Education:
68%
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
29%
Less than a High School Diploma
Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall
This is a sub-career of
Insulation Worker
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Select a specialized sub-career for more details.
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Job Outlook:
As fast as average
Education:
None
Salary
High:
$76,960.00
Average:
$48,870.00
Hourly
Average:
$23.49
What they do:
Line and cover structures with insulating materials. May work with batt, roll, or blown insulation materials.
On the job, you would:
- Measure and cut insulation for covering surfaces, using tape measures, handsaws, power saws, knives, or scissors.
- Fit, wrap, staple, or glue insulating materials to structures or surfaces, using hand tools or wires.
- Cover and line structures with blown or rolled forms of materials to insulate against cold, heat, or moisture, using saws, knives, rasps, trowels, blowers, or other tools and implements.
Important Qualities
Ability to work at heights. Insulators may be required to work high on ladders or scaffolds to install or remove insulation.
Dexterity. To install insulation, insulators often must reach overhead, sometimes while confined in spaces where maneuvering is difficult.
Math skills. Insulators need to measure the equipment or areas they are insulating and to calculate the amount and dimensions of insulation needed.
Mechanical skills. Insulators must be adept at using a variety of handtools and power tools to install insulation.
Physical stamina. Insulators spend much of the workday standing, kneeling, and bending in uncomfortable positions.
Physical strength. Insulators may be required to lift or carry up to 50 pounds of tools or materials.
Personality
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Characteristics of this Career |
|---|---|---|---|
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73% | Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks. | |
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73% | Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations. | |
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72% | Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude. | |
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71% | Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical. | |
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71% | Independence - Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done. | |
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70% | Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges. | |
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69% | Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles. | |
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67% | Self-Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations. | |
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66% | Leadership - Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction. | |
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66% | Innovation - Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems. |
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Strengths |
|---|---|---|---|
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95% | Realistic - Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services. |
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Values of the Work Environment |
|---|---|---|---|
|
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61% | Support - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical. |
Aptitude
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Abilities | Cognitive, Physical, Personality |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
72% | Extent Flexibility - The ability to bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs. |
Job Details
Responsibilities
Review blueprints or specifications to determine work requirements.
Select construction materials.
Measure materials or objects for installation or assembly.
Cut carpet, vinyl or other flexible materials.
Install insulation in equipment or structures.
Install insulation in equipment or structures.
Install insulation in equipment or structures.
Apply sealants or other protective coatings.
Install insulation in equipment or structures.
Load materials into construction equipment.
Install insulation in equipment or structures.
Prepare surfaces for finishing.
Apply adhesives to construction materials.
Remove worn, damaged or outdated materials from work areas.
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Attributes & Percentage of Time Spent |
|---|---|---|---|
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91% | Spend Time Standing - How much does this job require standing? | |
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83% | Wear Specialized Protective or Safety Equipment such as Breathing Apparatus, Safety Harness, Full Protection Suits, or Radiation Protection - How much does this job require wearing specialized protective or safety equipment such as breathing apparatus, safety harness, full protection suits, or radiation protection? | |
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82% | Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls - How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls? | |
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81% | Face-to-Face Discussions - How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job? | |
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78% | Exposed to Contaminants - How often does this job require working exposed to contaminants (such as pollutants, gases, dust or odors)? | |
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76% | Time Pressure - How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines? | |
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76% | Very Hot or Cold Temperatures - How often does this job require working in very hot (above 90 F degrees) or very cold (below 32 F degrees) temperatures? | |
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75% | Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets - How much does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hard hats or life jackets? | |
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74% | Freedom to Make Decisions - How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer? | |
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73% | Work With Work Group or Team - How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job? | |
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73% | Exposed to Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites, or Stings - How often does this job require exposure to minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings? | |
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72% | Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled - How often does this job require working indoors in non-controlled environmental conditions (e.g., warehouse without heat)? | |
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72% | Outdoors, Exposed to Weather - How often does this job require working outdoors, exposed to all weather conditions? | |
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71% | Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions - How much does this job require making repetitive motions? | |
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70% | Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions - How often does this job require working in cramped work spaces that requires getting into awkward positions? | |
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69% | Sounds, Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable - How often does this job require working exposed to sounds and noise levels that are distracting or uncomfortable? | |
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68% | Contact With Others - How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it? | |
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67% | Exposed to High Places - How often does this job require exposure to high places? | |
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67% | In an Enclosed Vehicle or Equipment - How often does this job require working in a closed vehicle or equipment (e.g., car)? | |
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67% | Frequency of Decision Making - How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization? | |
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66% | Telephone - How often do you have telephone conversations in this job? |
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Tasks & Values |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
81% | Handling and Moving Objects - Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things. | |
|
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74% | Performing General Physical Activities - Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials. | |
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70% | Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person. | |
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68% | Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials - Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects. | |
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68% | Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events. | |
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67% | Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment - Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or watercraft. | |
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65% | Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources. |
What Insulation Workers Do
Mechanical insulators install preformed insulation.
