Operation Capture Heat

[HappyCamperMan]

Well, I've undertaken a project to capture more heat this winter and, therefore, have a more comfortable home. I have added an extra layer of insulation in the attic (unfaced R30 running perpendicular to the floor joists). I am about to insulate the Rim Joists in my unfinished basement. There is, currently, some fiberglass insulation jammed in some, but not all, of the Rim Joists. Some are actually open. I plan to remove the fiberglass insulation where it exists, caulk all of the joints, and install 2" styrofoam insulation. I also "invested" in a Nest thermostat. I am trying an experiment where I run my HVAC fan for 15 minutes each hour to see if I can even out the heat in the house (at least on the first floor). My windows and doors are tight in the house. I have done some work to seal a few small "holes" in the wall associated with pipes, etc. by putting some spray foam in. I'll try to remember to update folks on what I've found. I will say that it will be a bit hard to tell because my wood pile (mostly oak and maple) is now 2 years old. So, I should have much better wood to burn this year (last year my wood sat just south of 20% M.C.).

 

[Woody Stover]

Good move to tighten the envelope; It's a lot more cost-effective than buying a bigger stove, and will pay off in the summer as well. I've been slowly improving air-sealing here but have a ways to go with the wall penetrations you mentioned. There's always going to be some heat loss through the walls since it is a log structure with about 1" of some wallboard-type stuff with aggregate in it...no insulation. The log chinking needs more work, and that will at least keep air from moving between the logs and the inner wall....that really pulls heat away when it it windy out. I've been considering another layer of insulation in the attic, but we are storing some stuff up there on plywood laid across the joists.
And yes, you may well notice a difference in heat output with drier wood this year.

 

[peakbagger]

I would suggest checking with your utility and see if you can get a free energy audit. Many utilities have funds to do subsidize weatherization. They can usually pick out the biggest bangs for the buck. Its rarely insulation and usually is tightening up on infiltration. I got mine in NH to pay 50% of about $6,000 of work.

There is a lot to be said to clean out the boxes above the sills and have a foam contractor spray the boxes and then down over the sills to the basement wall, that will really tighten things up. It makes a big difference.

Enjoy the dry wood, it just reduces the hassle factor especially with new stoves by a major amount.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

I'm foaming my basement walls and sills this week. Just touching the wall of bare concrete, then touching the foam shows a noticeable difference. If the heat doesn't leave I don't have to replace it!

 

[Lcback]

Seems like a good place for my question. I have a modular home. Insulated well blown in inside the attic. But the windows you can almost feel the cold air moving past you. I don't know if I should buy the weather striping to put inside the window sill. Or plastic the whole outside of them.
Also a question I have been meaning to put into its own thread but I would like your guys opinion. This modular was set on top a poured insulated concrete foundation. That's great but there is insulation in between the main floor and the basement. All fiberglass. All 2200 sqft of it. The issue is my wood burner is in the basement. Only way the heat comes up is through the stair well. And the floors feel cold on your feet. I wonder if tearing that insulation out would help heat get up to the main floor.


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[EatenByLimestone]

Plastic the windows, then, reevaluate.

 

[HappyCamperMan]

Seems like a good place for my question. I have a modular home. Insulated well blown in inside the attic. But the windows you can almost feel the cold air moving past you. I don't know if I should buy the weather striping to put inside the window sill. Or plastic the whole outside of them.
Also a question I have been meaning to put into its own thread but I would like your guys opinion. This modular was set on top a poured insulated concrete foundation. That's great but there is insulation in between the main floor and the basement. All fiberglass. All 2200 sqft of it. The issue is my wood burner is in the basement. Only way the heat comes up is through the stair well. And the floors feel cold on your feet. I wonder if tearing that insulation out would help heat get up to the main floor.


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I read a fair amount about insulating the basement. From what I read, there seems to be a split of opinion about insulating the basement ceiling. Most that I read, however, suggested not to do it (moisture issues, etc.) but to insulate the basement walls instead (and to plug the Rim Joists). They recommend styrofoam (or foam) on the walls. Caveat: that's the extent of my knowledge on the issue.

 

[Lcback]

I read a fair amount about insulating the basement. From what I read, there seems to be a split of opinion about insulating the basement ceiling. Most that I read, however, suggested not to do it (moisture issues, etc.) but to insulate the basement walls instead (and to plug the Rim Joists). They recommend styrofoam (or foam) on the walls. Caveat: that's the extent of my knowledge on the issue.

Thanks for the feed back. The basement walls are already insulated with styrofoam insulation.
I'm still debating on the ceiling insulation I have had people say leave it. And I have had people say tear it out ASAP


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[peakbagger]

NH has a uniform energy code , widely ignored by many smaller towns, that require either an insulated foundation of an insulated floor. I heated with woodstove in the basement as a backup for oil and at some point insulated the floor under my bathroom. It helped a bit when on oil but the floors are the coldest ones in the house when I ran on the woodstove. Now that I use a wood boiler with storage I should probably rip it out or put in radiant under the bathroom floor.