Rookie Home Insulation Question

[Shane361]

Sheetrock is going up in the livingroom Friday. Tearing off paneling now. Should I replace the insulation? Not sure if it has a life expectancy or not. Thanks in advance...and dont be too hard on me. :mrgreen:

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h158/shane361/7D45B856-1A4F-4B3D-BF60-089D56289761-300-0000005D63D6327D.jpg

[LXtasy]

I am impressed that there was some insulation in that wall honestly

[Shane361]

Yeah, the garage is rather cold in the winter. What pisses me off is the lack of imsulation around the garage door...NONE.

[03SVTCOBRA]

Im pretty sure it cant really go bad. From the look of it i would probably just go right back over it.

[DIGGLER]

yup i would leave it. should work fine.

[Carlrx7]

holmes on homes would rip that shit out and spray foam!

[DIGGLER]

better to save your money on the walls and invest it into the attic, imo.

[2001hawk]

Most insulation is fiberglass, so it can't really go bad. I put extra insulation in my attic when I moved in. It was the blow-in cellulose kind. It was a little messy because I had the hopper inside, but if you add more of it at a decent temperature time of the year you can keep it outside and run the line through a door or window. The main thing you are going to be looking at is your R rating on it.

[FRDnemesis]

Im pretty sure it cant really go bad. From the look of it i would probably just go right back over it.


^^^Yeah, the older stuff is loaded with formaldehyde, so it will last longer than your house.

[Shane361]

Good to know guys thanks. We spent till 10 last night removing the paneling, floorboards and crown to be ready. Tonight I am installing new (WHITE) light switches and 110 outlets. Sure will look better once this is completed!

[REDRAGTOPRS]

holmes on homes would rip that shit out and spray foam!

LOL! I love that show! I realize that he does a lot of extra work, and spends a lot of extra money where he doesn't have to though.....

[LXtasy]

Spray foam is the best imo. Spray foam roof joist and exterior walls and you have a very comfortable home. Attics are easier to work in during the summer months.

[Carlrx7]

Spray foam is the best imo. Spray foam roof joist and exterior walls and you have a very comfortable home. Attics are easier to work in during the summer months.

I would think the heat would make it unbearable.

[DIGGLER]

I would think the heat would make it unbearable.

x2 i would much rather work in a 50 degree attic than a 110 degree attic! why is the foam insulation better than the fiberglass? higher r value per square inch i guess?

[Shane361]

I was looking into the attic ceiling/rafters metal looking spray for keeping out the heat. Not sure how good it works or the cost though.

[03SVTCOBRA]

Im pretty sure at home depot if you buy the spray type insulation (not the foam) they let you rent the machine to spray it for free.

[LXtasy]

With spray foam in the attic they spray foam the underside of the roof. You can remove insulation that you currently have. We typically will add a 4" supply vent into the attic, dehumidifiers etc. But these are also in multi million dollar homes. Me personally, i would love to get my home spray foamed.

[DIGGLER]

With spray foam in the attic they spray foam the underside of the roof. You can remove insulation that you currently have. We typically will add a 4" supply vent into the attic, dehumidifiers etc. But these are also in multi million dollar homes. Me personally, i would love to get my home spray foamed.

i considered sealing up my basement with a liner and running a humidifier down there. (in the crawlspace, too.)
not sure about the attic deal, but a guy told me awhile back a properly designed attic should only be a few degrees higher than the temps outside. it should have a ridge vent and soffit vents to somewhat equal each other in sq.ft. hot air goes out the ridge vent, and cool air gets pulled into the attic from the soffits. gets rid of the stale/humid air up there since all the air will be getting moved/replaced constantly. then there should be about 12-15" of insulation up there.

[LXtasy]

http://www.energyvanguard.com/blog-building-science-HERS-BPI/bid/25546/4-Pitfalls-of-Spray-Foam-Insulation


I hardly get to experience an attic that is just a couple of degrees warmer than outside with typical insulation and ridge vents unless it is this time of the year. During the summer I usually see at least a 20 degree difference. Remember too, that black roofs do a great job of retaining heat.

[Carlrx7]

no expert, but the attic to be the same temp as the outside to prevent mold growth. you want the underside of the roof to breath, hence the purpose of roof and eve vents, if you install insulation onto the underside of the roof, you are going to have issues.

as for exterior walls, install some vapor barrier over the insulation instead of using spray foam, 4-6mil depending on code here.

"Do it right, the first time" and "it always cost more to do it twice." my favorite quotes.

-Carl

[LXtasy]

You would think. But i see it everyday in this multi million dollar homes with no issues

[ShawnBoyMoody]

"Do it right, the first time" and "it always cost more to do it twice." my favorite quotes.

-Carl

I was always a fan of "There's never enough time and money to do it right the first time, but there's always enough to do it over again!"

[slow94]

I would worry more about the sheetrock. Would rather have a wall that looked good than worry about changing out insulation.

[Shane361]

A wall that looks great and allows in the cold or heat and runs up the electric bill this taking mod money away from my car is not more important to me.

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