[Greenbuilding] Exterior insulation retrofit

Thu Apr 28 12:57:27 CDT 2011

Nyloboard makes a variety of products from recycled carpet.  We¹re testing
their decking. And they have a line of fascias‹possibly trim boards among
them.  www.nyloboard.com.   They¹re still (slowly) working out distribution
and pricing but shows some promise.

I just replaced an entire level¹s flooring ($10K) b/c a patio door leaked
from the wood trim rotting out. This is one area where I less-grudgingly ok
PVC‹plus the volume of trim is tiny compared to siding and other PVC¹s you
might have.

On 4/28/11 1:12 PM, "bill.allen at verizon.net" <bill.allen at verizon.net> wrote:

> Eli,
> 
> Thanks for the detail suggestions (caulk, caulk, caulk!).
> 
> I hear you about the fire issue with cedar...we happen to be in a bedroom
> community with a fire hydrant actually in our front yard so hopefully we are
> covered in that regard:-)
> 
> I think the cedar will require horizontal furring strips but I don't want to
> "block" drainage so I'm thinking first a layer of vertical strips and then a
> layer of horizontal as naillers for the cedar.
> 
> I hope to put in bigger windows than I take out (putting glass where the
> window weights used to be) so I'm probably looking at new trim:-(  Any
> suggestions for maintenance free exterior trim material that's not 100%
> petroleum?
> 
> Bill
> -----Original Message-----
> From: "elitalking" <elitalking at rockbridge.net>
> Date: Thu, 28 Apr 2011 10:42:27
> To: <bill.allen at verizon.net>; Green
> Building<greenbuilding at lists.bioenergylists.org>
> Subject: Re: [Greenbuilding] Exterior insulation retrofit
> 
> Yes, I have just completed a project very similar.  My house was built in
> 1995 with conventional fiberglass batt and electric plugs in wall.
> Therefore I left those walls as they were.  I mounted 3" isocyanurate boards
> over the existing plywood siding attempting perfect seals with acoustic
> caulk at seams.  I use spray foam cans to fill and seal gaps that occur.
> Recognizing the difficulty of perfection, I installed building wrap over the
> foam boards that is fastened at the top and bottom as a redundant attempt at
> continuous air barrier.  I installed 4"x 3/4" osb vertical furring strips
> using long screws through foam and into original framing.  I also dabbed
> acoustic caulk on back of furring strip where screws came out in an attempt
> to seal the hole in building wrap I was creating with long screw.  The
> furring strip created the drain plain that John Straub was talking about.
> Over this I installed textured plywood and 1x3 battens to create a board and
> batten look. Other sidings could be used.  It is stained, therefore, have
> that continuing maintenance issue.  My concern about cedar shingles is that
> they are highly flammable.  I had to install jamb extensions on all the
> windows and doors and reinstall the trim.  I was able to reuse some most of
> the original trim wood.  This only describes the walls.  I also installed 3"
> isocyanurate under existing ceiling and installed new finish ceiling below.
> Also, I am installing 3" iso boards below floor in crawl space with building
> wrap again and osb sheathing for rodent protection.
> 
> 
> 
> We actually removed our heatpump; therefore no longer have the option to
> cool in our mixed humid Virginia climate.  However, the 3 inch continuous
> tight foam should keep surface temp on hot side above dew point, even if we
> install cooling.  When the house envelope is completed, we can consider a
> high efficiency mini split air source heat pump and a grid tied photovoltaic
> as a path the net zero.
> 
> 
> 
> It was a lot of work.  However, I am practicing what I preach.  Good luck
> with your project.  You are on the right path.
> 
> 
> 
> Eli
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <bill.allen at verizon.net>
> To: "Green Building" <greenbuilding at lists.bioenergylists.org>
> Sent: Thursday, April 28, 2011 8:45 AM
> Subject: [Greenbuilding] Exterior insulation retrofit
> 
> 
>> > Hi all,
>> >
>> > I am researching a project for my single family home. Classic 1926 stick
>> > construction. Zero insulation in the walls...time yet again for an
>> > external paint job. Would really appreciate comments on the following
>> > plan:
>> >
>> > We never want to paint again...are thinking of natural cedar shingle
>> > siding, maybe with preservative but otherwise left natural.  Don't like
>> > the embodied energy in the various cement siding
>> > solutions....alternatives?
>> >
>> > While the siding is down, fill the wall cavities with cellulous from the
>> > outside.
>> >
>> > Replace original double hung windows with new construction insulated, R-5
>> > if we can afford it, windows mounted "innie" on the plane of the original
>> > dimensional 1x lumber t+g sheathing.
>> >
>> > Add external insulation....rigid styrofoam.  Since there is no interior
>> > vapor barrier (plaster on wood lathe), I am worried about the dew point
>> > ending up in the center of the wall...therefore, per the building science
>> > article, add 4" of styrofoam to the outside to keep the dew point external
>> > of the sheathing.
>> >
>> > Will require careful details at windows and other penetrations.
>> >
>> > Big job...has anyone done this?  Any comments on any part of the above
>> > would be most welcomed.
>> >
>> > Thanks,
>> > Bill
>> > _______________________________________________
>> > Greenbuilding mailing list
>> > to Send a Message to the list, use the email address
>> > Greenbuilding at bioenergylists.org
>> >
>> > to UNSUBSCRIBE or Change your List Settings use the web page
>> > 
>> http://lists.bioenergylists.org/mailman/listinfo/greenbuilding_lists.bioenerg
>> ylists.org
>> >
>> > 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Greenbuilding mailing list
> to Send a Message to the list, use the email address
> Greenbuilding at bioenergylists.org
> 
> to UNSUBSCRIBE or Change your List Settings use the web page
> http://lists.bioenergylists.org/mailman/listinfo/greenbuilding_lists.bioenergy
> lists.org

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.bioenergylists.org/pipermail/greenbuilding_lists.bioenergylists.org/attachments/20110428/9dfcd96d/attachment.html>