Insulation, Radiant and Vapor Barriers - wall insulation for masonry house near Boston
Doityourself.com community forum was created to provide answers to all questions related to home improvement and home repair. Doityourself community can help you find information about how-to topics on small fixes to large remodeling projects. With comprehensive how-to content and expertly moderated community forums DoItYourself.com makes it easy to tackle even the most complex home improvement projects.View Full Version : wall insulation for masonry house near Boston
wgc
05-20-09, 08:37 PM
I'm looking for some specific reccommendations on improving my wall insulation. We live just outside Boston in a 1946 Cape with stucco over block construction. Walls are sheetrock and plaster over furring strips. There is no sign of any insulation in the walls and the cavity is open up to the attic. This seems to be unusual construction for the area and I need to find a way to improve comfort and reduce heating bills without creating a mold problem. Help!
From another thread, I looked at:
BSD-106: Understanding Vapor Barriers — (http://www.buildingscience.com/documents/digests/bsd-106-understanding-vapor-barriers/?full_view=1)
and I seem to be "Figure 3: Concrete Block With Interior Rigid Insulation and Stucco", but without the "Interior Rigid Insulation". However, it's not real specific on anything practical I can do.
1) Should I seal the top of the cavity in the attic, or will that just trap moisture? Most of them are currently plugged with wads of fiberglass, which seems inadequate either way. If sealling these to prevent air circulation is a good idea, I can use spray foam. If this is a mold issue, I can pull those out.
2) Since I don't have the "Interior Rigid Insulation" and won't be pulling out all the interior walls to add it, what are my alternatives? It sounds like cellulose might be out: is that true? Is there a specific type of spray-in foam I should use or avoid, and how can I find out what vendor might use it?
3) Since this is unusual construction for the climate, can anyone reccommend what to look for in a contractor who might have better advice than " install X because that's what I install".
From another thread, I looked at:
BSD-106: Understanding Vapor Barriers — (http://www.buildingscience.com/documents/digests/bsd-106-understanding-vapor-barriers/?full_view=1)
and I seem to be "Figure 3: Concrete Block With Interior Rigid Insulation and Stucco", but without the "Interior Rigid Insulation". However, it's not real specific on anything practical I can do.
1) Should I seal the top of the cavity in the attic, or will that just trap moisture? Most of them are currently plugged with wads of fiberglass, which seems inadequate either way. If sealling these to prevent air circulation is a good idea, I can use spray foam. If this is a mold issue, I can pull those out.
2) Since I don't have the "Interior Rigid Insulation" and won't be pulling out all the interior walls to add it, what are my alternatives? It sounds like cellulose might be out: is that true? Is there a specific type of spray-in foam I should use or avoid, and how can I find out what vendor might use it?
3) Since this is unusual construction for the climate, can anyone reccommend what to look for in a contractor who might have better advice than " install X because that's what I install".