Insulation, Radiant and Vapor Barriers - existing cathedral and crawl space insulation
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10-11-01, 04:32 AM
We have cathedral ceilings in our bedroom and living room. I have no idea what, if any, insulation was installed as we aren’t the original owners. The mostly crawl space under the house has nothing, no FG or RB. For the crawl, would RB under FG be the best bet? And what to do about the cathedrals? No ridge or soffit vents either. We live near the water on Long Island, NY.
I’ve been trying to find a source for infrared imaging nearby, so that other “leaks” could be found. We need to reduce heating costs drastically. Thanks,
I’ve been trying to find a source for infrared imaging nearby, so that other “leaks” could be found. We need to reduce heating costs drastically. Thanks,
twelvepole
10-11-01, 04:27 PM
Three posts down from yours is a thread re: cathedral ceiling insulation. A useful site for insulation is http://www.owenscorning.com for homeowners. You can also go to http://www.doityourself.com/insulate which will help you with insulation questions in your home.
rbisys
10-13-01, 05:44 AM
Greetings, Dennisjazz
I gave detailed instructions to "Robert Smith" about 23 lines down on how to insulate a crawl space with RB.
Yes you have to vent tne roof. For the best ridge vent system available go to: http://www.cor-a-vent.com
I need to know if the roof is actually a rafter type cathedral or a vaulted truss system. The reason I ask is that sometimes homeowners refer to the vaultd truss as a cathedral. Let me know and I can tell you how to get the maximun efficiency using RB for either one.
Since you live in a high moisture area you will not have any moisture problems with the RB. But if your house has FG or cellulose then your insulation is probably being seriosly downgraded by the excessive moisture present.
I can assure you that you will have leaks. The biggest one is usually between the bottom plate of the outside wall and the subfloor. This one can be corrected with a little patience and silicon caulking. It is usually a good source of mold/mildew if you have carpeting.
If you are looking to increase the energy efficiency of the whole houseI would recommend Radiance paint for the inside of the exterior walls. It is more efficient than the FG that is in the wall. http://www.radiancecomfort.com
By the way the RB installions can be DIY.
Thank you for considering my opinion.
I gave detailed instructions to "Robert Smith" about 23 lines down on how to insulate a crawl space with RB.
Yes you have to vent tne roof. For the best ridge vent system available go to: http://www.cor-a-vent.com
I need to know if the roof is actually a rafter type cathedral or a vaulted truss system. The reason I ask is that sometimes homeowners refer to the vaultd truss as a cathedral. Let me know and I can tell you how to get the maximun efficiency using RB for either one.
Since you live in a high moisture area you will not have any moisture problems with the RB. But if your house has FG or cellulose then your insulation is probably being seriosly downgraded by the excessive moisture present.
I can assure you that you will have leaks. The biggest one is usually between the bottom plate of the outside wall and the subfloor. This one can be corrected with a little patience and silicon caulking. It is usually a good source of mold/mildew if you have carpeting.
If you are looking to increase the energy efficiency of the whole houseI would recommend Radiance paint for the inside of the exterior walls. It is more efficient than the FG that is in the wall. http://www.radiancecomfort.com
By the way the RB installions can be DIY.
Thank you for considering my opinion.