Insulation!

[jmurray01]

Have you got any insulation in your house ?

Last year we got our attic insulation topped up, as there wasn't much there, and I have really noticed the difference.

Before, we had to have the radiators up to full heat almost all the time to keep the rooms warm enough, but now, we only have to put them on once or twice a day to top up the temperature.

 

[Depmandog]

How old is your house, err excuse me - your ...,,castle?

Just wondering is all, curious if your abode was really old or something newer. Back in the 70's, I was able to spend 6 weeks in Germany visiting friends - and it amazed me just old most of the buildings were.

 

[MarkV]

Good move on the insulation. With the way energy prices are going I think it is one of the best investments you can make.

MarkV

 

[jmurray01]

How old is your house, err excuse me - your ...,,castle?

Just wondering is all, curious if your abode was really old or something newer. Back in the 70's, I was able to spend 6 weeks in Germany visiting friends - and it amazed me just old most of the buildings were.

It is a 1980's house.

 

[jmurray01]

Good move on the insulation. With the way energy prices are going I think it is one of the best investments you can make.

MarkV

Yep, true.

 

[bironacad]

Have you got any insulation in your house ?

Last year we got our attic insulation topped up, as there wasn't much there, and I have really noticed the difference.

Before, we had to have the radiators up to full heat almost all the time to keep the rooms warm enough, but now, we only have to put them on once or twice a day to top up the temperature.

Hey Scotland what do you think, lol, 18" in the attic alone, 4" rigid Styrofoam around the foundation, R 20 + in the wall, low e glass........... welcome to the 90,s lol. My daughter did her Masters at Glasgow U we went there in June for the convocation and the temp was 11 c and the wind was blowing and full of mist I was told it was typical day in Glasgow, burrr it felt way colder, at least ours is a dry cold.:laughing: Hey it is not the heat but the humidity.

 

[jmurray01]

Hey Scotland what do you think, lol, 18" in the attic alone, 4" rigid Styrofoam around the foundation, R 20 + in the wall, low e glass........... welcome to the 90,s lol. My daughter did her Masters at Glasgow U we went there in June for the convocation and the temp was 11 c and the wind was blowing and full of mist I was told it was typical day in Glasgow, burrr it felt way colder, at least ours is a dry cold.:laughing: Hey it is not the heat but the humidity.

That is Scotland! :laughing:

 

[jonyyuma]

What type did you add in Scotland..And was it batts loose fill or blown-in? Just curious, I had mine blown-in celluloid several years ago.

 

[GGB]

I'm building out a section of the basement which had been for storage, and have decided to have a pro do a 1" spray in of closed cell foam on the walls and especially the rim joist plate where I've noticed air infiltration, and then wet cellulose to fill out the stud cavities. I thought I wanted to go entirely with foam, but the cost is out of my comfort zone.

This approach seems to be popular because it takes care of the biggest single problem-air infiltration. Here's how the contractor I'll use makes the case for this approach. He asks the question "What is the R value of an ice cube? What is the R value of a sheet of aluminum? If air can't move from one side to the other, you can still be comfortable. That's why you can survive in an igloo or an airplane flying at 35,000 feet." In other words, eliminate the air movement and your going in the right direction.

I just wish the rest of the house had been done this way. As has been pointed out, utility costs aren't going to be lower in the future!

 

[jmurray01]

It is foam insulation.

 

[MarkV]

It is foam insulation.

Spray foam or solid sheet? Both are used in the states.

MarkV

 

[jmurray01]

Solid Sheet - Good and thick too!

 

[JamesHW]

Our old house is easy to heat (heavy old radiators), but summertime in the Mid-Atlantic can be brutal (it's not the heat, it's the humidity) and the AC can barely keep up.

I'm in the process of redoing my attic insulation, creating a 1 inch ventilated space under the roof deck using foam board from the soffit to the peak and then sticking Roxul under that and finishing it off with a fireproof insulated barrier. They say have good ventilation between the roof and the insulation is like have a tree shading the house.

 

[Tig]

R51 in the attic, R22in the walls. Stopping any drafts is also a huge heat saver.

 

[edlegault]

Fiberglass batts and blown-in insulation both settle over time. Best to replace or top off now and again.

 

[Five Star Foam]

We have been in the spray foam insulation business for many years. It was a hard business to get started in because people doubted the safety and value of the product.. Many people thought the product would trap water and cause health issues. The fact is there are many benefits to spray foam insulation.

1.)It is a moisture and air barrier in one.. Doing the job of 2 products. Air can not penetrate your home and moisture can not come in getting trapped in the walls and causing mold to form.
2.) Excellent sound barrier
3.) Better air quality- The air is cleaner and less likely to cause allergies
4.) Lower utility bills- I am in the south and we loose 50% of our energy out of the attic. I have done research on basements and the cold air in the winter gets under your house causing it to be colder in the winter time.
5.) lower tonnage for your A?C and heating.

There are many benefits. The initial cost is more, but you will notice a big difference in your comfort and utility bills.

I would suggest visiting RESNET to read more about energy.

Green building is big in Dallas and a lot of the cities require builders to be Energy Star Certified. It doesn't take spray foam insulation to be energy star certified, but it will reduce your utility bills by 50% if you use it. Many of the custom builders are making it a common practice and the tract builders are starting to offer it as an option.

We spray it in commercial buildings, new homes, existing attics, basements, barns, gyms, warehouses, etc.. It can be used on most building applications.

Hope this helps,
Shannon

 

[JDgreen227]

Have a full R-13 in all exterior walls, R-48 in attic, basement walls are all stud built inside the block with a 1 inch air gap, R-13 applied to the studs, (all fiberglass) and the exterior foundation walls below grade are R-5 foam.

When I moved here is '88 there was no wall insulation and only about 4 inches of loose fill in the attic, it was pretty expensive to heat the older part of the house even with oil at 75 cents a gallon. Now with the house almost 3X the size it used to be, 2450 square feet vs. the original 900, even running two furnaces and keeping the temp at 68 all winter only costs about $140 during the coldest months.

 

[JDgreen227]

Our old house is easy to heat (heavy old radiators), but summertime in the Mid-Atlantic can be brutal (it's not the heat, it's the humidity) and the AC can barely keep up.

I'm in the process of redoing my attic insulation, creating a 1 inch ventilated space under the roof deck using foam board from the soffit to the peak and then sticking Roxul under that and finishing it off with a fireproof insulated barrier. They say have good ventilation between the roof and the insulation is like have a tree shading the house.

One of the side benefits of having good attic ventilation is that it makes your shingles last much longer.

 

[Fi-Q]

I buils ( well still finishing, looks like it will never be done) 3 years ago. Got 2 in spray foam in basement and both floor crown. Got double studded wall with combinations of sheating, rock whool, sheating, air gap, dray wall for approx R 36 and 20 in of blow. In cellulose for R60 ine the attic. Very tight house with passive solar. Should get air infiltration testing done soon. Family of 4, burning approx 3 cords of hardwood a year and 1200$ of electricity bill, no oil, no gas, no propane, I thinks its not bad.