For additional information, read the following NAIMA items: Working Smart with Fiber Glass, Rock Wool and Slag Wool Product    (Spanish Language Version) Play it Smart, Play it Safe

General Work Guidelines When Installing Fiber Glass Insulation

Here are some helpful hints to follow when working with fiber glass insulation, and the tools you'll need to do the job right.

Basic Tools

Fiber glass and mineral wool batts are easy to use and require very few tools. Most projects require:

• Tape measure
• Utility knife or serrated bread knife
• Straight edge or 2 x 4 (for scoring and/or cutting insulation)
• Lightweight, squeeze-type stapler (if installing faced fiber glass insulation or polyethylene vapor barrier)
• Putty knife or wood shim for pushing insulation around doors and windows.

Special Equipment

Special insulation jobs require special equipment. The following items might come in handy when you insulate:

• Portable work light for working in an attic or crawlspace
• Boards or sheets of plywood (provide a safe place to sit or kneel in an unfinished attic and a surface on which to score and/or cut)
• Pole or rake (for pushing fiber glass insulation into out-of-the-way places in attics)
• Insulation supports (for holding the insulation up under floors)

Protective Gear

Some fiber glass insulation materials may be dusty or irritate the skin. Many insulation jobs are done in confined areas such as attics or crawlspaces. Click here to view NAIMA's reccommended work practices for insulation contractors that identify recommended protective gear.

• Work gloves
• Loose-fitting, long-sleeved shirt (cover cuffs with glove wristbands)
• OSHA-approved safety glasses
• Properly fitted NIOSH or MSHA approved disposable dust respirator
• Long pants
• Hard hat in attic for nails

General Installation Tips

• Leave fiber glass insulation in its wrapper until you're ready to use it. Packaged insulation is highly compressed and expands greatly when the wrapper is opened.
• Use continuous rolls in floors because of longer joist spans.
• To cut insulation, lay it on a board with the kraft or foil facing down, if applicable. Lay a yardstick (or 2 x 4) over the area of insulation to be cut. Press your straight edge down hard and cut with a utility knife, using straight edge as a guide.

Work Practices

NOTE: NAIMA worked with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to develop work practices for professional insulation installers. Many of these guidelines will be appropriate for do-it-yourselfers as well.   NAIMA also recommends homeowners read the label and follow all the manufacturer's directions.

**Please note, NAIMA represents the manufacturers of fiber glass and rock and slag wool insulation. These work practices apply to these products only. For other types of insulation, check with respected sources to find out what precautions should be taken when working with these products.