The ongoing adventures of insulating a 273 year old stone wind tunnel

Okay, so last Fall I created sub-flooring in the first section of the attic and put down two layers of insulation board that gave me an R-Value in the 25 to 30 range. I blew in insulation in section two and three of the attic to an R-Value of 30 to 60 depending upon the area. I had plans of going back up there this Fall to bring everything up to over R38, but that is on hold for now.

Currently I am insulating the Spring Room, which holds the water heater, boiler, washer, dryer, pipes, circuit breaker, etc.

This rum has no insulation other than the thick stone walls. The ceiling consisted of support beams, plywood, and shingles. That room would regularly get down into the up 30s during the ugly parts of winter. Pipes never froze, luckily. I am putting in kraft-faced R19 and R21 batts into the ceiling and around the perimeter of the walls where the ceiling connects.

I am also putting in a new front door.

Third, if the budget allows, I am blowing in closed cell expansion foam underneath the floor along the perimeter of the outside walls to create a dead air space underneath the floor to stop the called air from coming up from the floors.

I am not sure if I am buying a kit or if I am going to have it professionally done. Kit is about $650. It will be $1,000 to have it professionally done.

It will be interesting to see what it's like to heat this place if I can manage to get all three projects completed before the winter.

 

Well, you know I'm in on this..........

 

The Spring room insulation will only cost around $100.

$45 for R19 batts and $45 for R21 perforated batts (for easy cutting), and $10 in insulation tape, and other items.

I thought it was going to be around $300, but I miss-calculated how much was in each package of batts.

 

Good luck with your projects. Keep us posted.

 

I should have the Spring Room completed this weekend. We'll see if my lazy azz actually takes any photos this time. I usually think of it after the project is done.

 

I bet it will make a huge difference and money well spent... Let us know how it goes and how well it works.

We have some deals with the electric companies in Ohio where they will come to your house for a very small fee and do an energy audit (subsidized by the electric company). They pressurize your house to pinpoint all the air leaks and use IR camera's to find areas that need insulation. Could that type of assistance help you identify all the needs?

 

Well, I'm not sure. The insulation under the floor is a small gamble. But, I think it is the right choice.

I think after I replace the two sets of french doors, an energy audit will make sense as I will have eliminated all of the low hanging fruit. Windows need to be done, but I am not sure if that is the best use of money or if there are larger issues that should be handled before the windows.

 

When we first moved to our old farm in 1994, when the wind blew hard, it moved the curtains facing toward the wind direction. And, all of them had storm windows too. 4 years later, we replaced all of the windows with good vinyl replacements... quite a difference. You'll have the chance to see the before and after results too. In the meantime, I hope the wind isn't howling around your windows as bad as ours...

 

That I solved four years ago. I knew new windows weren't happening anytime soon. So I caulk and insulated the hell out of the windows. They aren't the greatest, but it made a huge difference.

Sure, most of the windows can't be opened unless I throw a chair through them, but the bastards aren't leaky anymore!

 

... gawd that was funny....

 

Throw the chair! Throw the chair! Video, or your makin that chit up!

 

Gas, Gas, Gas... simmer down there big fella...

 

How many cups of coffee have you had this morning?

 

The kitchen window probably has more weight from caulking and spray foam insulation than it does actual window.

 

LOFL. How is the insulating going BrowningBAR? I have worked on several older houses that my brothers have bought and currently live in. Gutting the plaster and lath, re-wiring, re-plumbing, insulating, rocking and mudding, painting. Man that is a lot of work. Doesn't take long to spend some money remodeling. My house was not plaster and lath, but I have remodeled it from a five unit apartment house to one big house and attached garage in the last 12 years. $ Before that, when I first bought the place 20 years ago I remodeled one apartment per year for five years while renting them out. Ugh, the wear and tear apartments get. Glad I am done renting forever! Must NOT rent out one of my places.

 

Do you have pic.s of that do over that you can share? Must be a big house.

 

"Before that, when I first bought the place 20 years ago I remodeled one apartment per year for five years while renting them out." ... you sure are a worker Gas!!! That's very impressive my friend. I can only imagine the headaches you had... ... and can definately see why you've had enough.

 

BBar you already know how I feel about this... if you still have the original windows, or at least older wood windows please please please dont take them out and put garbage modern plastic windows in. If you absolutely must for some reason salvage the orignals and hide them in a basement /attic - future owners who want to restore it to original will thank you.

Replacement windows and plastic anything on an antique house should be a mortal sin.


Nice work on all the insulating.