How to Make a Room Airtight

If you have an old home that's gotten very drafty in the winter, one of two things is probably happening: Either the walls weren't insulated when it was built, or they were insulated but the insulation has long since crumbled and settled, allowing air to come through the upper portions of the walls. In either case, you can block that air by blowing loose insulation into the walls.

Hammer
Pry bar
Electronic stud-finder
Pencil
Rented insulation blower
Loose cellulose insulation
Jigsaw
Foam insulation in a spray can
Trim nails

Instructions

- 1
  Take off a course of exterior siding with your pry bar and hammer, at the level of the interior ceiling. Keep the siding intact as you remove it, and save the siding.
- 2
  Find each stud in the wall with your electronic stud-finder. Mark midway between each pair of studs with your pencil.
- 3
  Set the blower hose end to the wall at each mark. Trace around it. Use a jigsaw to cut out each traced circle.
- 4
  Load the insulation blower with cellulose insulation. Feed the hose into one hole, pushing it all the way to the bottom of the wall inside.
- 5
  Start the machine. Fill the cavity between the two studs, pulling out the hose as the cavity fills. Repeat the process to fill each hole.
- 6
  Fill the opening of each hole with foam insulation, spraying it into the opening. Let it expand and harden.
- 7
  Put the siding back in place using your trim nails and hammer.

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