Right Vs Wrong: Installing Insulation Batts In Exterior Walls - Part Two

Visit www.idi-insulation.com/ for all your insulation information. Part 2 of an Owens Corning instructional video which shows the proper techniques for installing batts in exterior walls. Highlights the correct way by showing both the wrong way and the right way to insulate exterior walls. An infra-red camera is used to show how mistakes in insulating cause heat and energy loss.

[@kentrichardson9070]

This video is excellent at showing the difference between right and wrong methods. Every contractor should watch this video.

[@Reporter1945]

Thank you for going to all the trouble to show people the right way to install insulation! I'm just a homeowner, not a contractor, but I could follow your instructions with ease.

[@salembeeman370]

Best Video on insulation yet.

[@tygrahof9268]

This is an old video but a VERY important issue to address for inspectors seeing this insulation practice still used today. As a contractor and a building inspector i see so many contractors trying to cut corners but they do not see the 20 cents here and the 20 cents there that add up to a $300 utility bill for the consumer of a NEW HOME!!! A new home should NEVER have these heat losses and issues; and their satisfaction in the quality of your work will only bring you more work. Thank you for your time in creating this video!

[@GreenAppelPie]

Tyg Rahof it seems like that many of contractors goal, just do stuff as fast as you can. I believe our house was never inspected after being built 27 years ago. Even as a DIY is see stuff done incorrectly or not at all. Can you guess why I watched this video...that’s right some of our insulation was Improperly installed.

[@TheGregWallace]

The problem is....finding someone who will do a good job of what you need done. It just seems like everyone is in a hurry to get paid.

[@jack-centralconnremodeling8698]

I like infra-red camera, 4 min your show makes saving tons of money for customers. Nice video and excellent instructions.

[@clogsexton1100]

I just bought an apartment from 1986 and needs to be insulated the videos this chap has posted are a real eye opener going through the trouble of showing the result of wrong and correct insulating practices. I am surprised this post has only 2.8K likes from 748,436 views.

[@bbsteve73]

Don't worry about it Colin. The one thing the video did no show is the temps. While the difference across the color spectrum is vast the (very dramatic for video) temperature differences may only be one degree. Some of the temp difference is the thermal exchange in the framing itself.

[@yonasmekonen9630]

A+ TEACHING, EXCELLENT DEMO. EASY TO UNDERSTAND. IT WAS RIGHT ON TIME FOR ME, AS I AM ON INSULATING MY HOUSE. I AM VERY GLAD I SAW YOUR OUTSTANDING PRESENTATION.

[@wyattb3138]

Good Insulation Tips: 1. Cut to proper length and width. 2. Use foam insulation to electrical boxes. 3. Cut insulation to fit any shape properly. Basically, don’t over stuff insulation and keep cold air out.

[@Allaahesuno]

Conclusion: I need an infrared camera to check my house.

[@fjeepers]

Great vid! I'm about to toss some insulation in for the first time and I'm going to do it 100% better after this!!

[@faelwolf1177]

Something I find very interesting, along with great information about installation of the batts, is the thermal camera clearly shows the effect of the thermal bridging of the wall studs, both inside and outside the house!

[@scottyellis3442]

Back in the day I was a insulation installer & we learned that in a 1500 square foot home if you were to add up all the energy you lose through the studs it's very close to leaving 1 window open. But that was back in the 80's.

[@artlaursen4847]

Very good job. You have a talent for methodical explanations. I concluded that one should install insulation like plumbing - no leaks!

[@Tim.Foster123]

I can think of a few friends who would benefit from watching this video. A fine reminder that shortcuts cost long.

[@lsequeira3139]

Excellent demonstration. Thank you very much.

[@edshuttleworth1549]

I am from NJ where the emphasis was on having the outside wall wrapped as the vapor barrier. Your insulation was installed between the studs with the paper flanges stapled to the front faces of the studs. I now live in Florida and my daughters house was flooded to 7' in hurricane Ian. She lost everything. We have stripped the house as we intend to build up. Insurance companies suck. When she and her husband moved in 3 years ago we tore down the sheet rock in their front bedroom as there was water on the floor. Cement block wall, just some unfaced insulation between the 3/4 inch battens of insulation. We figured the sun on the outside with air conditioning on the inside caused the condensation on the sheetrock. We used foam battens on the inside with a vapor barrier on the inside. Now that I have stripped everything out of my daughter's the house and we intend to build up on the existing foundation, she is a widow, her place of employment swept away I want to make sure I get the rebuild right. Is the proper way to install the insulation by stapling to the front face of the 2x6 or tucking in as it appeared you did. with 6" studs here in Florida would there be a benefit to using a different R value? Thanks!

