Insulating Garage Attic

[DRH1175]

I just finished all the sheetrock on my ceiling. Now I want to put R49 in my attic. I was thinking of cellulose. How hard is it? I put in all the soffit baffles before sheetrocking. I can do the whole thing for under $300 or pay to have it done for more.

[bak2MN]

It really easy to do your self Just have someone load the hopper for you without plugging it up. Take a tape measure with you and start in the back corner and work your wat to the access hole. Buld up around your access hole the height of the insulation first. Do it when its not super hot out. It can get to be a cooker up there. I wouldn't hire it out unless your not confident to do your self. Good luck.

[nofishfisherman]

Blowing it yourself is so easy a one handed blind monkey could do it.

Usually the big box stores give you the blower rental for free if you buy so many bags of insulation. I believe its 20 bags or so. Even if you don't need that many just buy the minimum number to get the free rental and return the unused stuff later on after you've gotten the free rental.

Like said above just start in the far back corner and work your way to the access hole.

There are a few tricks that can make it easier.

Like marking the needed height of the isulation in several points in the attic before you start blowing. Then you can just blow the insulation until in reaches your marks. Its saves you from having the keep track of the tape measure. If you drop the tape measure while blowing it can be hard to find in that pile of fluff.

Also do it on a cool day. When I did my attic I thought I was going to pass out it was so hot (mid 80's outside, about a million degrees inside). I told my friend if he doesn't hear from me in 10 minutes come up and find me.

Other then that the hardest part is loading and unloading the blower from your truck. Its a heavy little bugger.

[BoxMN]

Wear masks too. It gets real "dusty" with all that stuff, even the guy atr the hopper. I am not usually a real "safety at all costs" guy, but when we did my brothers I was glad we both had masks.

I like the advice about marking the trusses ahead of time with sharpie, then don't need tape later.

Really easy...

[crothmeier]

i've blown a ton of insulations ranging from adding to my house attic, to 80x300 hog barns. Do like said above, figure out your height and mark it on the webs of the rafters with a black sharpie. dont waste money on the insulation rulers. it takes more time installing them than marking with a sharpie. R-49 seems like alot for a garage!

wear a dust mask, and i always put on a long sleeve t-shirt otherwise when you sweat it sticks to your arms. Goggles are good too, i have contacts and the dust gets in your eyes and messes up your vision.

[DRH1175]

it will be heated all winter so that is why R49.