Reporting on insulation

[ozofprev]

Hi Scott,

That is definitely insulation done wrong. Good picture for the files.

Bill and Kurt,

Thanks for the info. I see your points, and if any of those studies are someplace you can point me to, I'd appreciate it.

I agree, it's way down the list, but it is on the list. I suppose if I saw a young couple buying an old home they planned to stay in for more than 25 years (because it's next to mom & pop) I would recommend replacing the plaster & lath with good insulation and drywall - doing it right. Love this forum!!!

Originally posted by Scottpat

This was an insulation first for me. The entire crawl space wall was covered with blown-on cellulose insulation. It was even covering he foundation vents.

[Bain]

Scott,

That insulating method is becoming fairly common around here, and it's a good system--when the foundation vents aren't covered--since it can't detach like fiberglass batts. It makes our jobs a pain in the neck 'cause you can't see floor systems or what I assume is a knee wall in your photo very well. The obvious negative is that the space between the insulation and foundation creates a conduit through which termites can enter the floor system.

[kurt]

Originally posted by Bain

Scott,

The obvious negative is that the space between the insulation and foundation creates a conduit through which termites can enter the floor system.

That's true of any crawlspace insulation. Insulating crawlspace is the great conundrum; energy efficiency vs. covering up all the really important stuff so one can't see anything.

And, covering the vents is a good thing. Close off the vents & condition the crawl.

[Bain]

I, too, agree with the recent conditioned-crawlspace reasoning, Kurt. But the foundation vents shouldn't be covered in the absence of conditioning. The vents, uh, wouldn't perform their intended function if covered. Or is that another thread I'm thinking of? : )

[hausdok]

Hi,

Well, the thread has drifted away from how one would report uneven insulation to debates about various methods and their efficacy. I've started another thread over on the Building Science topic area and have included links to the USDOE's Building Technologies Insulation Fact Sheets there. I think it would be appropriate to continue any discussions about insulation efficacy over there and let Chris' thread stay on-topic and about how to report attic insulation issues.

Here's the link to that other topic area. You'll find a lot of useful links in that initial post.

http://www.tijonline.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=3936

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike