Okay to dry out cellulose wet for 10 days to use in an attic?
My insulation sprayed damp cellulose into the wall cavities, scooped up the waste, and put it in about a dozen plastic trash bags so I could dry it out and use it in my attic. (I know many installers put the waste back in the machine, but he was wary of doing so because of stray nails that could damage his machine, even though I had a clean job site.)
I didn’t have a chance to dry out the insulation immediately, and plan to dry it tomorrow, day 10 after the damp cellulose was bagged. I’m concerned that damp cellulose sitting in plastic bags for 9 days means it was conducive to mold, and that I’m risking causing a problem by putting it in the attic. i don’t know whether drying it completely mitigates any mold sufficiently or not.
If it were your house, would you use the dried cellulose in your attic, or is that just lunacy?
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Replies
Michael,
Use common sense. How does the cellulose smell -- sweet and fresh (like recently dampened newsprint) or moldy?
When in doubt, throw it out. Cellulose is cheap.
If you waited for it to be completely dried out it would clump together, due the water activated adhesives.
If it's moisture content is low enough to be safe spraying it into walls, it's plenty dry enough to use in the attic RIGHT NOW, no need to wait.