Replies

1. 
   Piffin | Aug 22, 2005 03:07am | #1

   This is a subject that can generate a lot of heat, in discussion, but probabl;y not enough fire to heat your house.

   ;)

   There are opinions on both sides, I have seen old homes that had cellulose blown in that when it got wet, stayed wet long enough to encourage rot in framing and sheathing, when before, there was probably enough air flow to re-dry things. others argue that if water is getting in, there areother issues to deal with.

   Fact is, that with a wakk like yours, some wind driven water will find a way in through the siding. So do your very best to have a good paint job. With cost of heating oil what it is, I would probably go ahead and blow it in.

   Taking off a strip of clapboard at select locations and replacing that is the better way to go, IMO. Some will do it by drillling holes that get plugged with bungs but that is even more likely to let water in.

    

    

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1. 
   rjw | Aug 22, 2005 04:08am | #2

   >>Fact is, that with a wakk like yours, some wind driven water will find a way in through the siding.Absolutely. I see stains inside clapboard all the time in garages where there is only the clapboard.I don't think I've ever seen one like that without stains.I've never thought to take pics; I'll try to get some this week.

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1. 
   Piffin | Aug 22, 2005 04:58am | #3

   Where I see it, is when residing or doing demo, the old places have rosin paper under the siding and the water stains show up on it.Worst case of rot I saw with cells in walls, was one wheere they had me install composite shutters one summer with request to bid siding redo for the next year. but when I was drilling holes to attach the shutters, The drill buit kept bringing out black rot instead of sawdust from behind the siding.There were poor flashings and roof details, and the house sat low in a swale with water flow running in under it and no ventilation. The paint kept peeling off the north side every year, and they recognized in our conversation, that the paint problems started the year after they winterized the house by blowing cellulose and closing up the crawl space.I told them the price would proibably exceed 120K because I knew I would find a lot of rot. next summer, I saw somebody else re-painting the north side again. 

    

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1. 
   rez | Aug 22, 2005 06:02am | #4

   It seems with any blown in insulation you're only going to get one shot at it. Then any new insulation materials and techniques that might come into the marketplace  will not be possible having already used cellose or what have you.

   Do you know of any new insulations that are on the drawing board that might be better than cellose or expensive foam?

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2. 
   MikeSmith | Aug 22, 2005 06:38am | #5

   espo.... besides your claps potential leaking  and soaking  the cells..

    the other problem is you will not  get a full stud bay with only a top blow..

   if you have claps with no sheathing, you probably have lath and plaster too, no ?

    that is far too much resistance from both sides of the wall to get a good flow all the way

   the only way to get a good blow in a wall like that is a top and bottom blow.. removing a strip of claps  about a foot from the bottom and a foot from the top..

    but to get a dense blow, you will run the risk of popping some claps..

      long story short... i'd probably take this in sections , and use the opportunity to rewire the exterior walls, add sheathing, blow the cells , put up 15# felt and reside

   Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore