Wall Insulation for Older Homes in Bay City, MI

Wall Insulation for Older Homes is one of the most useful things we do in Bay City, because so much of the city's housing went up before wall insulation was common. Census survey estimates for 2019-2023 (ACS, via Point2) show 49.2% of the city's homes built in 1939 or earlier. In many of them, the space between the plaster and the siding is empty, and in balloon-framed houses the cavities run unbroken from the basement to the attic.

Why balloon framing matters

In a balloon-framed house, the wall studs run the full height of the building, and there is often nothing blocking the cavity at the floors. Cold air from the basement and warm air from the rooms can move through the walls like chimneys, carrying heat into the attic. Filling those cavities, and sealing their tops from the attic, cuts that flow.

Dense-pack cellulose

We drill small holes, usually from outside behind a lifted course of siding or from inside in a neat pattern, and blow cellulose into each cavity at high density. Dense packing fills the cavity completely, resists settling and slows air through the wall. The holes are plugged and patched. HomeGuide puts dense-pack at $1.60 to $4.20 per square foot, and blown-in for exterior walls at $1,900 to $7,800 for a typical house.

Opened walls

If walls are being opened during a renovation, spray foam is an option. Fixr lists foam in existing walls at $3.15 to $7.50 per square foot. Open-cell fills the cavity and dampens sound; closed-cell adds more R-value per inch.

What we check first

Before filling walls we look for live knob-and-tube wiring, which needs an electrician's attention first, and for signs of water from gutters, flashing or failed paint. A wall that gets wet needs to dry, so leaks come first.

Historic homes

The Center Avenue Historic District has more than 250 buildings on the National Register. Drilling from inside or under lifted siding leaves the outside of a historic house as it was.

Rebates

Consumers Energy's current chart lists $125 for combined customers who insulate at least 500 square feet of above-grade wall.

Call (989) 930-1257 or book a visit and we will check your walls. Get a free estimate