[Strawbale] Bale Retrofit

[Shody Ryon]

--- Carportman <carportman at yahoo.com> wrote:

> I recently bought an old frame structure and am
> trying to decide the most effective and least
> expensive method of insulation and finish.

Where is the property, meaning what climate is it
located in?
Adding a perimeter foundation, roof with overhang if
it is located in a snow area is not a low cost way to
insulate. If the overhang is not far enough, snow can
pile up against the windows causing a blackout in the
house, as happened to someone I met.
Cellulose with a higher R value than SB would likely
be a lower cost retrofit alternative. A drainage plane
might be recommended interior to the siding, 9" walls
might me thick enough for "super insulation" using
cellulose, depending on the climate. You might wish to
surface mount electrical wiring that is needed on
exterior or insulation envelope walls to reduce air
leaks. You might like thermalattic.com
Laren:
“I can design houses that I believe can completely
heat and cool themselves, in virtually any climate,
that cost the same (or less) to build than comparable
conventional homes. But, virtually all of the homes
being built in the US today, will be wasting huge
amounts of energy for a hundred years. There is a lot
of good common sense technology, that is not being
used, just because it is not designed around something
that is profitable for big business to market.”