Wall & sidewall insulation
We insulate walls two ways. In new construction we use spray foam, flash-and-batt or batts before the drywall goes up. In existing homes we dense-pack cellulose into the wall cavities through small holes, so the walls get insulated without tearing out drywall.
In most of our service area (Climate Zone 6), Minnesota's energy code requires R-20 in a wood-framed wall, or R-13 in the cavity plus R-5 of continuous insulation. Pine County sits in Zone 7, which has its own requirements.
We meet those numbers with closed-cell foam, open-cell foam with a vapor retarder, flash-and-batt hybrid walls, or batts, depending on your budget, framing and airtightness goals. We'll lay out the options side by side in your estimate.
Many older Minnesota homes have walls that are empty or only partly filled. Dense-pack insulation fixes that without opening the walls. We remove a course of siding (or work from inside), drill a hole into each stud bay, and blow cellulose in through a fill tube at high density so it packs every corner and won't settle.
Then the holes are plugged, the siding goes back on, and the walls stay finished. Dense-packed cellulose also slows air moving through the walls, so the house feels less drafty, not just warmer.
Dense-pack sidewall insulation works best when:
Old knob-and-tube wiring must not be buried in insulation, so it has to be replaced or cleared by an electrician first. We also check for moisture problems and plan around the exterior siding before anything is drilled.
FAQ
Yes. Dense-pack cellulose goes in through small holes drilled into each stud bay, usually from the outside behind a removed course of siding. The holes are plugged and the siding goes back on, so the interior walls stay untouched.
With the power off, remove an outlet cover on an exterior wall and look beside the box, or check through a small hole in a closet. On a cold day, a thermal camera shows uninsulated bays clearly. We'll check during the site visit.
Not when it is installed at the right density. Dense-packing fills the cavity tightly enough that the cellulose holds its place instead of slumping like loosely blown insulation.
Keep exploring
Open and closed cell foam that insulates, air seals and stops condensation in one pass.
Learn more about Spray Foam InsulationFlash-and-batt and targeted air sealing to hit Minnesota's 3 ACH50 blower door target.
Learn more about Air Sealing & Hybrid SystemsInsulation for custom homes and builders, scheduled around your inspections.
Learn more about New Construction
Building a barndo, a custom home or a shop? Reach out and we'll set up a time to see it. No pressure, no guesswork pricing.