[@SJA-ox3hs]

It's not about the cold variances it's about air flow and condensation caused by that cool and hot air reaching a dew point in the wall cavity. Glass bates will no block moisture and air as foam does. Three inches of closed cell foam installed properly, creates a airtight seal and vapor barrier.

[@JalopyStyle]

Wow such great information, you get a thumbs up for sure!

[@edcollier2526]

Unfortunately, what this video did for me was to confirm I need to use spray foam instead of batt insulation! There were still air leakage areas on the ones installed properly. Educational and useful if batt insulation is your only option. Thanks for making the video.

[@LackeysLack]

Looked more like stud thermal bridging to me. What you'd be better doing is put rigid external (usually foam) insulation boards on the outside, which is what stricter energy efficiency standards have been moving towards. R 4-6 studs are murdering the average insulation value of the entire wall, and it has a higher impact the better your between-stud insulation. (because those studs have a bigger impact if you're using R-30 insulation compared to R-10 insulation).

[@eliinthewolverinestate6729]

Every one of those staples over time will conduct moisture. That r14 becomes an r7 with moisture over time 15-20 years. Caulk every wall connection to keep moisture and cold out. Caulk around every window board after windows are cut out. Don't forget to add roof vent baffles too. I see to many people spray foam roofs with no baffles. Then the roof sheeting rots.

[@rupe53]

I've done insulation both with paper / foil backing and unbacked with full sheet vapor barrier. Best guess is the full sheet (with tape on the seams) helps a boat load with drafts, which is likely more cost effective than inconsistent packing of the glass wool itself. IOW, stopping the draft will save more $$ of energy in the long run.

[@maximumcaffeine6003]

I'm going to use this to show all the hacks at my shop that I've been right all along

[@Mhdogman]

Super helpful. Thank you so very much...Smiles

[@aquabilly]

Great video...greetings from Scotland.

[@Itdontmatter69]

Great video. I’m about to insulate myself today.

[@bryandelay9828]

I am so glad that you made this video i do insulation for a living and i do it the way you show it on video i wish i could work for you you care about how the job gets done a lot of people don't like 31 w insulation they do it the wrong way

[@notyou1567]

Most excellent lesson in patience, correctness and obviously saving money 👍

[@brettleybuilt]

Any chance Owens Corning will be doing a throwback on that t shirt?

[@toobeer]

Batt insulation is rapidly becoming "old school". Cellulose batts, blown cellulose and closed cell foam are the new kids on the block that provide much better insulation and close up those air gaps that were shown a lot better.

[@edshuttleworth1549]

Vapor barrier?

[@terence2379]

Very good presentation and covered all angles but no explanation showing how air is doing most of the work

[@akinduluth]

Awesome video, will help with my project today!

[@deeeeeeps]

Thanks for the tips on how to insulate faster! KZbin is amazing. Seriously though, the settings on the infrared are very touchy so the color from red to orange is probably .05 degrees. Since houses are getting so tight they install an air exchanger to get fresh air in. That air exchanger uses electricity so really what is the point of making a house airtight so mold can grow in the wall cavities and use electricity to exchange the air?

[@clodiamandes7153]

Awesome!! You deserve an award..Thank you!!!

[@BertrandLaurenceMusic]

great thank you. RE: Cut and fit: Should we allow a bit of extra width and height for a snug fit that holds?

[@nvisionthing]

Really appreciate the way this was done. A great help.

[@gratefuldude941]

Interesting. Demonstrates to me that the concept of "thermal bridging" (heat loss through the studs), while it is apparent, is not nearly the big deal it's hyped up to be.

[@raekc4839]

Thank you for this video. I'm doing some interior walls in a hallway of a very old Victorian. The wall studs are not same width. Sometimes size of batts are good width but other times the batts are wider and they pucker a bit. I know that is probably not ideal. Should I cut one side off and if so, how much wider than the width between studs should I cut it? Also, is it ok that the plywood will be touching facing of the batt? I'll be covering that plywood later with FRP.

[@SteveSpinella]

As shown in the first video, the batt should be just wide enough that it sticks in the wall cavity but is not noticeably compressed. You can leave the backing wider if you are stapling to the studs by cutting the insulation separate from the backing or use unbacked batts and install a separate vapor barrier if needed. Note that normally interior walls are not insulated as both sides of the wall are likely to be close in temperature. However this can be done for sound insulation or other reasons, such as an unheated space.

[@adventuresmadeeasyllc6032]

Underrated video! Thank you!

