Joined
·
1,370 Posts
Let me start by saying I realize this has been touched a lot online and people seem to get somewhat slammed for the idea, BUT....I have an old, very uninsulated house (c.1915) and thus I get little insulation projects that aren't worth calling out a pro and/or getting use of a rental machine.
With that said, I'm currently, topping off an attic space above my pantry with some cellulose. I had blown with a machine a year or so ago, and have removed some plaster from kitchen and see that I missed some areas, so I've been topping it off best I can. Problem before was just good access!
Looking online I found someone had used a shop vac and a bucket, putting the chopped cellulose in the bucket and blowing it in that way. I figured for this job, what did I have to loose. It does work well, albeit it isn't very fast and I have to preloosen the material with a paddle style paint mixer before hand. It comes out very fluffy, so I figure it'll work. Definately an improvement over before!
Now for the Million $$$ question.....I have a squirel cage from an old furnace that moves A LOT of air very forcefully. I've actually built a box for it and use it to filter air while creating dust during various remodel jobs I've done. I am wondering what would happen if I built another box (or used trash can with lid) and blew air into the box filled with loosened up cellulose and used that to blow cellulose. Any chance it would work? ....what about dense packing walls with it?
I figure the dense pack part will be the biggest what if, but wouldn't a furnace squirel cage move air as well, if not better than most rental machines? I dense packed most of my exterior walls about a year ago with a rental machine, realizing it may not be as perfect as a professional job, but better than nothing and it has made a big difference on sound deading and draftyness of the house. Now I need to go in and do above windows and a few joist bays....figure I'll see if any settled while I'm at it.
If it works decently enough, I have an old elctric motor, I could always rig it to 'fluff' insulation in the box as well.
Thought? ....am I crazy for thinking this may work and/or has anyone tried something like this? I just need a way to get 3-5 bags into spaces when I get to them.
With that said, I'm currently, topping off an attic space above my pantry with some cellulose. I had blown with a machine a year or so ago, and have removed some plaster from kitchen and see that I missed some areas, so I've been topping it off best I can. Problem before was just good access!
Looking online I found someone had used a shop vac and a bucket, putting the chopped cellulose in the bucket and blowing it in that way. I figured for this job, what did I have to loose. It does work well, albeit it isn't very fast and I have to preloosen the material with a paddle style paint mixer before hand. It comes out very fluffy, so I figure it'll work. Definately an improvement over before!
Now for the Million $$$ question.....I have a squirel cage from an old furnace that moves A LOT of air very forcefully. I've actually built a box for it and use it to filter air while creating dust during various remodel jobs I've done. I am wondering what would happen if I built another box (or used trash can with lid) and blew air into the box filled with loosened up cellulose and used that to blow cellulose. Any chance it would work? ....what about dense packing walls with it?
I figure the dense pack part will be the biggest what if, but wouldn't a furnace squirel cage move air as well, if not better than most rental machines? I dense packed most of my exterior walls about a year ago with a rental machine, realizing it may not be as perfect as a professional job, but better than nothing and it has made a big difference on sound deading and draftyness of the house. Now I need to go in and do above windows and a few joist bays....figure I'll see if any settled while I'm at it.
If it works decently enough, I have an old elctric motor, I could always rig it to 'fluff' insulation in the box as well.
Thought? ....am I crazy for thinking this may work and/or has anyone tried something like this? I just need a way to get 3-5 bags into spaces when I get to them.