Insulation, Radiant and Vapor Barriers - What Path To Take
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rjordan392
02-09-06, 09:25 AM
Hello,
My home was built in the early fifties. Its a row home in Philadelphia, Pa and has two uninsulated exterior walls with plastic sheeting covering the brick and cinder block, (some has peeled away) and 1 by 3 furring strips and 1/2 inch drywall. So there is only about a 3/4 inch air space. I also believe that the house once had weep holes that may have been covered up.
But I am having problem in determining if the cold air (draft) I feel at my feet is coming from the uninsulated walls or from just from the windows which are brand new "Pella" designer series, triple pane, low e glass and argon charged between the first two panes. the third pane is removable.
Evidence seems to point at the surface of the glass because of the temperature differance between it and room air or it may be a combination of both the walls and the windows.
So if I need to insulate, I was thinking of 3/4 inch polyisocyanurate called Super Tuff R by Dow Chemical and attach it directly on the interior side of the masonary wall. Using 3/4 will allow me to replace the drywall so that it lines up with the newly installed bay window and front door. But I am also concerned about covering up the air space. What about making weep holes? By making these, would cold air have a tendancy to enter at the roof area, then down the walls and leave easily at the weep holes at the base of the house rather then force its way into the interior?
I already air sealed up all openings around the windows on the interior side using caulk and I placed fiberglass insulation under the baseboards on the exterior walls. The second floor ceiling joints all look ok ( no cracks or gaps).
The area above the ceiling has about 4 inches of loose insulation. It could use more I suppose.
I almost forgot; What about using house wrap along with the polyisocyanurate insulation?
My home was built in the early fifties. Its a row home in Philadelphia, Pa and has two uninsulated exterior walls with plastic sheeting covering the brick and cinder block, (some has peeled away) and 1 by 3 furring strips and 1/2 inch drywall. So there is only about a 3/4 inch air space. I also believe that the house once had weep holes that may have been covered up.
But I am having problem in determining if the cold air (draft) I feel at my feet is coming from the uninsulated walls or from just from the windows which are brand new "Pella" designer series, triple pane, low e glass and argon charged between the first two panes. the third pane is removable.
Evidence seems to point at the surface of the glass because of the temperature differance between it and room air or it may be a combination of both the walls and the windows.
So if I need to insulate, I was thinking of 3/4 inch polyisocyanurate called Super Tuff R by Dow Chemical and attach it directly on the interior side of the masonary wall. Using 3/4 will allow me to replace the drywall so that it lines up with the newly installed bay window and front door. But I am also concerned about covering up the air space. What about making weep holes? By making these, would cold air have a tendancy to enter at the roof area, then down the walls and leave easily at the weep holes at the base of the house rather then force its way into the interior?
I already air sealed up all openings around the windows on the interior side using caulk and I placed fiberglass insulation under the baseboards on the exterior walls. The second floor ceiling joints all look ok ( no cracks or gaps).
The area above the ceiling has about 4 inches of loose insulation. It could use more I suppose.
I almost forgot; What about using house wrap along with the polyisocyanurate insulation?