How Long Does It Really Take To Insulate A House?

Pulled out a whole section of 1940s comics once, which was wild.

That’s hilarious - I once found a petrified sandwich in a wall cavity. Not as cool as vintage comics, but hey, it’s history? I totally get wanting to keep the house comfy and safe, but sometimes I feel a bit guilty tossing all that old stuff. Ever run into clients who want to keep the “character” (aka ancient dust traps) instead of upgrading? Or am I just dealing with extra sentimental folks?

- Gotta admit, I’m a sucker for “character” too, but my allergies say otherwise.
- I’ve definitely tried to save some old trim or weird built-ins, but when it’s just piles of crumbly insulation and mystery stains... yeah, out it goes.
- My partner once wanted to keep an ancient thermostat “for the vibe.” We compromised - took a photo, then upgraded.
- Honestly, I think some folks just get attached to the quirks. Me? I like saving money on heating more than dusting cobwebs.

I get the nostalgia for old stuff - my place had this wild 60s thermostat with… what I think was fake wood paneling? But honestly, once I started looking at my heating bills, that thing had to go. I still keep it in a box somewhere, just in case I get sentimental.

On the insulation front, though, I’m gonna push back a bit. I thought it’d be a weekend project, but between pulling out weird old batts (and, uh, one mummified mouse), air sealing, and wrangling new materials into all those odd-shaped cavities, it took me almost two weeks after work. And that’s not even counting the time spent patching up the plaster after. If you’re doing it right - and not just slapping fiberglass in - you’ll find all sorts of surprises behind those “quirky” walls.

The character is nice, but my wallet’s happier since I sealed things up tight. Plus, less sneezing from whatever was lurking in the old stuff.

If you’re doing it right - and not just slapping fiberglass in - you’ll find all sorts of surprises behind those “quirky” walls.

Totally get where you’re coming from, but I’ve had a few jobs where things actually went smoother than expected. Maybe I just got lucky with fewer “surprises,” but dense-pack cellulose in old balloon framing was way faster for me than pulling everything apart. Not saying it’s ever a breeze, but sometimes the right method saves a ton of time and headaches.

Yeah, I hear you on the dense-pack cellulose.

“dense-pack cellulose in old balloon framing was way faster for me than pulling everything apart.”