Insulation workers, also called insulators, install and replace the materials used to insulate buildings or mechanical systems.
Duties
Insulators typically do the following:
- Remove and dispose of old insulation
- Review blueprints and specifications to determine the amount and type of insulation needed
- Measure and cut insulation to fit into walls and around pipes
- Secure insulation with staples, tape, or screws
- Use air compressors to spray foam insulation
- Install plastic barriers to protect insulation from moisture
Insulators install and replace the material that saves energy and helps reduce noise in buildings and around vats, vessels, boilers, steam pipes, and water pipes. Insulators also install fire-stopping materials to prevent the spread of a fire and smoke throughout a building.
Insulators often must remove old insulation when renovating buildings. In the past, asbestos—now known to cause cancer—was used extensively to insulate walls, ceilings, pipes, and industrial equipment. Because of the health risks associated with handling asbestos, hazardous materials removal workers or specially trained insulators must remove asbestos before workers begin installing new insulation.
Insulators use common handtools, such as knives, trowels, and scissors. They also may use a variety of power tools, such as welders to secure clamps, staple guns to fasten insulation to walls, and air compressors to spray insulation.
Insulators sometimes wrap a cover of aluminum, sheet metal, or plastic over the insulation. Doing so protects the insulation from contact damage and keeps moisture out.
Floor, ceiling, and wall insulators install insulation in attics, under floors, and behind walls in homes and other buildings. To fill the space between wall studs and ceiling joists, workers either unroll, cut, fit, and staple batts of insulation or spray foam insulation.
Mechanical insulators apply insulation to equipment, pipes, or ductwork in many types of buildings.
Work Environment
Insulation workers, floor, ceiling, and wall held about 34,400 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of insulation workers, floor, ceiling, and wall were as follows:
| Drywall and insulation contractors | 66% |
| Building equipment contractors | 14 |
| Self-employed workers | 4 |
| Nonresidential building construction | 3 |
| Foundation, structure, and building exterior contractors | 2 |
Insulation workers, mechanical held about 27,200 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of insulation workers, mechanical were as follows:
| Building equipment contractors | 70% |
| Drywall and insulation contractors | 14 |
| Self-employed workers | 4 |
| Other specialty trade contractors | 1 |
Insulators generally work indoors. Mechanical insulators work both indoors and outdoors, sometimes in extreme temperatures. They spend most of their workday standing, bending, or kneeling in confined spaces. Insulators may work at great heights on scaffolding, work platforms, or ladders.
Injuries and Illnesses
Common hazards for insulation workers include falls from ladders and cuts from knives. In addition, small particles from insulation materials can irritate the eyes, skin, and lungs. To protect themselves, insulators must keep the work area well-ventilated and follow product and employer safety recommendations. They also may wear personal protective equipment (PPE), including suits, masks, and respirators, to protect against hazardous fumes or materials.
Mechanical insulators may get burns from insulating pipes that are in service.
