Most of us only think about adding insulation in the wintertime. However, it is just as important to make sure you have adequate insulation in the summertime to reduce your cooling costs.
No matter what type of insulation you currently have in your attic, you can easily determine the need for additional insulation by looking across the span of your attic. If you insulation is just level with or below your joists, you should add more insulation. Continue reading
As all insulation contractors know, not all attic spaces are created equal. The insulator’s idea of the perfect attic would be above a level ceiling with lots of headroom. However, this is not always the case. Many builders and homeowners use vaulted and cathedral ceilings as part of their home designs. In order to properly insulate these areas, the most important step is correctly identifying the ceiling type. Continue reading
Cathedral ceiling cons
truction is more susceptible to moisture damage than open attic construction. The construction of a cathedral ceiling creates air spaces in rafter cavities. Filling the cathedral ceiling with FIBER-LITE Cellulose Insulation is a very effective way to block the air movement. Continue reading
While there are many variables that affect cellulose wall-spray applications, using a few simple guidelines can eliminate some of the guess work when trying to achieve optimum performance.
First of all, you need the right equipment adjusted to the proper settings. Your blowing machine should be able to process at least 1,400 pounds of cellulose per hour, and must have the following:
Your pump must maintain pressures of 180 to 220 PSI at the nozzle tips. We recommend using a 2-jet nozzle, 2 ½ in. diameter, with an oval or diamond design. Tip sizes will vary based on machine output according to the following chart:
Machine Output (lbs/hr) Tip Size
1,400 2501
1,700 25015
2,000 2502
We recommend an applied wall-spray density of 2.5 lb/ft3. Approximately 1 to 1.2 gallons of water should be used per 28 lb. bag of insulation. The material should be damp, but not wet, with only one or two drops of water capable of being squeezed from a handful of material.
During application, you should maintain a distance of 30 to 36 inches between the spray head and the wall. Begin applying material at the base of the cavity to about eight inches. Then quickly apply a coating along the sides and top of the cavity. Return the bottom, and fill the cavity using a side-to-side motion. Material should extend just beyond the studs and a stud scrubber should be used to remove excess insulation. Typical drying time is 24 to 48 hours. Insulation should not be covered until adequately dry.
FIBER-LITE PLUS and WAL-MAT are recommended for wall-spray applications.
Technical assistance is always available. Just give us a call.
Did you know that office buildings consume the most energy of all building types – or that 34 percent of that energy is used for heating and cooling?
FTI’s loose-fill and wall spray cellulose insulation products are the perfect solution to reduce heating and cooling cost in all types of office buildings. Our wall spray products will stop air infiltration by sealing around electrical and plumbing outlets and fill all voids, seams, cracks and other structural irregularities. Our loose-fill products form a seamless blanket of interlocking fibers in the attic. The superior thermal performance of our cellulose insulation products will reduce heating and cooling costs. Continue reading
You may have heard of the Sensible Accounting to Value Energy Act (SAVE Act S17373) and wondered exactly what it is. Here is a link for more information about the ACT.
The intent of the legislation is “to improve the accuracy of mortgage underwriting used by federal mortgage agencies by ensuring that energy costs are included in the underwriting process, to reduce the amount of energy consumed by homes and to facilitate the creation of energy efficiency retrofit and construction jobs.”
The SAVE Act directs the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to issue guidelines for all federal mortgage agencies, including the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae), the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) and any affiliates, to implement enhanced loan eligibility requirements, for use when determining the ability of a loan applicant to repay a covered loan, that account for the expected costs of energy at the property involved.
Turn down the green washing and turn up the information level! That’s our mission here at the Fiberlite Technologies Blog.
At FTI, we are dedicated to producing great cellulose insulation products that help people enjoy lower energy bills, quieter living spaces and a safer building or home. We also know that our products, made from over 80% recycled paper (most of it post-consumer newspaper,) also are truly green and help to protect the environment and our planet. That same sense of stewardship drives our editorial production here on the FTI Blog.
In a market place awash with claims of green it’s important for home owners, businesses, builders and architects to have a reliable source of information. So we strive to bring our readers straight forward posts and stories about our products and a wealth of other interesting content on cellulose insulation, green building and energy savings tips and trends.
Join the discussion with a comment at the bottom of this post or any other on the FTI Blog. Help us turn up the temperature on good news about cellulose insulation and turn down the level on green washing