Cellulose Fiber Installation Guide
Calculating how much cellulose fiber insulation you will need:
- Determine the total square footage of the area you want to insulate.
- Decide what R value you want to install in your attic, consult local building codes for minimum R value required.
- Using a Progressive Density Coverage Chart, make your calculations.
Example:
You are going to insulate 1500 square feet of attic space to an R 49. Your maximum net coverage per 25lb bag of cellulose fiber insulation at an R 49 is 15.2 square feet per bag. Divide 1500 15.2. You will need 99 bags to complete the job.
Attic Blow-In
Materials you need for your insulation install:
- Cellulose fiber insulation (using coverage chart, calculate correct amount of bags you will need)
- Blowing machine and hose
- Dust mask and goggles for the comfort of the installer
- A ladder of proper size to gain access to the attic
- Permanent marker and tape measure or cardboard rulers to pre mark attic with the proper blow in height of the insulation
- Portable lighting for the attic space
- Attic ventilation materials (soffit vent chutes or baffles)
- Barrier material for protection around no IC rated recessed lights and other heat sources.
PROGRESSIVE DENSITY CHART WITH INITIAL INSTALLED THICKNESS
| R-Value @ 75°F | Initial Installed Thickness (in.) | Minimum Settled Thickness | Bags/1000 ft 2 | Maximum Net Coverage ft 2/ Bag | Minimum Weight per ft 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | 4.2 | 3.8 | 12.8 | 78.1 | 0.32 |
| 19 | 5.9 | 5.3 | 21.3 | 46.9 | 0.53 |
| 22 | 6.7 | 6 | 25.7 | 38.9 | 0.64 |
| 30 | 9 | 8.1 | 37.5 | 26.7 | 0.94 |
| 38 | 11.2 | 10.1 | 49.3 | 20.3 | 1.23 |
| 49 | 14.4 | 12.9 | 65.6 | 15.2 | 1.64 |
| 60 | 17.5 | 15.8 | 82 | 12.2 | 2.05 |
Cellulose fiber insulation is easy and safe to install without all of the itching or non-recyclable waste.
Preparing for the install
Using the permanent marker and tape measure, mark rafters to your desired initial installed thickness. These marks can be reference when blowing in the insulation. Locate all non IC (insulation contact) rated recessed lights, furnace flues, heating vents, chimneys and other sources of heat in the attic.Locate all non IC (insulation contact) rated recessed lights, furnace flues, heating vents, chimneys and other sources of heat in the attic. Install barriers around heat sources following the heat sources manufacturer recommendations or local building codes. Install a rigid barrier around attic access hole at least as high as the insulation you plan to install. Place blowing machine on a dry level surface. If you have a Force 2 blower, you need to plug cords into two separate grounded outlets on separate breakers. The agitator motor requires its own 20 amp breaker.
Attach blowing hose to the machine and take into attic along with the corded remote switch. You will need 2 people to do the job – one person will be in the attic with the hose and remote blowing the insulation in place. The other person will need to keep the hopper of the blower full of cellulose fiber insulation. Make sure the area around your hopper is clean of construction debris. This will keep from damaging the machine when you use the spilled insulation on the floor.
Caution: Keep your hands, feet and clothing away from the moving parts inside the hopper.
Install
Fill the hopper with insulation. Begin to insulate at the farthest point from the attic access and work your way out of the attic.
Warning: Only ceiling joists should be stepped on when working in attics, high risk of falling through ceiling if drywall between ceiling joists is used as a walking surface. Fill attic area to the correct thickness keeping the blowing hose horizontal and close to the installation surface of the attic. Use the markings you put on the rafters, and a ruler if necessary, to insure the proper depth. Do not block soffits or cover heat sources with insulation. Use all the insulation required to achieve your desired R value. Empty the machine when finished and return to the retailer. Only clear jams or clean out the machine when it is turned off.
You have just installed a high value, high performance product that excels in harsh weather conditions and provides extremely effective fire retardant capabilities.