Homestead Renos

[GreenmansHearth]

So! I just tok down a wall (my 440sq ft 2nd level has 3 bedrooms and a bathroom), and found out there is no insulation at all!!! I am in zone 5b central nova scotia, so we do get snow and below zero temps.

My question is, is there a spray in insulation or option rather than tearing down all the walls and putting in traditional insulation?

Thanks.

[strawhouse]

There is a blown in insulation where they drill holes and fill up the walls. As far as I know though, you need to hire a company to do it, it's not a DIY thing. About the same R value though.
Good luck!

[lonelytree]

I would bet that there is not a vapor barrier either. Take down the wall covering, insulate, inspect wiring etc, vapor barrior and resheet. Sheetrock is cheap. You might even add furring strips to thicken the insulation. I did my sunroom a couple years back. It was worth every dime.

Check out blown in cellulose. It's recyled, shredded, fire treated, old newspaper. You drill about a 2 inch (roughly 5 centameters) hole into every wall cavity between the studs. Usually this is every 16 inches. Drill the holes from the outside of the house unless it's stucco. Insert the nozzle of the blower and fill the cavity. Most home centers will let you use the blower free if you buy X amount of insulation. Repair the holes depending on what the siding is. You will probably have to do each floor seperatly because there is a horizontal stud where there is a ceiling/floor. There may be a horizontal stud in each wall cavity, called a firebreak, halfway up each wall. If so you will have to drill 2 holes per cavity per story.

There is also blown in foam insulation but it is usually beyond the DIYer and is big bucks.

Remember, if you are caught or killed, we will dissavow any knowledge of your actions.

[haypoint]

I agree. You can get the wall cavity filled with foam, but it is costly, even when you DIY. The blown in stuff always settles. Wouldn’t be so bad but the settling exposes the top of the wall, where the most heat escapes. Hot air rises and if that’s where you are losing heat, you’ll lose a lot.

Pull down the drywall, fluff up some fiberglass between the studs, maybe add an inch of Dow Foam board, screw on some fresh drywall and you’ll be cozy all winter. Cooler in the summer, too.

[GreenmansHearth]

Thanks all, looks like a busy fall any way I tackle it.



Shawn

[Ross]

Consider Roxul insulation bats, more R per inch than fibreglass and less itchy! Its also reputed to be vermin resistant, which fibre glass is not!

[Speckledpup]

Silly question here, but was this an interior or exterior wall. Makes all the world of difference in the responses you'll get.

[Callieslamb]

Originally Posted by haypoint

I agree. You can get the wall cavity filled with foam, but it is costly, even when you DIY. The blown in stuff always settles. Wouldn’t be so bad but the settling exposes the top of the wall, where the most heat escapes. Hot air rises and if that’s where you are losing heat, you’ll lose a lot.

Pull down the drywall, fluff up some fiberglass between the studs, maybe add an inch of Dow Foam board, screw on some fresh drywall and you’ll be cozy all winter. Cooler in the summer, too.

We converted a garage to a family room. It had no insulation. We opted for the pros to come in a blow it. We had to cut a 4" hole at the top of the wall. We did it on the inside and put a crown molding board up to cover the holes. It would be easily removed if the insulation settled and more needed to be added in. I am not sure what "expensive" is, but we found this was our best option rather than removing sheetrock and replacing it.

[SGFarm]

Good Day: I have sent you a PM. There is a company ThermoCell that makes Cellulose insulation in Debert Nova Scotia, nice way to support some neighbours.

Good Luck

Mike

[willow_girl]

I had an old house that had blown-in insulation (found out when I had to open a wall to repair some plumbing).

I was happy with it ... heat bills were reasonable, and the house never was chilly.