Replies

1. 
   Danno | Mar 04, 2007 05:02pm | #1

   Since your post is about ready to drop out of sight for lack of response, I'll give it a shot if only to push it back up where others may see it:

   One easy way would be to get someone out there to do thermal imaging--the heat loss (if there is any) will show up as spots (don't remember if they'll be dark spots or light, but you will see a difference from the rest of the wall) on the image at the top of each bay where the heat is escaping. If there are no spots there, you are okay.

1. 
   rez | Mar 07, 2007 03:57am | #2

   bump 

    

   every court needs a jester

2. 
   Woody78 | Mar 07, 2007 08:24pm | #3

   you say you switched to damp spray, what did you use before?

   How long do you allow to dry before rocking?

   Are you happy with the choice?

   I built an addition last fall that i need to get tgoing on soon. I got insul quotes as follows. ICY $5600/ Damp Cells $2800/ Fiberglass Batts $1600 (materials at Hell Depot $1050).

   I think the damp cells guy will get the call. I would like to try Mike Smiths Dense Pak method but i cant find a good blower and i think my time is a lot shorter than i like to think. I have been pretty tenacious already with my foam gun because originally i was going to just fiberglass it myself, but after a lot of searches here i am sold on other methods/systems to reduce air infiltration and convective loops.

   Good luck

1. 
   DougU | Mar 12, 2007 01:56pm | #4

   Just to keep this near the top - what is Mike Smith using, is his damp spray?

   Doug

1. 
   Woody78 | Mar 12, 2007 02:09pm | #5

   He does dense pak cells (dry) from what I have read here.He is a big proponent of it and his system looks great.A lot of threads on the Mooney wall have info and pics on it. I would follow his advise but i could not find a blower with enough power and I really need to hire this job out for time constraints.

   Do you use damp spray cells?

   Thanks

1. 
   DougU | Mar 13, 2007 02:45am | #9

   Do you use damp spray cells?

   Woody, I dont do either, I was just currious about the two different methods.

   Doug

3. 
   Technome | Mar 12, 2007 08:50pm | #6

   From experience with dry cellulose....

   I did my families old house many years ago myself. I was concerned with settling so I opened 3 holes per stud and packed each stud as much as the blower would allow. The packing was dense, but still it settled about 3-5 inches after many years. Dry cellulose in a wall done by a contractor, bet it would settle more than 12" likely >18" .

   The damp cellulose sound like a good idea, regular blow cellulose cuts down on noise transfer, the damp should be better at this, plus should be better lowing air infiltration. One of the really great results of cellulose... the house had a major fire in the basement (due to a contractor). The entire 1st floor joists were history but there was no fire damage to any outside wall studs. The house is balloon framed, so without the cellulose, the entire house would have burnt to the ground.

   Funny note... the brilliant contractor was cleaning paint brushes with Turpentine and paint thinner, in a bucket which had pool chlorine bits in it. To add to the brilliance, he spilled the mix on multiple drop cloths which he neatly folded and stacked..perfect for spontaneous combustion. Turpentine is a dangerous item itself, no less sodium chlorite... a deranged Arsonist could not do better. The NYC fire Marshall, for a while, though I had set the fire to roast my parents (not funny at the time).

1. 
   arnemckinley | Mar 13, 2007 01:11am | #7

   how much experience with dry blown cellulose do you really have? one house?

    dry blown cellulose is all we use, with outstanding results. we switched from wet blown cellulose.the blower and the material gate need to be adjusted to get the right pack. i've seen plenty of walls that were blown improperly, but an improper technique yeilds an inferior product. i'm guessing this was your case.

    

1. 
   Technome | Mar 13, 2007 02:16am | #8

   I was a contractor for years and did a number of homes, my folks home is the only house I opened up any walls near the top of the studs. The stud space was originally packed very carefully. I did not state there was anything wrong with dry cellulose, 3-5 inches settling on a 12 foot wall, over 25 years is not bad; paying $600.00 a year to heat this large two story house is phenomenal.  I apologize to any contractor who does quality work, here in NYC 90% of so called contractors are only interested in making the buck, with the least amount of work, there is no conscience or workmanship.

    

1. 
   arnemckinley | Mar 13, 2007 04:46am | #13

   agreed. i to live in ny, but way upstate, by lake placid. there is a wide spectrum of contractor ability to put it nicely.

    

2. 
   Grott | Mar 13, 2007 03:15am | #11

   Arne? or anyone else with cellulose experience/equipment.What brand of equipment would you buy if you were starting a new business? I am almost to that point and only have experience with our current 15 year old set up.We are rather low volume, a house a week generally plus some fill in retro work and attics.Garettedit spellin'

   Edited 3/12/2007 8:20 pm ET by Grott

1. 
   arnemckinley | Mar 13, 2007 04:40am | #12

   we use a krendall. it's one of the lower grade models, being that we only blow our own projects...(lol). you might want to check into the more heavier duty models if you wanted to use it full time.

4. 
   EricPaulson | Mar 13, 2007 02:59am | #10

   Help a guy out?

   Eric

   [email protected]

    

    

   WHICH content will be free, of course; WHICH content will require registration; but WHICH content will be available only to members of FineHomebuilding.com.???