[@IDIDistributors]

You’re welcome! We are happy to help!

[@1456Sassy]

Thanks for the instructional videos! I'll be finishing my cabin and learned much here.

[@ginnyberg9271]

Thank you

[@ThoseWhoHaveFallen97]

I wanna live in whatever atmosphere this video exudes, lowered my blood pressure for sure

[@Isaiah-hy2xf]

I have to insulate the ceiling of an addition and where it joins the outside wall I am told I need to add a styrafoam sheet which is molded with waves to allow air from the outside to come in under the insulation. I think the insulation sits on it and then the poly would be applied. Like a sandwich--ceiling sheet/insulation/waved styrafoam/poly. I don't know how to do this and need a visual.. can you recommend? Thanks!!

[@opinionatorX]

Great video! Question. I live in a supposed renovated apartment. I am experiencing very high utility bills during winter because of what I assume is poor insulation. When they renovated, are the interior walls suppose to be insulated to protect against cold and heat? Is is standard practice for contractors to put the fiberglass insulation in the walls?

[@evilplaguedoctor5158]

opinionatorX Interior walls normally do not have insulation, unless you specify it (in which case it's normally done for sound dampening, not thermal reasons) but high utility bills and the label 'newly renovated' can be a sign of bigger problems (I've seen people cover up rot holes that lead straight outside) I know your post was from a year ago, and I'm no expert (apprentice electrician). this is just from personal experience.

[@huntergatherer4223]

Fold the tabs over the stud and staple the face. It eliminates air pockets.

[@antoniobiancofiore2396]

Would poly on the inside between drywall and the bat resolve most deficiencies….or would poly be best on both sides of bat inside and out?….does 3 or 6 ml poly have an r value?

[@shaunjackson2186]

Thanks I learn a good lesson

[@patrickkeating2860]

This was a terrific project

[@MnktoDave]

If you use a product like Tyvek on the outside wall, should you also use plastic on the inside wall, or does this cause a problem for moisture?

[@SteveSpinella]

Tyvek is not a vapor barrier. Vapor barrier goes on the warm side of the wall, so this varies by climate zone.

[@thomasgregory8941]

Thank you owens corning

[@jessicakelly1418]

Very helpful for the novice like me thank you

[@N-Scale]

Thanks for the two concise videos. Mike

[@patriciadixon8090]

Awesome job, thanks for the information

[@mattalbrecht7471]

I discovered my exterior garage walls are not insulated. Obviously I can't take down the bricks outside, so I have to insulate from the inside. What is better in your opinion? Taking down the rock carefully and using fiberglass Batts, or leaving the rock on the wall and using blown in insulation? And what about a vapor barrier (plastic sheet)? I have no plans to heat or AC the garage at this time, but I do want to keep the summer heat OUT and from penetrating those walls which has an oven effect on the garage, and the bedrooms above.

[@StonecarverKen]

Matt, there are a couple of items in your question and statement I would like to give some information on. Regarding the garage walls, if you are doing this yourself, you can attempt to fill that walls of the garage with blown-in insulation, but what about air sealing and how would you know if you got everything? If you open the wall you can do a good job, except for the fact that it's a lot of work. If you drill holes and fill it, you might get it all, and then again you may not, but then there is that air sealing thing. Certainly adding any insulation to the exterior wall will be good, but if you are trying to help the room above the garage, then you may want to consider getting to the rim joist or where the bedroom floor/garage ceiling meets the outside wall. This is one of the most common leakage areas for home and areas for energy losses as well as big comfort issues. If you can address both areas, I would. If not, my first line of defense would be this area and then the garage walls.

[@mtadams2009]

I think my next house I am going to use foam, what's the chances someone will install this correctly? Great video thanks

[@shaunjackson2186]

And your a awesome teacher

[@PashikTT]

I wonder if anyone knows what IR camera was used n this video?

[@islandvoice8667]

Excellent video

[@jonbeaver2584]

Thank you. Video is very helpful

[@RubberDuck1111]

If there isn't a furnace/AC running you should notice a temperature difference. If the furnace/AC is running you might not notice a temp difference but you'll notice the drop in energy cost. A couple of mistakes probably won't make a difference but do a poor job all around and it really adds up.

[@elainenilsson5472]

Great videos. Thank you.

[@vincebatla1909]

Very informative!

[@bernarddouthit4647]

This is a very helpful video. I learned a ton about how to insulate properly in just a few minutes. I'm wondering if Owens Corning has come out with 2, 3, 5-inch strips you could buy instead of having to cut them. I guess both methods might be slightly inexact. Is there a particular utility knife or cutting too you would recommend?

