Material shortages are affecting every insulation contractor. Has the time come to consider installing products that are more readily available? One thing that does seem to be more obtainable is blown-in fiberglass. Blown fiberglass is tremendous because of its performance and versatility.
A great advantage about blowing fiberglass in floors and walls is that you always have the right material in stock and loaded on the truck. Whether you are insulating 2×4, or 2×6 walls, with ceiling heights of 8’, 9’ or even taller, blown fiberglass works in all of them. No waiting for the right batt to arrive or hoping your crew loaded the right batt on their truck. Blown fiberglass does it all. It’s also much easier to achieve Grade 1 installation, which results in fewer callbacks or failed inspections.
Another consideration is how well-blown fiberglass performs in a wall. In a 2×4 wall, you can easily achieve an R15 and R23 in a 2×6 wall. When used in conjunction with a good air sealing package they make a sustainable, comfortable, and beautifully insulated building. Using these methods, award-winning Tim O’Brien Homes in Milwaukee is achieving 1.5 air changes per hour and a HERS score of 45, as referenced in the NAIMA blog from November of 2021.
Of course, there’s getting your builders and their salespeople to sell customers on an upgraded insulation package. For some marketing tips or just to share with your customers, check out IDI’s video on the benefits of Net and Blow. Being a custom installation, the projects come out beautiful. Take glamor shots when you do net and blow projects so you can share them or post them in a model home. Try to get your builders to show home buyers the difference.
If you already have a blowing machine, this is an easy addition to your company. Here’s what you need to get started:
- Blow Machine with a remote
- Air Compressor
- Long Rail Pneumatic Stapler
- Netting
- Blown Fiberglass
- Inspect R Gauge (optional) or scale to weigh one cubic foot
- 2’ or 2.5” nozzle attachment
- 150’-200’ hose
- Reducer and hoses to reduce from 3”/4” blow hose (depends on machine)
- Staples (roughly 2 boxes per house)
Even training crews to install net and blow fiberglass is easy. The main key is getting good at installing the netting and then maximizing your material should be the focus. Those are certainly the best ways to grow profits.
Besides IDI’s video, The Benefits of Net and Blow Fiberglass, Owens Corning released a new video sharing key tips and advice on the installation process. For more information on adding blown-in fiberglass walls or net and blow to your company reach out to your local branch or come to an IDI training. Our goal is to earn your business every day, so we are always available to help train your crews and get you making more money now.