[Greenbuilding] [BULK] Re: underfloor insulation R-values & materials

Sat Dec 2 07:19:26 CST 2006

Reuben, 

You're right,  might be better off to seal your house away from the basement.  If you have pipes down there, you still might need to keep it above freezing.  Moisture build up and mold are always a concern in basements, I end up running a dehumidifier in mine every summer. 

--Lawrence

________________________________

From: greenbuilding-bounces at listserv.repp.org on behalf of Reuben Deumling
Sent: Fri 12/1/2006 1:37 PM
To: John Messerschmidt
Cc: greenbuilding at listserv.repp.org
Subject: [BULK] Re: [Greenbuilding] underfloor insulation R-values & materials

I live in a very leaky small 1-story house. I have a woodstove in the
middle of it. I have temperature sensors in all the rooms, outside,
and in the basement. It seems pretty clear that I am heating my
basement, and also that cold, moist air is able to leak into the house
through the <3/4" fir floor boards that have no subflooring. If I am
missing something I'd like to know it, but my sense is that putting 7"
of insulation (and I'm tending toward cellulose despite some concerns
voiced recently on this list about moisture and cellulose) into those
cavities would have a salutary effect on the thermal stability of my
house. If I put a vapor barrier beneath the blown in cellulose, i.e.,
facing the basement, would that perhaps help vis-a-vis the potential
for mold?

Reuben Deumling

On 12/1/06, John Messerschmidt <john at ducecc.com> wrote:
> Speaking of floor joists, does it make any sense to insulate between floors
> inside the building envelope?  There are 8" of empty space there, that I
> would rather not heat, but with the cost of insulation, maybe the
> cost/benefits wouldn't be worth it.  There are also noise considerations.
> Any ideas or comments?
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: greenbuilding-bounces at listserv.repp.org
> [mailto:greenbuilding-bounces at listserv.repp.org] On Behalf Of Lawrence Lile
> Sent: Wednesday, November 29, 2006 6:50 PM
> To: Alan Abrams; Don Jennings
> Cc: greenbuilding at listserv.repp.org
> Subject: Re: [Greenbuilding] underfloor insulation R-values & materials
>
> I'd keep the cellulose out of basements.  It loves moisture, and looks
> like a good platform to launch the next wave of mutant molds from Mars.
> Only use it where it can dry out.  They don't even recommend using vapor
> retarders with it!
>
>
>
>
>
> Lawrence Lile, P.E., LEED AP
> Senior Electrical Engineer
> Project Solutions Engineering
> 573-443-7100 X 221
> 573-999-3450 Cell
> 1390 Boone Industrial Dr Suite 200
> Columbia MO 65202
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Alan Abrams [mailto:alan at abramsdesignbuild.com]
> Sent: Wednesday, November 29, 2006 4:28 PM
> To: 'Don Jennings'; Lawrence Lile
> Cc: greenbuilding at listserv.repp.org
> Subject: RE: [Greenbuilding] underfloor insulation R-values & materials
>
> >
> > Wet Spray cellulose is your friend.  Cheap, 100% recycled, always
> fills
> > up gaps and odd shapes unlike Batts, you can spray it upside down into
> > an overhead space (usually through a screen that looks like mosquito
> > net)  It will fill up any shape space, and it is better R value than
> > most of the alternatives.  The only thing better is biobased (made
> from
> > soybeans) foam, but the price is steep.
>
> LL-
>
> I agree with you in principle about the use of cellulose.  Please
> consider
> this, however:
>
> We've been insulating existing basements by furring out the perimeter
> walls
> with 1 5/8" metal studs held 2" off the wall, and foaming (with icynene
> or a
> clone) between and behind the studs.  If there's a moisture problem we
> install a conventional subslab perim drain and line the walls with
> enkdrain
> (down to the subdrain) before patching the slab and installing furring.
>
> What do you think about substituting cellulose in a case like that?
>
> Cheers-
> -AA
>
>
>
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