The Home Ownership Thread

[PhilKenSebben]

Have you done all your weatherproofing yet? My understanding is that its by far more effective to make sure all of your gaps are as closed as possible before worrying about insulating.

I have done quite a bit. I have interior storm windows on, caulded everythign I ould see, there is obviously no insulation in the walls and there is limited insulation in the floor of the attic. I am sure there is a major chimney efect going on. I am going through the house and insulating all of the power outlets and switches now.

 

[Ataturk]

Isn't the idea behind closed-cell spray foam insulation that it does the air sealing for you?

 

[NorCal]



Isn't the idea behind closed-cell spray foam insulation that it does the air sealing for you?

This is correct.

 

[PhilKenSebben]

Yes it is. I assume that red lantern was talking about around the rest of the house before going into those areas.

 

[RedLantern]



Yes it is. I assume that red lantern was talking about around the rest of the house before going into those areas.

Correct, was talking about weatherstripping etc.

Though I was under the impression that insulation is to prevent heat transfer, whereas weatherproofing/weatherstripping/sealing is to prevent air transfer.

 

[Ataturk]

You did. I just thought you were giving the usual "air seal before you insulate" advice. It's good advice, by the way. The ceiling is the worst place for air leakage in the winter because heat rises. Leaks around doors and windows let air in -- but it comes in because other air wants to go out through the ceiling. I would assume, though I've never done any studies (or read them, maybe I should be quiet) that sealing the ceiling would give you a significant benefit by itself.

 

[jbarwick]

Some friends put the foam insulation in their attic and rave about it. I know there are a couple of different kinds but they got the more expensive of the options. We looked at it and compared prices but it was going to be 3.5x the cost of what it was for me to do fiberglass insulation. We have already seen lower utility costs compared to last year though that could be due to the cost be KWH but overall it seems like it was $20 per month this summer.

 

[PhilKenSebben]

Thanks for the input and stories all.

I am going to have the Rim Joist of the house insulated with up to 8in of Open cell insulation. The depth has to do with the concrete parge coat that was applied when the foundation was repaired so many odd years ago. On one side, the distance from the joist to the edge of the wall in 3-4 inches, on the other side it is a foot and a half.

Cost of the job: $900 in line with what I expected and he seems like a solid contractor all in all

I also had him look at my unfinished walk up attic. He had two options, first, use open cell on everything, going 6-9 inches on more on the roof, covering over the trusses ad 3-5 inches on the walls. This would leave the attic as sort of a "foam igloo" The cost? $3300

he also proposed using closed cell and keeping the level of the foam below the trusses so that we could finish the attic if desired. the walls would still be coated, but we could put up framing and such with the same result. the cost? $3800


We passed on the attic work as we would like to think is through a bit more how we will use the space.

Our estimated return on our $900 investment based on a complete guess of saving 10 gallons of heating oil per yer? 4 years. The comfort level of the basement and first floor should noticeably improve however.

Hope this helps some one else when checking prices and such

Cheers!

Marc

 

[UnFacconable]

First major storm since my solar install. Roof appears to be leaking. To their credit my solar company is all over it and expediting repair. Hopefully they can get to it today. Would be great if they didn't have to repair drywall.

EDIT: That was fast. They got a guy on my roof within 4 hours. The rain has stopped and it looks like they punctured the roof membrane in a location where they ended up not installing anything. Their initial cover up in that location was obviously inadequate so they're going to do a better job with it this time. Given the amount of exposure, sounds like I shouldn't anticipate any interior issues and won't have to re-drywall or take any other remediary measures. Nice to have had it addressed so quickly, especially with the much ballyhooed el niño we are expecting / hoping for.

 

[Connemara]

My father and I gutted the kitchen of my house down to the studs this weekend. It was built with rock lathe and that stuff is HEAVY. I am kind of bummed that we took the walls and ceiling down but I want to move some wiring, install recessed lights, run a gas line for a stove, etc.

The only insulation in the walls was a 1941 issue of a now-defunct newspaper. Found sheets of mineral wool (90% sure - too early for fiberglass) above the ceiling which we pulled out. Based on the research I've done in recent weeks this stuff was manufactured without asbestos. But you never know, so I wore a heavy duty respirator and wiped down all the studs and the beautiful tongue and groove planks. Mopped the whole first floor after that and will continue to wet-clean.

We are hoping to have the masonry contractor working by Tuesday. He will be removing and re-pouring a foundation wall.

Lots more to do but making progress.

 

[Numbernine]

My father and I gutted the kitchen of my house down to the studs this weekend. It was built with rock lathe and that stuff is HEAVY. I am kind of bummed that we took the walls and ceiling down but I want to move some wiring, install recessed lights, run a gas line for a stove, etc.

The only insulation in the walls was a 1941 issue of a now-defunct newspaper. Found sheets of mineral wool (90% sure - too early for fiberglass) above the ceiling which we pulled out. Based on the research I've done in recent weeks this stuff was manufactured without asbestos. But you never know, so I wore a heavy duty respirator and wiped down all the studs and the beautiful tongue and groove planks. Mopped the whole first floor after that and will continue to wet-clean.

We are hoping to have the masonry contractor working by Tuesday. He will be removing and re-pouring a foundation wall.

Lots more to do but making progress.

Mineral wool does not contain asbestos AFAIK but watch any duct work as the commonly used asbestos pipe in that era ,also linoleum type flooring and even stucco plaster

 

[Connemara]



Mineral wool does not contain asbestos AFAIK but watch any duct work as the commonly used asbestos pipe in that era ,also linoleum type flooring and even stucco plaster

There is old tape on the ductwork in the basement which I'm sure contains asbestos. I think I am going to just encapsulate it with aluminum duct tape rather than remove it. Then again, it's moldy. Kind of gross.

Dad and I are scraping up some old cutback adhesive/tile backing on the basement floor. That likely was made with asbestos too. We put the space suits, respirators, etc. on and poured a lot of water on the floor. Didn't seem to create dust so I think we are in the clear.

 

[JohnGalt]

check back in with us in about 20 years

 

[Numbernine]

Up until about 30 years ago we would bust asbestos insulation off pipes with claw hammers and lay in it to weld , not even a dust mask 70 years old and holding fingers crossed

 

[texas_jack]

My father in law was a bricklayer at the steel mills. His whole life was spent in a furnace and nothing so far, 69 yrs old.