cellulose insulation

[stovepipe?]

not quite on topic, ut want t take advantage of the collective wisdom here.

I'm insulating an unfinished space and want to do it effectively and cheaply. Its an old building so the framing is pretty irregular and unevenly spaced so fiberglass would be a big hassle cutting and fitting, etc. I'm thinking cellulose, but want to do it myself for as little as possible. do people have experience w/ loose fill in unfinished walls? my understanding is you staple a poly vapor barrier tight and blow into the cavities until its densely packed. does this make for big bulging and problems installing drywall after? would this be a problem with spaces between studs in excess of 20 inches? I know I could just use wet fill, but I think this requires a pro and therefore more $$

Also, I've heard that loose fill in a vented attic can drift. I'm going to run class-a chimney through the attic. should I worry about drifts building up over the attc sheild? I suppse the solution there is to build a chase. thoughts on this? also, if drifting really ocurs, seemsto me this would result in thin spots, thus compomising insulation, yes? how is this issue dealt with?

thanks

 

[elkimmeg]

stovepipe take a visit to the green room cellar insulation has recently being discussed. Especially filling up a cavity without addressing moisture condensation threw or collecting on concrete basement walls. and having blown celleous in contact absorbing all that moisture.

 

[begreen]

Also, I've heard that loose fill in a vented attic can drift. I'm going to run class-a chimney through the attic. should I worry about drifts building up over the attc sheild? I suppse the solution there is to build a chase. thoughts on this? also, if drifting really ocurs, seemsto me this would result in thin spots, thus compomising insulation, yes? how is this issue dealt with?

thanks

Metalbestos makes a class A attic insulation shield for this purpose. Drifting will occur where the wind can blow easily into the lower edge of the attic. Put fiberglass bats in these areas and then blow in insulation on top of it. Our house is old as well. We've discovered that it was put together with no exterior wind barrier. The clapboards are nailed right to the sheathing. The wind can blow through clapboard cracks at will. Now contemplating tearing off the siding to sheath the house.

 

[stovepipe?]

thanks, elk. Probably should have posted this in the green room- hadn't visited there until just now. the space I want to insulate is a shed, not a basement, so I don't think I have the same moisture issues-- unless this is just a general problem with cellulose in all applications. I'm more concerned with the mechanics of doing the job-- filling extra-wide stud bays to the recomended density of 3.5 lbs/ cubic foot, and with keeping all that paper away from the chimney.

 

[stovepipe?]

thanks begreen-- that's very helpful. my wind barrier seems ok-- was more concerned about wind swirling through the gable vents, but perhaps that's needless worrying. Thanks for the reply.

 

[elkimmeg]

How about this approach plastic is a good idea for contineous vapor barrier. but only staple the bottom 4' of your wall apply the drywall and fill up the bottom first rolling back the plastic. Then staple the plastic and fill the top half of the wall. Since weight is pushed downward by gravity and accumulation of celeous above, your worst buldging would occure towards the bottom. By securing the bottom first you reduced this issue 50% or more

 

[elkimmeg]

We’ve discovered that it was put together with no exterior wind barrier. The clapboards are nailed right to the sheathing. The wind can blow through clapboard cracks at will. Now contemplating tearing off the siding to sheath the house.

What a crappy way to build a home( familly forum here). Hopefully they were smart enough to have included diagonal wind braces.
If not,that is practically a straw home!!

 

[saichele]

We’ve discovered that it was put together with no exterior wind barrier. The clapboards are nailed right to the sheathing. The wind can blow through clapboard cracks at will. Now contemplating tearing off the siding to sheath the house.

What a crappy way to build a home( familly forum here). Hopefully they were smart enough to have included diagonal wind braces.
If not,that is practically a straw home!!

FWIW, I've been taking apart various parts of my old hous and discovered
1) the old part has great lumber, but 24" on center (mostly) studs holding up the wall, no insulation at all.
2) the 'new" 1970's addition has no sheathing, no vapor barrier, nothing. Cut a whol to put in a range vent and discivered, not much. Aluminum siding, 2x4 framing with paper faced fiberglass, then drywall. And that was done after bullding codes existed.

The irony of it is that the owner put in 6 large Anderson thermal pane doublehungs (nice windows, expensive even today) but cheaped out on $50 of house wrap and/or a couple hundred bucks of wafer board

One of these years I may end up pulling that siding off and having at it with hardiboard or similar, but good grief.

Steve

 

[elkimmeg]

Steve & Warren it pains me to hear of such crappy construction practices.
I have never used chip board for sheathing.
Now that Tyvek has been out long enough to examine it characteristics under actual climate a apptications, Studies are
now available.. Tyevek is does not live up to the properganda and advertising. There is a big difference between being water rellelent and being water proof. Real field testing after a period of time, Tyvek is over rated its repellency breaks down over time and its breathability is partly to blame. Being breathable does not enhance water repellancy.. Believe it or not 15lb felt, ( tar paper), is a better product and cheaper. Perhaps a new forum can be added that addresses remodeling. I am a BOCA certified building inspector and currently a home builder remodeler and I am more than willing to help forum members to achieve code compliant quality construction. Not bragging here, but I practice as I preach. All homeowners I deal with, get quality work. Its a personality thing, you want cheap crappy work, hire someone else

 

[begreen]

We’ve discovered that it was put together with no exterior wind barrier. The clapboards are nailed right to the sheathing. The wind can blow through clapboard cracks at will. Now contemplating tearing off the siding to sheath the house.

What a crappy way to build a home( familly forum here). Hopefully they were smart enough to have included diagonal wind braces.
If not,that is practically a straw home!!

Well, we are talking about a house built 82 yrs ago on an island where there were very few roads and even less cars. People made good with what they had. Lots of good, old growth fir went into this house and it's survived many earthquakes, so it's not all bad. But a little wrap of tar paper would have saved us residing.