[Greenbuilding] Exterior insulation retrofit

[bill.allen at verizon.net]

Anne,

I actually stay up nights thinking about the issues you mention.  I have already salvaged about 1/2 the insulation I'll be adding to the outside.  It will break my heart to see all the old windows gone and will offer them up to craigslist/freecycle.  I recently questioned the wisdom of a new neighbor who tore down a whole house to build a "green" one.  It just doesn't make sense.

It's not a done deal yet for me....I'm researching all the options in order to make a fact based decision.

Thanks for bringing this up.

Bill
-----Original Message-----
From: Anne Judge <anne.judge at alum.mit.edu>
Sender: greenbuilding-bounces at lists.bioenergylists.org
Date: Fri, 06 May 2011 14:48:51 
To: Green Building<greenbuilding at lists.bioenergylists.org>
Reply-to: Green Building <greenbuilding at lists.bioenergylists.org>
Subject: Re: [Greenbuilding] Exterior insulation retrofit


On May 6, 2011, at 1:51 PM, bill.allen at verizon.net wrote:

> All,
> Thanks for your comments on this thread.  The one thing no one commented on was the windows.  Do folks have experience with R5 windows?  Can you recommend any mfg's?  I am thinking Marvin Ultimate clad (wood with aluminum cladding on the outside) but they cost an arm and a leg, even more so with triple glazing to reach R5. Alternatives?
> Thanks,
> Bill

Well, I know a bunch of people (on the oldhouseweb forum, so they do have a point of view!) who would tell you the greenest thing you can do is restore your old window, install good weatherstripping on them, and add really good-quality storms.  I believe your house was 1920s?  So the wood is old-growth and with care will last for another century or two, and the weatherstripping and storm additions will make it (I've read) nearly as tight as a modern window unit - with the advantage of continuing to be repairable.  

I know others here prefer modern technology, but the sight of a bunch of windows (and old doors, and plaster and lath) in a dumpster, and new material coming in, really bothers me.  For me it's the history as well as the waste - I'm more traditional Yankee than modern green.

Disappearing back to lurkdom now . . .

Anne


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