Jane writes from Springville, Alabama: "I live in a house that was built in 1895. It has wood plank walls with no insulation. Is there anyway I can have insulation blown in by a professional? And if so, what would something like that cost? I have three large rooms plus foyer maybe a thousand square feet."

Answer: Blown-in or loosefill insulation will work in existing walls but it must be installed carefully to avoid damaging the walls. It is also important to make sure the wall cavity is filled completely and does not contain voids where there is no insulation. For these reasons we don't recommend insulating existing walls with blown-in insulation as a do-it-yourself project. Contact an insulation professional in your area and ask for an assessment of the situation.

Owens Corning Certified Energy Professional® installers can be found through the company's Web site based on ZIP Code.

At the home page, select Owens Corning Building Materials and Services. Click on the button labeled Find a Building Professional. Enter your ZIP Code and select the words that describe your project. Another click or so and you will see a list of Certified Energy Professional installers in your area.

Click here for a shortcut to the Locator page.