plaster&lath vs fiberglass


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Old 01-02-14, 08:21 AM
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plaster&lath vs fiberglass

I have an old house with plaster and lath on the outside and inside walls. I have gone back and forth if it is better to take the plaster off and insulate or keep the plaster on. I am looking for the best method to keep the interior warm in winter and cool in summer.
 
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Old 01-02-14, 10:03 AM
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There are insulation contractors that can make a small(ish) hole in the wall and spray in cellulose or foam. This should not be done if you have know and tube wiring.

For the DIY option is would likely be easier to to tear off the walls and install the insulation. IF you do this, I would also consider rewiring the entire house.
 
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Old 01-02-14, 01:36 PM
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How old is the house? do you know how much [if any] insulation is currently in the walls?

btw - welcome to the forums!
 
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Old 01-02-14, 01:53 PM
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the house was built in 1916. There is no insulation in the walls. My wife insist that the plaster and lath will hold the heat and I say fiberglass insulation is the better method
 
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Old 01-02-14, 02:05 PM
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Insulation will keep the house warmer! You do need to determine if you have K&T wiring. Cutting a hole and filling the cavity with cellulose is a tried and proven method with the least amount of work to insulate the wall.
 
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Old 01-02-14, 02:13 PM
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There is no insulation value in plaster/lath walls. Ok...Well, maybe an 0.5 R

A house built in 1916 will almost for sure have K&T wiring unless it has been replaced.
 
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Old 01-10-14, 06:15 PM
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We're facing the same dilemma on our 1908 remodel. We decided to keep the interior plaster walls, and cover them with 1/4" drywall (there are 10 layers of wallpaper, impossible to remove). We're taking down the exterior plaster walls and we're going to pout insulation in there. We are going to redo the wiring as well. I'm trying to figure out if using 4" poly iso is a good option.

http://www.doityourself.com/forum/in...ml#post2216600
 
 

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