Hello fellow builders,
I am putting an estimate in for a customer that has a large job for us. She wants the old aluminum siding
removed and new vinyl installed. She claims the house is cold and feels drafty in places. It is a late 70’s bi- level.
I am thinking of adding a layer of foam sheeting to the exterior to help the cause. She is having us replace the windows
so I can move them out some. This will add considerably to the job and I am wondering is it worth it for her?
Part of the house is on crawl space and she asked about installing fiberglass into the floor joist cavities.
Would this help? Is it better to put rigid foam against the block wall?
John
Replies
STOP GUESSING!
The first thing you need to do is to identify the problem.
For example, 'drafty' can be because the walls leak like sieves ... or, simply be because an uninsulated window or door is letting all the heat out. You can weatherstrip until you're exhaused and accomplish nothing if the door panel itself is cold.
If you can, rent an infra-red camers and look at the place one night ... just where is the heat leaking out? Then attack those points.
While siding salesmen will extoll the value of their products, it's simply amazing the results you can get from a good repair / prep / caulk / painting of the house.
There's relatively little to be gained from insulating the crawl space or even from packing the joists with insulation. It can help, but it's not the first place I'd look.
While you're in the crawl space, though, there is a lot to be gained by checking the ductwork for leaks, open connections, and crushed ducts.