Cinder block construction question

[jmc]

Hello All,

Anyone know how a bare cinder block building compares to an insulated frame building as far as heat/cool expense? I understand that the block construction has low infiltration losses but it's hard to imagine that those hollow cores have much insulation effect. I'm thinking about buying a block building and wondered if there would be a payback for insulating the interior walls. You'd thing that the big box chain stores would do it if it was worth it.

Thanks,

John

 

[Egon]

Look up the insulating value on the net.:thumbsup:

 

[Deere Dude]

Hello All,

Anyone know how a bare cinder block building compares to an insulated frame building as far as heat/cool expense? I understand that the block construction has low infiltration losses but it's hard to imagine that those hollow cores have much insulation effect. I'm thinking about buying a block building and wondered if there would be a payback for insulating the interior walls. You'd thing that the big box chain stores would do it if it was worth it.

Thanks,

John

Some blocks have insulation inside the holes, then it would have some insulation affect. Block with no insulation in them is terrible for insulation or has no insulation value. For instance, in 1978 or so I built a basement with an exposed block front where the living room was. You could feel the coolness 6 feet away from that wall in the winter. The heat bill for one month was out of the world with the furnace trying to keep up (I'm guessing about ($3-400 a month). By the next year I studded the wall and put fiberglass and drywall on it, and it was a total different animal. I put the house on top by then and the whole house plus the basement cost ($70-80 a month).
If you were going to heat this building without insulating the walls, you might as well leave all the doors and windows open for as much good as it's going to do.

 

[grsthegreat]

Cinder blocks also have concrete filled cavities where steel is placed. This carries cold right on through. I work around alot of cinder block govt buildings here in N Idaho, and those walls are COLD in wintertime.

 

[acme97]

Here is a link to insulation values. For a 12" concrete block it's 1.28

ColoradoENERGY.org - R-Value Table

 

[Car Doc]

I used glued on foam board insulation on my couple projects I did and taped the seams and joints and it works great.

 

[jmc]

OP here. Thanks, everyone. I'll factor in insulation before I make an offer.

John