[@IDIDistributors]

Hi Bernard, we are glad you found the video helpful! We have a few different batt knives and utility knives we would recommend. You can find them all listed here: www.idi-insulation.com/product-type/parts-tools/. Hope this helps!

[@joserodriguez9768]

Very well explained, thank you

[@larryhenderson7341]

I was always told the paper part goes towards the outside so it can act like a water barrier. This shows just the opposite, but since your a manufacturer rep I’ll go with your way. Thanks

[@spruce_goose5169]

vapor retarder backing, not water barrier. and yes goes to the inside.

[@SteveSpinella]

vapor barrier to the warm side...inside if normally the enclosure is being heated more than cooled. E.g. if the lows are 30, house is 70, and highs are lower than 110, vapor barrier inside. If lows are 50, house is 75, and highs are 100, vapor barrier to the outside, or maybe no vapor barrier.

[@THEfromkentucky]

This was super informative.

[@Brian-gk3ll]

Thank you!!!

[@brianhall910]

EXCELLENT VIDEO. REALLY SHOWS THAT THERE IS ONLY ONE WAY TO DO A JOB. CAN I PUT BATT INSULATION OVER BLOWN IN INSULATION IN ATTIC?

[@NoName-be5ir]

Brian Hall as long as you prime first, your friendly painter

[@handsomepat4815]

I’m glad I watched this. Thank you

[@ericaguilar533]

Very useful information thank you.I learn something today.:-)

[@jephbennett]

Saved me hours of guess-work and temp gun testing.

[@flippy66]

1:20 - cold doesn't seep in, heat seeps out.

[@ForeverYoungKickboxer]

Right!

[@FUNDIR5]

Great video. Thanks.

[@bday55]

Silly question: does it matter furry side forward or back? I've watched videos where the furry side is in.

[@NuttedInYoMom]

Yes, it matters. The "furry" side should be pointed towards the warm side of the house. For people in the south, say Florida or Texas, the warm side is the OUTSIDE of the home, so the "furry" side should be pointed towards the OUTSIDE of the home. (You shouldn't see the furry side) For people up north, say New York Minnesota or even Canada, the warm side is the INSIDE of the home. So the "furry" side should be pointed towards the INSIDE of the home. (You should see the furry side)

[@bday55]

@@NuttedInYoMom just another example of something i've been doing wrong...thanks

[@KhiwaneanTsuki]

@@NuttedInYoMom That's backwards. The paper side is the vapor barrier that goes toward the warm side of the wall. The furry, non-papered side goes toward the colder side of the wall. Paper in (fuzzy out) in colder climates, paper out (fuzzy in) in warmer climates.

[@sherylnapier6020]

Excellent. Thanks so much!!

[@alexanderkhojainov3071]

very helpful video thanks!

[@mannmadesbc]

Great info.

[@CarryTheCross]

thanks for showing us the right way. I like the cheesy music as well. :)

[@nathaniels.newsom2698]

Great video, thanks!

[@scottyee707]

Ive been guilty of a couple of these over the years. Thanks for the info

[@kennydaddy100]

Yes, I am also guilty. Kinda makes me feel bad. Maybe I can do better in the future. Yes, I think I can! I will do better! I will be the best! Then I will make my own video! Watch out world!

[@timsmith8506]

Really wish I found this BEFORE I insulated my garage 😕

[@MarylouPhillips]

Excellent! Thanks for this share!

[@TexCynRVLife]

Thank you so much. I learned something! 👍

[@mitchjohnson4714]

How much of the heat transfer is convective and how much is conductive?

[@IDIDistributors]

Mitch, Thank you so much for your question. Unfortunately, it is one that could only be answered by testing a specific wall because it depend on the air tightness of the assembly and some other factors. No doubt the fastest form of thermal transfer is convection, but it is possible that even different cavities in a wall could have different ratios.

[@mitchjohnson4714]

@@IDIDistributors Thanks for answering. Yeah, I was more just wondering about typical scenarios like the blue areas showing up on your thermal images. It sounds like you're saying it's mostly convective. Interesting.

[@RT-tn4ry]

The paper flanges should ALL be stapled to the edge of the stud ( the surface the sheet rock goes on ! )

[@aavergara8589]

Thank you Sir that was awesome 👏🏽

[@tallen1596]

Your bloody brilliant!!!

[@edmondenterprisesgrouphold3782]

wow great videos thanks

[@Cleevus]

great job

[@JVileta]

Thank You -- really interesting

[@goneyellow]

excellent information...Thanks!

