out, ask for references and always get a written estimate before agreeing to allow them to do the work for you.