Work Schedules
Most insulators work full time, and more than 40 hours a week may be required to meet construction deadlines. Those who insulate outdoors may not be able to work in bad weather, such as during a storm or in extreme heat or cold.
Getting Started
How to Become an Insulation Worker
Many insulators are trained on the job.
Most floor, ceiling, and wall insulators learn their trade on the job. Many mechanical insulators complete an apprenticeship program after earning a high school diploma or equivalent.
Education
There are no specific education requirements for floor, ceiling, and wall insulators. Apprenticeships for mechanical insulators typically require a high school diploma or equivalent. High school courses in subjects such as math, mechanical drawing, and science are helpful for all types of insulators.
Training
Most floor, ceiling, and wall insulators learn their trade on the job. New workers learn about installation and get mandatory Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) safety training on insulation handling and asbestos abatement. Beginning insulators work alongside more experienced ones to learn how to use equipment for installing spray insulation.
Many mechanical insulators learn their trade through a 4- to 5-year apprenticeship, which includes both technical instruction and paid on-the-job training.
Unions and individual contractors offer apprenticeships. Although most insulators start out by entering apprenticeships directly, others begin by working as helpers. The International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers, an affiliate of the North American Building Trades Union, provides contact information on local union chapters.
Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations
Insulation workers who remove and handle asbestos must be trained through programs accredited by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Some states require a license for asbestos abatement. Check with your state for more information. Mechanical insulators who complete an apprenticeship through the International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers may receive this license as part of their apprenticeship.
The National Insulation Association offers a certification for mechanical insulators who conduct energy appraisals to determine if and how insulation can benefit industrial customers. Mechanical insulators also may receive certification in other job duties, such as fire stopping
Advancement
After completing an apprenticeship, mechanical insulators reach journey-level status. After becoming journey workers, mechanical insulators may advance to supervisor or superintendent positions, or they may choose to start their own business offering mechanical insulation services.
Job Outlook
Overall employment of insulation workers is projected to grow 2 percent from 2022 to 2032, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
About 4,800 openings for insulation workers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Employment
The continuing need to make new and existing buildings and systems more energy efficient will drive the demand for mechanical insulation workers.
The amount of new home building and retrofitting of existing insulation will continue to be linked to the employment of floor, ceiling, and wall insulation workers over the projections decade.
Contacts for More Information
For details about apprenticeships or other opportunities for insulators, contact the offices of the state employment service, the state apprenticeship agency, local insulation contractors, or firms that employ insulators. Apprenticeship information is available from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Apprenticeship program online or by phone at 877-872-5627. Visit Apprenticeship.gov to search for apprenticeship opportunities.
For more information about apprenticeship or training for insulators, visit
National Insulation Association
International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers
Similar Occupations
This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of insulation workers.
| Occupation | Job Duties | Entry-Level Education | Median Annual Pay, May 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Carpenters |
Carpenters construct, repair, and install building frameworks and structures made from wood and other materials. |
High school diploma or equivalent | $51,390 |
|
Construction Laborers and Helpers |
Construction laborers and helpers perform many tasks that require physical labor on construction sites. |
See How to Become One | $39,520 |
|
Drywall Installers, Ceiling Tile Installers, and Tapers |
Drywall and ceiling tile installers hang wallboard and install ceiling tile inside buildings. Tapers prepare the wallboard for painting. |
No formal educational credential | $51,160 |
|
Roofers |
Roofers replace, repair, and install the roofs of buildings. |
No formal educational credential | $47,920 |
|
Boilermakers |
Boilermakers assemble, install, maintain, and repair boilers, closed vats, and other large vessels or containers that hold liquids and gases. |
High school diploma or equivalent | $66,920 |
|
Hazardous Materials Removal Workers |
Hazardous materials removal workers identify and dispose of harmful substances such as asbestos, lead, and radioactive waste. |
High school diploma or equivalent | $46,690 |
|
Masonry Workers |
Masonry workers use bricks, concrete and concrete blocks, and natural and manmade stones to build structures. |
See How to Become One | $49,490 |