[@Swampwild1]

It’s to bad you didn’t show the effect of a strip of insulation fitted properly for a cavity to wide. My feeling is that if would be totally fine.

[@kwest30038]

What about using rigid foam with a lower R-value of lets say R-3.2 ((found in Lowes/Home Depot)) and cutting it to size vs. using batts that are rated @ R-13. Which is better or should a homeowner/DIYer go with spray foam over both, and it R-value around rigid foam - 3.2.?????

[@SteveSpinella]

The rigid foam is normally installed as a solid layer, not between studs. If you did both and sealed well the r values would be additive. However, doubling the R-value cuts the heat loss in half (theoretically, not at the gaps as evidenced in the video.) So adding 3.2 to 13 is a 25% increase, cutting the heat loss by approximately 10%. However, the biggest benefit would probably be the seal, since the solid layer would have few gaps, except at the outlets, which should be given special attention. Let's say that in the leaky spots your effective r-value is only 3.2 instead of 13. Here you would be reducing the heat loss in half. Spray foam is a more expensive treatment, and the studs would still only have an r-value of 4.38. BTW, on the heat map, you can see the studs, so if the color shift is greater in the flawed areas than it is for the studs, your effective insulation in those places is lower than R-4! However, the insulation might still be cutting the heat loss to some extent, since even r-1 would still mean cutting the heat loss in half compared to an uninsulated barrier. Of course the wall itself has some r value. Composite siding is r-1, cement board (hardie) is r-3, tyvek house wrap is r-5, tar paper is r-0. Spray foam is often recommended in situations where moisture is a problem, for instance the condensation in tiny homes. Spray foam has closed cells and so moisture does not penetrate. The same is true for rigid foam panels.

[@LackeysLack]

@@SteveSpinella One thing I noticed in this video, the stud bays are all spray foamed at the edges and corners before batts put in. That takes a good bit of time and attention to detail, (I know because I've been doing it for a 12x16 shed, and almost every time I go to spray foam the next stretch of wall, I find there have been spots I missed before, usually the 3.5" crack at the top or bottom of the stud joining a top/bottom plate). I'm sprayfoaming canned sprayfoam beads in ALL cracks, joints, and also the holes where wiring was run through, and doing mineral wool batt insulation. Going to skip vapor barrier given I'm in a Zone 3 hot-humid climate and it's only going to be a semi-conditioned space. For those "small areas", what I've done is I just spray foamed the full volume of any cavity less than 4" wide with lots of canned spray foam rather than try cutting and installing a batt to a uniformly small width. Same with the odd corners (I believe it's called a California corner) where there's the thickness of a 2x4 wide, the width of a 2x4 deep, in a corner, that would be difficult installing insulation in that corner. I foamed out those corners until they overflowed, and then I handsawed the excess at right angles to the stud, making just a square cavity. It's taking a lot of time and attention to detail, but my time is my own.

[@SteveSpinella]

@@LackeysLack Sounds like you enjoy spraying cans of foam! Unless you're planning to turn that shed into a refrigerator, you might be doing a bit of overkill in your climate zone. I think the most common issue where you are is usually mold rather than insulation--especially with sheds. Enjoy your shed!

[@LackeysLack]

@@SteveSpinella It didn't take much, only 4 large cans with a spraygun.

[@joesabal1212]

With a company as big as you are, I think it is time for and updated video, especially one with better video.

[@jeremypaluck4246]

In a world where people who do a half assed job, for a third of the price, you'll find alot of "work" done like this unfortunately.

[@TheLoobis]

Damn, I insulated my house wrong.

[@wyattb3138]

Me? Making a premium dog house.

[@johnsmith2797]

i did too, but it was my kids play house.

[@DeeWayneee]

how much is one bag of R13 insulation

[@QwikKota]

15 itches

[@SteveSpinella]

Insulation is generally priced by volume, so R13, which is generally 3.5" thick, would be priced by square feet of coverage, and typically comes in 15" widths for 14.5" cavities between studs and 23" widths for 22.5" cavities. A smaller roll might be around $20 for 40 sq ft, or about .50 per sq ft.

[@ClewlessOne]

We need these reminders of proper installation all the time. Your poor install examples are not very poor IMO. I've often seen far worse! I've inspected LOTS of insulation installs and it's tough to get good installers that pay attention to details. Mfg need to put out better guidelines/instructions.

[@bernadettepayette5263]

Doesn’t make a difference if the pink side faces you or goes to the inside of the wall

[@cfg7523]

Actually paper back insulation is the worst you can't see any gaps or mistakes. Use paper less an plastic vapor barrier if needed over it.