A loose-fill granular insulation blowing machine includes a main body having an internal frame and a hopper chamber that is positioned along the top end of the main body. A grate is positioned beneath the hopper and a dispensing chamber is located along the bottom end of the main body. A funnel section is interposed between the grate and the dispensing chamber, and a valve is positioned along the bottom of the funnel. An agitator having a motorized central shaft and a plurality of paddles is positioned within the dispenser chamber. A blower having an inlet is positioned along one side of the dispenser chamber and an outlet is positioned along the opposite side of the dispenser chamber. A plurality of air diffusers are positioned within the dispenser chamber. Each of the diffusers are in communication with an air coupler that is removably secured to an air compressor.

A machine for distributing blowing insulation material is provided. The machine includes a chute having an inlet portion and an upper portion. The inlet portion is configured to receive a package of compressed loosefill insulation material. The upper portion extends from the inlet portion. The inlet portion and the upper portion have cross-sectional shapes and sizes that closely correspond to a cross-sectional shape and size of the package of compressed loosefill insulation material. A lower unit is configured to receive the loosefill insulation material exiting the chute. The lower unit includes a plurality of shredders and a discharge mechanism. The discharge mechanism is configured to discharge conditioned loosefill insulation material into an airstream. The cross-sectional shape and size of the inlet portion and the upper portion are configured to direct an expansive force of the compressed loosefill insulation material in a direction toward the lower unit.

The present disclosure relates generally to loose fill insulation installation systems. The present disclosure relates more particularly to a connection module for a loose fill insulation hose. The connection module includes a tubular body extending along an axis and having an exterior side and an interior side that surrounds a path for conveying loose fill insulation. The connection module also includes a plurality of roughening structures coupled to the interior side of the tubular body so as to form a rough interior surface of the connection module. Each of the roughening structures includes at least one protrusion that extends transverse to the axis of the tubular body. The roughening structures form more than 400 protrusions that extend into the path of the loose fill insulation.

A machine for distributing material from a package of compressed loosefill insulation material is provided. The machine includes a lower unit having a front panel. A shredding chamber is bounded on one side by the front panel and the shredding chamber receives compressed loosefill insulation material from a source of compressed loosefill insulation material. The shredding chamber including a plurality of shredders for shredding, picking apart, and conditioning the loosefill insulation material. A discharge mechanism is mounted to receive the conditioned loosefill insulation material exiting the shredding chamber and to distribute the conditioned loosefill insulation material into an airstream. A removable front access assembly covers a portion of the front panel of the lower unit and includes a control panel having a plurality of control devices. Removal of the removable front access assembly makes the plurality of shredders and the discharge mechanism within the lower unit accessible for inspection, replacement, or repair.

The present disclosure relates generally to loose fill insulation installation systems, for example, suitable for installing loose fill insulation to an installation site. The present disclosure relates more particularly to a kit for forming one or more connection modules for use with a loose fill insulation hose. The kit includes a plurality of module sections configured to be attached in a variety of configurations that provide different performance characteristics. Each of the module sections includes a tubular body extending from an upstream end to a downstream end and an interior surface that surrounds a flow path for conveying loose fill insulation. The kit includes at least a first fiber sizing module section, a first fiber conditioning module section, and an installation module section.

A thermal insulation injection gun includes a pointed nozzle that prevents blocking of the nozzle by a distal panel of a building cavity and/or by pre-existing insulation within the cavity. In embodiments, the pointed nozzle can be pressed through a panel, thereby forming the injection hole. An enhancement port can be provided through which an enhancing material such as a carrier fluid, particulate or fibrous insulating material, a binder, or a fire retardant can be added and mixed with the insulating material. Embodiments include expanding nozzle wings that can compress pre-existing insulation to create a space on a proximal or distal side thereof for injecting the insulation. A compressible sheath installed over the nozzle can prevent dripping of excess insulation from the panel hole. Exchangeable collars can be used to fix an insertion depth of the nozzle and/or to block selected lateral dispensing ports of the nozzle.

A machine for distributing unbonded loosefill insulation material through a hose connected thereto is disclosed. The machine includes a fluidizer having one or more air knives for conditioning the loosefill material as it is being applied.

According to an embodiment, a method of applying loose-fill insulation within a cavity is provided. The method includes blowing loose-fill insulation particles into a cavity of a structure to install the loose-fill insulation within the cavity and thereby insulate the structure. The method also includes applying water (e.g., water mist) to the loose-fill insulation particles so that a moisture content of the installed loose-fill insulation is between about 2% and 20%. The water aids in retaining the loose-fill insulation particles within the cavity without requiring the use of an enclosure member that encloses the cavity and the loose-fill insulation is substantially free of a water soluble adhesive material that adheres the loose-fill insulation particles together within the cavity.

The present disclosure relates generally to an insulation-retaining sheet, e.g., for blown-in insulation, that includes an integral vapor-retarding membrane. In one aspect, the disclosure provides an insulation-retaining sheet including a sheet of mesh having an air permeability of at least 200 cfm per square foot; and one or more strips of vapor-retarding membrane, the one or more strips of vapor-retarding membrane being laminated to the sheet of mesh, the first side edge each of the strips of vapor-retarding membrane extending to the first side edge of the sheet of mesh, the second side edge each of the strips of vapor-retarding membrane extending to the second side edge of the sheet of mesh, wherein the insulation-retaining sheet has a plurality of open zones extending laterally from the first side edge of the sheet of mesh to the second side edge of the sheet of mesh in which no vapor-retarding membrane is laminated to the mesh.

There is disclosed a method of retro-fitting an external insulation system to a building, and a retro-fit external insulation system for a building. One disclosed method comprising the steps of: mounting a plurality of support elements (16) to an existing external surface (14) of a wall (12) of a building (10); providing a plurality of surface panels (22), each of which comprises an internal wall-facing surface (36) and an external surface (38); arranging the surface panels so that they cover at least a substantial part of the existing external surface of the wall; mounting each surface panel to one or more of the support elements, so that cavities (40) are defined between the internal wall-facing surfaces of the panels and the existing external surface of the wall; and supplying flowable insulation material (42) into the cavities; in which the step of mounting the support elements to the external surface comprises positioning at least one adjustable one-piece spacer (108) between each support element and the surface, the spacer comprising a first end (112) which abuts the surface and a second end (114) which abuts the support element, and adjusting the spacer to vary a space (110) between the support element and the surface.