We’ve just moved into a farm house which is approximately 100 years old. This is anecdotal from a neighbour who’s 90 and says it was here long before him.
It has seen a number of additions, and ‘renovations’ over the years with the last one being some 15 years ago (vinyl siding). That was placed over ‘insul brick’ (I think that’s what you call it; it looks like heavy ashphalt shingling with a brick appearance).
We plan on re-siding the house using board and batten: is it acceptable to install the b&b right over the insul brick with no other moisture barrier? Also as this wall surface seems quite true would we need to strap the house? The inside walls are very rough so I plan to insulate inside as part of correcting that issue.
A second question involves attic insulation. There is none in this house, none!
One ‘authority’ recommended changing to a cathedral ceiling and using solid foam directly against the roof boards as opposed to bat insulation over the ceiling. The cathedral option would require moving the horizontal ‘stringers’ and as the ceiling, although only 7 feet, is already high relative to the roof peak. So I’m not sure which way to go.
I’m new at this obviously and would appreciate any help.
Thanks
Replies
We plan on re-siding the house using board and batten: is it acceptable to install the b&b right over the insul brick with no other moisture barrier?
I'd give it a provisional thumbs-up - but have some questions - what's under the asphalt? I'd expect to find lap siding around here which may or may not be attached over some sort of sheathing - - if the house is solid sheated (often houses from appr. the era you reference have 1X8 nailed on a diagonal) then you have something to secure the B&B to - you need to check each of the various additions -
then you have the consideration of detailing around the various windows and doors -
I'll leave the other question to someone else -
Thanks all, big help
It is 1x lumber, horizontal on all exterior walls under insul brick. Wasn't too keen on cathedral ceilings anyway: as far as the portion of the roof that serves as an angled wall, what's best to insulate that? Also, what's a 'rainscreen install'?
You might get by on the siding detail you describe depending on what's under that asphalt and whether you use a rainscreen install, but be very careful about the idea of going to cathedral cileing. The cieling joists are likely acting as spreaders/ rafter ties that prevent the walls from spreading out under the load of the roof. As structural members, they have a function that would have to be re-engineered to get rid of them. Their removal could be as serious as removing the joists or studs inload bearing walls.
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Yeah, be very careful about removing any ceiling joists or other cross-ties on the roof. They may be needed to hold the house together and keep those walls so straight.
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