Wall Insulation

Adding insulation to the walls was a big day, the house has stood for almost 100 years without it (it was customary in those days to not insulate your house, b/c of fire risk, etc) and we were getting tired of big utility bills and hearing every door shut outside on the street. So, on Halloween 2007, we had a local company (Einar Yohansen Insulation - a very Ballard business) come out and install blown-in cellulose insulation. We had researched several options, and decided that given our situation this was the easiest and most environmentally friendly.

It was a pretty interesting process, the goal being to fill up each stud cavity with this cellulose insulation (which is recycled paper, pulverized, with bromate added to discourage fire, bugs, and or rodentia). First the crew went around the house drilling 1" holes at about 2-3 feet about the floor level in each cavity, partly to see which had insulation and which did not. The kitchen area of our house - since it had been remodelled in the 60's did have some, the rest of the house - just air. On the street, in their truck was a hopper, and in went the cellulose, where it was then combined with pressurized air and sent down a long hose. The hose ended in a spigot, sized to fit into the 1" hole, and one of the guys would put it in the hole, turn it on until the pressure built up (the cavity is full) turn it off and move on. The holes then got a wood plug and then spackle. Later, another row of holes was drilled up high, and this was also filled. The whole job took only 3 hours.

Here's a picture of the cellulose, we can already tell a difference in the way the house holds heat (and we notice the drafty windows more). Also - the living room is much quieter. Pretty cool! (or warm).