Insulating your home is the number one way to save money on energy costs. In the old days, floors and walls were lined with just about anything to keep the moisture and cold air out of a home. Renovations have revealed that even old newspapers were found packed into wall and floorboards.

Today, insulating is a science all its own. There are R-factors assigned to different materials and methods of insulating that give homes and buildings an appropriate amount of protection for their geographic region. The higher the R rating, the better insulated the home.

One of the top-rated insulations is relatively new to the industry, probably no more than a couple of decades old and that is blown-in insulation. 

The Benefits of Blow-In Insulation:

There are several benefits to blow in insulation over rolls of fiberglass insulation. The benefits include the method of installing it, its energy efficiency and where it can be used. Here are the top 5 reasons to consider using blow-in insulation:

1. Blow-in insulation is adjustable. Depending on how much material is used, it can create a protection with an R-value of 15-38. 
2. Only virgin materials are used to create most blow-in varieties of insulation. This means there is a reduced chance of allergies.
3. Blowing the material into the crevices allows for a tighter fit and seal. It can be directed around corners, beams, or wiring that may already be in the walls.
4. Installing blow insulation is fast. A barrier, referred to as a blanket, is stapled to all of the 2x4s to keep the material from floating away and adhering where it isnít wanted. Then a small slit is cut into the blanket. A hose is inserted and measured amounts of the insulation are blown into place.
5. This type of insulation is extremely energy efficient. As it is blown in it expands and adheres to the surrounding surfaces. It fills even the tiniest of cracks as it does this. 

The Complete Installation Process:

After attaching the blanket to the surrounding boards, the small opening cut into it allows the hose to be pointed in all directions around the wall or ceiling. After the material is in place the blanketís slit is closed and taped. This blanket does not act as a moisture barrier, it just controls the spray. The material itself resists moisture.

Drywall or other wall materials are then installed right over the insulation blanket. In a renovation project, this means that an entire wall would not have to be removed in order to provide insulation. Take an extremely old home for example. There may be no insulation at all. Instead of removing layers of plaster wall, you could simply make a hole, position the hose and fill the walls with energy-efficient insulation. Then patch the wall and the job is complete. 

The blow-in insulation is more expensive than traditional insulation. However, experts estimate that energy savings are so great that within 2 to 4 years those costs are recovered.