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I have a house built in 1860 with balloon framing, clapboard directly on studs (no sheathing or insulation) and plaster on lathe as the inside wall (sheetrock in some places where repairs were made). I would like to find the most effective and economical way insulating the house. Obviously, blowing in foam or cellulose comes to mind. I have heard, however, that particularly with foam, this can lead to rot, because the house will not breath in the same way (it breathes a whole lot now. In the case of the clapboard, is this because there is no housewrap layer that allows for some outgassing of moisture, or is this wrong? Is the real concern the studs, because they will be sealed on their two long sides?
Any suggestions as to alternatives?
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Fred,
Why would the paint fly off? As I understood it paint coming off claps was usually due to excess moisture coming from within the house. Or saturation due to exterior leakage, poor flashings, etc.
-Rob
Note - This is meant to be a question, NOT an assertion. I don't claim to know more than you. I do not proclaim to be anything but a warm body.
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Thanks for the tips. Now that you mention it, what are some good techniques for retrofitting a vapor barrier in the attic and basement?
*Dear Fred, I may be repeating myself, but I am not sure how all this message posting stuff works. So, here I go. Thanks for the tips. Any recommendations on how to retrofit a vapor barrier in the attic and basement?Steve
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Fred,
I don't know if you get Bob Yapp on PBS. Personally I think he less than adequate, and in fact he strikes me as being not even knowledgable. But he showed a house with paint peeling off it and said it was from the blown-in cellulose transmitting vapor due to no vapor barrier on the interior! (I am saying he is wrong - not trying to argue) He said you are better off leaving them empty and caulk, etc. to tighten them up until you renovate and add a vapor barrier!
Personally, I think the paint was peeling because it was a large bay with no overhang and neglected for 20 years.
-Rob
*Ahh - The light went on in my head! You eliminate the drying from the backside, now moisture has toleave out the front! I would imagine in the same manner a tight old house could initially drive the paint off due to retrofit insulation, but then once moisture level stabilized be no more of a problem. Now that has made me think - cellulose would wick this initial moisture load away! Where as foam would drive it out, even if properly flashed and caulked. Neat, unless I am wrong.I assume this foam and cellulose interaction with paint mentioned above would only be in old houses where the walls are sheathed on the inside and the insulation intimately contacts the clapboards. New sheathing, felt, and claps probably wouldn,'t act the same way. Yes, No, maybe?-RobP.S. - I looked at my first "weatherization" job last week. A friends ranch. was in a tract where we had previously rented a house, so I already knew what was in store. Combined with info from your site I appeared quite knowledgable. He wanted to add more batts when I said "Wait a minute!" We wnet up there and I showed him all of these bypasses. He was stunned. The best was the chimney flue pipe chased in a 3' square box covered with panelling, open into the attic, without even fg laid over the hole. Electric oulets in the panelling to boot! This tract is famous for rotting all of the plywood just above the eaves. They have gable vents, and soffit vents, no ridge vent (but he added one) I am guessing that the attic air in these houses is actually going out the soffits, or there are just such large bypasses that it is condensing just above the top plate of the wall. I am wondering if open attic houses (old houses) shouldn't have baffles retrofitted to prevent this. Of course stopping the air leakage should help this immensely.Just reread this - the P.S. maybe should have been it's own post 8-)
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Fred, thanks again. You're the best!
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Where does one get smoke bottles? I'd like to experiment in my own house a bit.
Rich Beckman
*McMaster Carr Sells them, among others.-Rob
*Rob, who and where is McMaster Carr....how much do smoke bottles cost...are they reusable....how long do they last...Thanks,Jack : )
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McMaster Carr
908-329-3200 (NY)
532-692-5911 (LA)
216-995-5500 (Cleveland)
404-346-7000 (Atlanta)
630-833-0300 (Chicago)
Ask for their catalog on CD-Rom as well as their 3" thick catalog that has nearly everything and anything you might possibly need.
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Area code changed - new number is (732) 329-3200 (NY). You need an account, but you may be able to finagle an order through work.
Smoke gun, part # 3880K11 $129.50
Refill (4 oz jar) #3880K12 $9.69
uses zinc stearate powder.
They have a web site at http://www.mcmaster.com
-Rob
*Thanks for complete info Rob.Soon to be smokin,J
*On the web http://www.infiltec.com has these - $35.http://www.infiltec.com/inf-catb.htm#Smoke
*competitive posts and pricing to boot...thanks Bill.J
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I have a house built in 1860 with balloon framing, clapboard directly on studs (no sheathing or insulation) and plaster on lathe as the inside wall (sheetrock in some places where repairs were made). I would like to find the most effective and economical way insulating the house. Obviously, blowing in foam or cellulose comes to mind. I have heard, however, that particularly with foam, this can lead to rot, because the house will not breath in the same way (it breathes a whole lot now. In the case of the clapboard, is this because there is no housewrap layer that allows for some outgassing of moisture, or is this wrong? Is the real concern the studs, because they will be sealed on their two long sides?
Any suggestions as to alternatives?