How to Blow in Insulation in a Brick Home

Loose insulation made of cellulose, plastic or other materials can be blown into the spaces between studs inside a house, through the outside walls or from the attic. Virtually all homes, no matter what the exterior walls are made of, have interior walls supported by two-by-four studs that are 16 inches apart. Insulation can be blown into the gaps between the studs. Most brick homes are actually only sided with brick and it does not support the weight of the house. In those cases, individual bricks can be removed to access the spaces between the studs.

Pencil
Stud finder (optional)
Electric drill
1 1/2-inch hole saw
Insulation blower machine
Polyurethane foam
180-grit sandpaper
Self-adhering fiberglass mesh tape
Scissors
Premixed, all-purpose joint compound
Putty knife
Paint
Paintbrush or roller

Instructions

- 1
  Locate each stud on outside (exterior) walls of the home; do this from the home's interior. Mark these stud locations with a pencil. Locate the studs using either a stud finder or by tapping on the wall with your fist. The tone resonating from your taps over a stud will be very different than the hollow tone when you tap on the space in between.
- 2
  Cut two 1 1/2-inch holes near the ceiling in the spaces between studs on all ouside walls and on all floors using an electric drill and a 1 1/2-inch hole saw. Cut the holes from the interior of the house.
- 3
  Blow insulation into each hole from the nozzle of an insulation blower machine. These machines typically weigh about 300 pounds and can blow about one ton of insulation per hour. Consult the user manual that comes with your insulation blowing machine for details about your machine's operation.
- 4
  Close the holes by spraying polyurethane foam into the holes until the foam expands out of the hole. This foam comes in small cans and is available at all hardware and home-improvement stores. Sand the wall flat with 180-grit sandpaper.
- 5
  Cut self-adhering fiberglass mesh tape into two-inch-square pieces using scissors. Put tape over each foam-filled hole.
- 6
  Cover each piece of tape with a 1/16-inch thick coat of premixed all-purpose joint compound using a putty knife. Allow the compound to dry for 24 hours.
- 7
  Sand the dried patches lightly with 180-grit sandpaper until the patches are smooth. Cover all walls with fresh paint using a paintbrush or roller.

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