insulation

[Mark Lawrence]

I've been working on some modifications in my shop which is an attached 2 car garage. It was fully sheet rocked when I bought the house. I just insulated the garage doors. I now discover that the two exterior walls (those farest from living area) are not insulated. What are some ideas on how to insulate them? I use a 220 v electric heater. I live in Long Island, New York.

[Steve Clardy]

Call someone that can blow the walls full of insulation.

They, or you, can cut some round holes near the top in the sheetrock, then patch the holes.

[Michael Prisbylla]

Blowing cellulose insulation into existing walls is pretty easy, economical and very effective as an insulator. If you buy enough, some of the borg stores will give you a free day's rental of the machine. I've done it myself armed with only information I picked up over the net and it did a fine job.

[phil harold]

Blowing cellulose insulation into existing walls is pretty easy, economical and very effective as an insulator. If you buy enough, some of the borg stores will give you a free day's rental of the machine. I've done it myself armed with only information I picked up over the net and it did a fine job.

+1 on this

I would also blow more in the ceiling of the garage while your at it

[David Hostetler]

If your sheet rock is in the shape mine is in, this isn't a tough choice. Rip it out, shove insulation in, put fresh rock back in, tape and float it, and then paint...

[Don Jarvie]

If your budget can handle it. Rip out the rock, insultate and put up plywood walls.

You can hang anything anywhere and not have to worry about needing to hit a stud unless the object weighs a ton.

[Francis Robinson]

Insulate, absolutely... Just don't forget to vent those walls (you can Google that) and also do not forget the now needed vapor barrier. If you do not install an inside vapor barrier and vent the tops of the walls (tiny vents) to the out side you risk a serious condensation build up which can mess up the insulation and even rot out the wall framing. I mention this since you are in NY. If you were in a warmer winter climate it might not be as critical.
Glidden and some others make a"vapor barrier" paint that you can use on the inside of the drywall to take care of that potential problem.
Usually insulation is the cheapest heat you can buy.

[Jamie Buxton]

If you're blowing insulation into old walls, look out for fire stop blocking. It is a horizontal 2x4 in each stud bay, about halfway up the wall. If you have it, you'll need a second hole to blow insulation into the lower cavity too.

[phil harold]

If your sheet rock is in the shape mine is in, this isn't a tough choice. Rip it out, shove insulation in, put fresh rock back in, tape and float it, and then paint...

it is an attached garage sheet rock is required by code in some places

thats not saying you cannot but plywood over the existing sheetrock...

[Kent A Bathurst]

If you're blowing insulation into old walls, look out for fire stop blocking. It is a horizontal 2x4 in each stud bay, about halfway up the wall. If you have it, you'll need a second hole to blow insulation into the lower cavity too.

Exactly correct - very good point to raise.

Most building codes (actually, all that I am familiar with on this specific topic, covering 20+ states - and, for a weird reason, this is one of only 3 -4 building code topics I AM familiar with) require fire blocking to prevent having a vertical open space > 8' tall. This means that if you have standard 8' ceiling height, you very well may not have the blocking. If you have, say, 9' ceiling height, I'd bet big on fire blocking. Understand that the codes that call for the blocking don't, as a rule, specify mid-height location - only 8' free run issue, but it is pretty much standard to put them at mid-height as noted. My comments do not apply to a wall common to the house, but that appears to not be the case here.

[Mark Lawrence]

Thank you for the replies. In my last two shops I hadopen stud walls so I always placed insulation in them and then covered with plywood as suggested here. This time the walls are already sheetrocked. I had to move the dryer vent to the outside of the garage (someone who owned the house before thought to vent the dryer into the garage) . It was then that I discover the lack of insulation. I'll let you all know of my progress.

[Mark Lawrence]

Yesterday I went to L's and was told that I couldn't blow insulation into the previously sheetrocked walls. That the product could only be used in open spaces like an attic. Is that correct. the brochure does show it only being blown into an attic.

[Mark Lawrence]

Its' true there wouldn't be a vapor barrier if I use blow in insulation since the shetrock is already up. The sheet rock isn't in bad shape and there are shelves ,etc. already in place. (i've used the shop this way for 4 years) so I hate to rip it out an start over. Budget is also an issue.

[phil harold]

most paint will act as a vapor retarder which should be the actual term used instead of vapor barrier
cellulose is better than fiberglass when water vapor enters the wall cavity
and water vapors always enters the wall cavity


blowin insulation in wall is not recomended by lowes because you can clog the blower

here is a good link on how to do the process

http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects...lCellulose.htm

[Rich Aldrich]

Yesterday I went to L's and was told that I couldn't blow insulation into the previously sheetrocked walls. That the product could only be used in open spaces like an attic. Is that correct. the brochure does show it only being blown into an attic.

This is correct with they type of blown in insulation that I am familar with. However, I think there are some foam insulation systems that can be put in walls, but I have no experience with them. Maybe someone else on the forum has some input.