100yearBungalow: August 2010

Friday, August 27, 2010

Optimal ways to retrofit insulation in an old house.

http://planetgreen.discovery.com/tv/renovation-nation/renovation-nation-episodes/arlington-massachusetts.html

http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewTVSeason?i=349414691&id=312319055&s=143441

http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/blogs/dept/musings/getting-insulation-out-your-walls-and-ceilings
http://www.buildingscience.com/documents/digests/bsd-139-deep-energy-retrofit-of-a-sears-roebuck-house-a-home-for-the-next-100-years/?searchterm=insulation%20retrofit

These are excellent and optimal examples of insulation retrofits on existing homes, If anyone reading needs siding and/or their roof replaced -- follow the exterior insulation method!

We would remove the cladding and insulate the exterior of our bungalow using the "persist" method in a heartbeat if it weren't for the excellent condition of our existing stucco which would cost thousands and thousands to replace.....

For our home we are looking at a slow rise cavity fill closed cell polyurethane for to bring our existing walls up to an r-vaule of ~R24. Cellulose and open-cell, traditional retrofits, while cost effective and easy to install are very likely to create moisture problems with our stucco, by storing water in our old vapor permeable wall assembly. We are searching for a suitable closed cell product so that the interior wall cavity will be vapor impermeable. Any moisture could dry through the exterior stucco or interior plaster, and not be trapped inside the stud cavity as might be the case with an open cell product that would hold water in our wall like a sponge.

A few resources I have collected on the only slow-rise polyurethane closed cell foam I have found:
http://www.tigerfoam.ca/video/SR_HIGH_with_crawl.wmv
http://www.tigerfoam.ca/pdf/SlowRiseinjectionprocedures.pdf
http://www.tigerfoam.ca/pdf/TS-Slow%20rise1-24.pdf

Please comment with any additional resources!

Monday, August 9, 2010

Roof Overhangs

100's & 100's of bead-board trim to paint on a 97degree Sunday...

The Monday results make it all worth while :)

The deadliest street in America

Watch the full episode. See more Need To Know.

Sometimes we need to look outside of our home and really become involved in what type of communities we shape with our infrastructure spending. These issues will be on my mind when I vote.