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Mar. 18th, 2005 06:25 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
which_chickI learned to work the staple gun mostly with one hand. Yay!
Hanging rolls of fiberglass insulation is not particularly rocket science. You measure the hole, unroll the insulation and cut an appropriate slice off with your utility knife. If you're trying this at home, cut your roll insulation on the fluffy side (not the paper side) and press down firmly on a surface that gives a bit. Carpet that you don' t plan to be keeping is ideal. (Why measure? Don't standard, modern houses have standard 8' walls with standard (16" centers) spacing for wall studs? Yes. They do. These are not standard modern houses or they would ALREADY HAVE INSULATION IN THE WALLS. Next time, think before you ask a stupid question like that. If you have the good fortune to be working on a standard, modern house, you can tear the insulation along the provided 8' perforations. The house I worked on today had 85" walls on the second floor and 89" walls on the ground floor, so the perforations weren't much good.) Anyway, tuck the piece of insulation in between the studs. If you have to mush it more than about three inches to get it to fit due to nailers or schizophrenia on the part of the builders, trim the piece. (Cut on the fluffy side, like you did when you were cutting the slices in the first place.) Insulation should be mostly fluffy in situ, not all mashed up. When you've got the piece stuffed between the studs, flip out the paper ears along the edges. If you enjoy the favor of the gods, the paper ears reach the studs on both sides AND they lay flat. Staple the paper ears to the studs. Try to make the paper ears lay flat and try not to leave half-stapled staples sticking out. Remember to cut holes for electrics and wires and such, and be sure to work the insulation around all entertaining features in the walls. Fill in with small bits around windows and door frames.
Freshly-opened insulation smells to high heaven and breathing its fumes probably isn't any good for you. Open a window or three if at all possible.
Also, some people react really badly to the fiberglass bits. Wear long pants, a shirt with long sleeves, and, if you've got sensitive skin, gloves. Gloved or not, keep your hands away from your eyes. If you've been careless and are covered in fiberglass bits, take a cold shower (not hot) and scrub all skin surfaces well. Do not hit the hot water until you're sure you've gotten the fiberglass bits off because hot water opens pores and that will complicate your life.
Hanging insulation is a more athletic job than you might think. My legs are killing me from the amount of stand-stretch-kneel-bend going on in eight hours of hanging insulation.
Hanging rolls of fiberglass insulation is not particularly rocket science. You measure the hole, unroll the insulation and cut an appropriate slice off with your utility knife. If you're trying this at home, cut your roll insulation on the fluffy side (not the paper side) and press down firmly on a surface that gives a bit. Carpet that you don' t plan to be keeping is ideal. (Why measure? Don't standard, modern houses have standard 8' walls with standard (16" centers) spacing for wall studs? Yes. They do. These are not standard modern houses or they would ALREADY HAVE INSULATION IN THE WALLS. Next time, think before you ask a stupid question like that. If you have the good fortune to be working on a standard, modern house, you can tear the insulation along the provided 8' perforations. The house I worked on today had 85" walls on the second floor and 89" walls on the ground floor, so the perforations weren't much good.) Anyway, tuck the piece of insulation in between the studs. If you have to mush it more than about three inches to get it to fit due to nailers or schizophrenia on the part of the builders, trim the piece. (Cut on the fluffy side, like you did when you were cutting the slices in the first place.) Insulation should be mostly fluffy in situ, not all mashed up. When you've got the piece stuffed between the studs, flip out the paper ears along the edges. If you enjoy the favor of the gods, the paper ears reach the studs on both sides AND they lay flat. Staple the paper ears to the studs. Try to make the paper ears lay flat and try not to leave half-stapled staples sticking out. Remember to cut holes for electrics and wires and such, and be sure to work the insulation around all entertaining features in the walls. Fill in with small bits around windows and door frames.
Freshly-opened insulation smells to high heaven and breathing its fumes probably isn't any good for you. Open a window or three if at all possible.
Also, some people react really badly to the fiberglass bits. Wear long pants, a shirt with long sleeves, and, if you've got sensitive skin, gloves. Gloved or not, keep your hands away from your eyes. If you've been careless and are covered in fiberglass bits, take a cold shower (not hot) and scrub all skin surfaces well. Do not hit the hot water until you're sure you've gotten the fiberglass bits off because hot water opens pores and that will complicate your life.
Hanging insulation is a more athletic job than you might think. My legs are killing me from the amount of stand-stretch-kneel-bend going on in eight hours of hanging insulation.
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Date: 2005-03-19 01:42 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-03-23 04:51 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-03-20 07:11 pm (UTC)