Insulation, Radiant and Vapor Barriers - Looking for advice on how to insulate a closet(back of closet is an exterior)
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sandman512
10-19-09, 12:53 PM
Ok, I have a closet in my mud room. The closet gets EXTREMELY cold in the winter months in return making the mud room cold. Behind the back wall of the closet is an exterior wall of the home(clapboard). What is the best/easiest way to go about insulating the wall? Thanks!
Bud9051
10-19-09, 03:54 PM
Hi sandman, a couple of issues here. One, closets often times suffer from having no source of heat. Close the door and and they get really cold. Those cold walls can not only chill the other rooms, they can condense out moisture, especially if the closet is filled with clothing to further insulate the back from the heat.
Now, what is under the floor, slab, crawl space, or basement. Where a house sets on it's foundation there is often an air leak. Warm air inside the home rises and finds a way to leak out. That creates a draw to pull in replacement air down low. So check what you have and do some sealing if possible. The whole foundation in fact.
Now, here comes an easy one. If you have a normal wall with insulation and no place to add more, consider adding 2" of rigid foam on the onside with a new layer of sheetrock. Since you probably don't have electrical outlets in the closet, that would be a one day job. Finish the mud on Sunday.
If you need more options, tell us what is on that outside wall, siding, brick, split level, and what is under and over the closet.
Over can be an issue as well if there is a porch roof outside. Let us know.
Bud
Now, what is under the floor, slab, crawl space, or basement. Where a house sets on it's foundation there is often an air leak. Warm air inside the home rises and finds a way to leak out. That creates a draw to pull in replacement air down low. So check what you have and do some sealing if possible. The whole foundation in fact.
Now, here comes an easy one. If you have a normal wall with insulation and no place to add more, consider adding 2" of rigid foam on the onside with a new layer of sheetrock. Since you probably don't have electrical outlets in the closet, that would be a one day job. Finish the mud on Sunday.
If you need more options, tell us what is on that outside wall, siding, brick, split level, and what is under and over the closet.
Over can be an issue as well if there is a porch roof outside. Let us know.
Bud
sandman512
10-19-09, 04:18 PM
Bud,
First I appreciate the response. The closet is over the basement. There is insulation in the ceiling joist of the basement. I should explain that the entire mud room gets VERY cold. I found that there was no insulation from the mud room to the garage. I ripped all the rock out and installed insulation. The room is still cold. I am trying to isolate the problem. I should mention that above the mud room is an attic(small). I can access it and get in there. There is insulation in there, most likely original to the home(40 years old). The insulation looks it. Thoughts? Thanks!
First I appreciate the response. The closet is over the basement. There is insulation in the ceiling joist of the basement. I should explain that the entire mud room gets VERY cold. I found that there was no insulation from the mud room to the garage. I ripped all the rock out and installed insulation. The room is still cold. I am trying to isolate the problem. I should mention that above the mud room is an attic(small). I can access it and get in there. There is insulation in there, most likely original to the home(40 years old). The insulation looks it. Thoughts? Thanks!