Wall Insulation in Mansfield, OH

Wall insulation is the biggest gap in the oldest homes around Mansfield. With about a quarter of the city's housing built before 1940, many exterior walls were framed and plastered with nothing inside them. Even 1940s and 1950s houses often have only a thin layer of early insulation. Cold walls make rooms drafty and uneven no matter how much you add in the attic.

Closed walls: dense-pack

When the walls are finished, we fill them by drilling small holes, usually from the outside under the siding or from inside in an inconspicuous spot, and blowing cellulose or fiberglass in at high density. Dense-packed material slows air as well as heat. We check each bay for blocking and fire stops so nothing is left empty, then plug and patch the holes.

Open walls: spray foam

When walls are open for a remodel, spray foam goes in before the drywall. Closed-cell foam gives the most R-value in a shallow 2x4 wall; open-cell is a lower-cost option when the moisture plan allows. Ohio's code table lists R-20, or R-13 plus R-5 continuous, for wood-frame walls in Zone 5, the target for new and remodeled work.

Before we fill a wall

We look for knob-and-tube wiring, which should not be buried in insulation, and for moisture problems such as failing siding or gutters. Solid brick walls and some balloon-framed houses need extra care; we will tell you if a wall is not a good candidate.