If you place rigid insulation on the exterior of a house how does it breath. Are you not asking for a moisture problem.
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Would you like the long answer or the short answer?
Short answer is, you could be.
That depends on your climate
In cold places where you need heat, it places what is effectively a VB on the exterior side of the wall assembly where it is conceivable that it can trap moisture in the wall. Better to use it on the interior in those locations.
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A little research at Dow or Owens Corning should help you decide if it's practical for your application. That's where we learned how to do it for breathability plus good R rating.
That is confusing, because the product prevents "breathability" not that that is a scientific term at all.The building science website has far more objective information than a manufacturers site on this.
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Will check it out, Piffin. Objectivity is what I'm after. We have only used exterior insulation on south-facing front of house cuz me, the HO, wanted to preserve & hi-lite the interior post/beam construction, particularly in one corner, where we will have to cut & fit insulation, (as I observed done on This Old House by Tom Silva). Two remaining exerior walls, we can do something diff if need be. I sure as heck Do Not want moisture problems of any kind.Yeah, yeah. I'm hooked on demos of those skilled and talented who can do what I only wish I could. I am learning a lot. Above all, I hope to remain "objective" about my old home, new to me.Many thanks, as always.
Would Spray-Foam be an option? Costs might be similar and results would be superior
Use blown cellose w/o vapor barrier on the inside.
I've noticed LOT of renos being done in my town (cold Ottawa, Canada) using EIFS.
I just can't understand why HO's are willing to wrap their old leaky houses with foam (many probably don't even have a vapour barrier) and risk the moisture problem.
Just doing a Google search on EIFS _should_ scare people off.
Edited 11/22/2007 7:43 pm ET by canoehead2