[Greenbuilding] Sheetrock/foam board

[Janet L. Hobbs]

Hi Nick,

I'm guessing the sheetrock over foam board isn't going to accomplish much on
the comfort of that room and could give you some issues construction-wise.
There was a period in the 1980s here in Texas when we were using foam board
on the exterior walls of houses for extra insulation siding or masonry.
Something about it made nails pop out of the siding that was applied on top
of it.  (I'd be lying if I knew exactly what created the motion that made
this happen, but it did happen.)  I wonder if you would have similar issues
with your sheetrock fasteners which would, of course, have to be longer than
usual because of the extra 1/2" and, of course, you'll have to redo all your
baseboards and window trim.. And, as I say, it doesn't seem like it would
change the comfort of the room that much.

If you are in the Southwest, I'm thinking that the room is uncomfortable for
other reasons than wall insulation (unless it doesn't have ANY insulation in
which case you'd get more by blowing it into the wall cavities) - maybe not
enough attic insulation or maybe that part of the house is pier and beam
with poor insulation underneath it or something like that..  I'd climb
around in the attic before I did anything else.  You might find something
really crazy like that someone running a cable pulled the insulation up to
run his cable and didn't put it back down or something.  

My two cents,
Janet

H O B B S '   I N K
Janet L. Hobbs, AIBD
1200 Lakeway Drive, Suite 4
Lakeway, TX   78734
Phone:  	512-261-6226
Fax:		512 261 0007
Web:		www.hobbsink.com
e-mail:		janethobbs at hobbsink.com