Homeowner Cuts A Hole In The Side Of The House To Insulate The Attic In One Day Because The Free Blower Rental Only Lasts 24 Hours And The Hole Goes Through The Gable Wall Instead Of The Ceiling

Free is a powerful word to a do-it-yourselfer. One homeowner on Instagram decided to take advantage of a free blower rental that lasts only 24 hours, and he set himself a challenge: insulate his own attic in a single day.

A homeowner working in a rafter attic to blow in insulation, beside a dim attic with exposed beams and a round window

“The real question is, can I actually get this done in one day?” says @confidencebuiltthis. He admits that insulating an attic does not seem like rocket science, but the clock is ticking.

View this post on Instagram

The Free Blower Comes With A 24 Hour Deadline

The deal works like this. He bought more than 10 bags of insulation, which earned him the rental of the blower for free for 24 hours.

The insulation itself can be delivered. For where he lives, that would have cost an extra hundred dollars, but the blower has to be picked up anyway.

So he loaded up a trailer with his supplies. The blower fit inside a moderately sized SUV, and the long hose came in a bin that he had to stuff in wherever it would go.

He Cuts A Hole In The Side Of His House Instead Of The Ceiling

Here is the twist. Rather than cut through the ceiling, he plans to cut a hole in the gable wall, which is the triangle of wall at the end of the house under the roof.

He will install a gable vent over the opening, and he will use that hole to blow the insulation in. The hole needs to be just a little smaller than the vent so the vent will cover everything.

He says it does not have to be perfect. Then he adds that the reason he is avoiding the ceiling is plain: he does not want to fix drywall, and he is not very good at it.

Drilling Pilot Holes From The Attic To Guide The Saw

To find the right spot, he drilled holes from inside the attic. He says there were two reasons. One, he had forgotten his saw when he was last up there, and two, he needed to be able to see from outside where to cut the circle.

It is a clever trick that many DIYers use. Drill a few small holes through the wall, then step outside and the holes show you where the opening needs to go.

Then out came the reciprocating saw. He says it is always a good day when he gets to use it, and he calls it fun. After the cut he says that it is a hole, and that he cannot believe he just cut a hole in the side of his house.

“Most Of The People In The Store Are Just Like You”

The creator also talks about how intimidating it can be to walk into a big home improvement store. He says it used to be that way for him, and that you walk in feeling clueless.

But he points out that most people in the store are just like you. And if you do a little research on your project, he says, you might end up knowing more than some of the people who work there.

That is good advice for any first-time DIYer. A bit of reading and watching before you shop will make you a more confident customer.

Why Attic Insulation Is Such A Popular Weekend Project

Heat rises, and an attic with thin insulation lets a lot of it escape in winter. In summer, a hot attic can push heat down into the rooms below.

Blown-in insulation is popular because it fills gaps and odd spaces better than rolled batts can. Home centers often rent the blower, and the work can go quickly once everything is in place.

That is why the 24-hour window is not as crazy as it sounds. With the supplies staged and the hose in place, a helper feeding the machine while another person works in the attic can move a lot of material in a day.

Safety And Prep Tips For Anyone Tempted To Try It

Insulation is itchy and dusty, so wear a respirator or a good dust mask, goggles, gloves and long sleeves. Check your attic floor and your wiring first, and never step between the joists onto the drywall below.

Seal air leaks before you add insulation, especially around recessed lights, pipes and wires that pass into the attic. Keep the insulation from blocking the vents at the eaves, because your attic needs to breathe.

Check the depth that is recommended for your area. The Department of Energy publishes recommended insulation levels by climate zone, and many homes in cooler regions need a deeper layer than they have.

Work with a helper if you can, and keep an eye on the weather and the time. If the rental deadline is tight, plan the day in advance so you are not rushing when the blower is running.

The homeowner closes by saying he will not be able to finish in this video, but he thinks he can get it done in one day. He says he does not want to pay for a rental, and that he will be back with more.

Willow and Hearth