Insulation Options
#1
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Insulation Options
Good Morning,
I'm new to the Home Ownership repair shop. We purchased a home about 18 months ago and are now looking to re-insulate (insulate) a good portion of our house. I have re-stapled old insulation in our Cape Cod, but need new insulation, because the two rooms upstairs are pretty cold (appoximately 12-15 degrees colder). What do you suggest for insulation in the Cape Cod areas of the home, where the "attic" is an extension of the bedrooms? Seems like I'll need to fiberglass roll, but continue to hear bad things about it.
Secondly, we don't have insulation in a good majority of our house, as it was built in the 50's, and I know of at least 2 rooms that don't have any insulation at all. The walls are mainly plaster throughout.
Any advice on what type of insulation is the best for our situation (potentially a child will be sleeping in one of the rooms that is upstairs and currently cold). Thank you in advance - please ask if more details needed.
Beaver
I'm new to the Home Ownership repair shop. We purchased a home about 18 months ago and are now looking to re-insulate (insulate) a good portion of our house. I have re-stapled old insulation in our Cape Cod, but need new insulation, because the two rooms upstairs are pretty cold (appoximately 12-15 degrees colder). What do you suggest for insulation in the Cape Cod areas of the home, where the "attic" is an extension of the bedrooms? Seems like I'll need to fiberglass roll, but continue to hear bad things about it.
Secondly, we don't have insulation in a good majority of our house, as it was built in the 50's, and I know of at least 2 rooms that don't have any insulation at all. The walls are mainly plaster throughout.
Any advice on what type of insulation is the best for our situation (potentially a child will be sleeping in one of the rooms that is upstairs and currently cold). Thank you in advance - please ask if more details needed.
Beaver
#2
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You can have a variety of insulation / sealing issues in a cape cod and, therefore, a variety of solutions. When you say "we don't have insulation in a good majority of our house, as it was built in the 50's, and I know of at least 2 rooms that don't have any insulation at all", are you speaking of the walls, attic, or both? How do you know?
If you're not getting someone to come in to evaluate your situation, you need to do that yourself as a first step. Go into the attic and see exactly what you have: type, depth, condition. If you can access behind the walls (perhaps from an unfinished area do so. If not take off some switch-plates and covers from outside walls and see if you can see any insulation. Do you have knee walls? Report back.
If you're not getting someone to come in to evaluate your situation, you need to do that yourself as a first step. Go into the attic and see exactly what you have: type, depth, condition. If you can access behind the walls (perhaps from an unfinished area do so. If not take off some switch-plates and covers from outside walls and see if you can see any insulation. Do you have knee walls? Report back.
#3
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Thank you for your response...
The insulation that I stapled back into the place in the "attic" was very old and some of the rolls were disintegrating when I touched them. I still stapled what I could, until I get someone in there. As far as the walls, we have a wall in the office that was once used a W/D room, so they have a vent leading to outside (which I need to cover and replace, which is a whole other topic).
When I looked back behind the wall, there isn't any insulation (paneling wall), our backroom is the same way - therefore, the back of our house is pretty cold/drafty.
After looking up the definition of a knee wall - yes, we have a knee wall on all 4 corners of the house (minus the back room addition).
Thanks again
The insulation that I stapled back into the place in the "attic" was very old and some of the rolls were disintegrating when I touched them. I still stapled what I could, until I get someone in there. As far as the walls, we have a wall in the office that was once used a W/D room, so they have a vent leading to outside (which I need to cover and replace, which is a whole other topic).
When I looked back behind the wall, there isn't any insulation (paneling wall), our backroom is the same way - therefore, the back of our house is pretty cold/drafty.
After looking up the definition of a knee wall - yes, we have a knee wall on all 4 corners of the house (minus the back room addition).
Thanks again
#4
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Focusing right now on the attic, you need to do three things, in this order:
- Seal places where air is comes up into the attic, such as wiring holes. Also, cover any canned lighting and bathroom ventilation boxes with rigid foam.
- If necessary, add baffles where sloping roof above knee walls enters the attic.
- Add insulation to bring you to at least R-38 up to R-60 insulation.
- Insulate access to attic.