Wall Insulation for Older Homes in New Philadelphia, OH

Wall insulation for older homes is the service that sets this area apart. In New Philadelphia, about 40% of houses date from the 1940s or earlier, and in Coshocton and Uhrichsville the pre-war share is similar or higher. Most of those houses were built with nothing in the exterior walls. Adding attic insulation helps, but the rooms will not feel even until the walls are filled.

Dense-pack cellulose

We drill a hole in each stud bay, usually from the outside after lifting a course of siding, or from inside where that works better, and blow cellulose in at high density. Dense-packed cellulose fills the cavity tightly, slows air movement and does not settle like loose fill. We probe for fire blocking and mid-wall framing so no section is left empty, then plug the holes and replace the siding or patch the plaster.

Balloon framing

In balloon-framed houses, stud bays run uninterrupted from the basement to the attic. Before filling, we block the tops of the bays in the attic and the bottoms at the rim so the walls stop acting as chimneys. This step is often worth doing even before the walls are filled.

When walls are open

If you are remodeling, spray foam goes in before the drywall. Ohio's Zone 5A table lists R-20 or R-13 plus R-5 continuous for wood-frame walls in new work.

What we check first

Live knob-and-tube wiring must not be buried in insulation; we will tell you if an electrician needs to look first. Failing siding, gutters or flashing that let water into the wall need repair before we fill. Solid brick walls have no cavity to fill.