[Greenbuilding] insulating beneath an existing floor.

[Clarke Olsen]

Would it be practical to build a non structural wall of insulation that was at least a few inches clear of the foundation?
Clarke Olsen
clarkeolsendesign.com
373 route 203
Spencertown, NY 12165 
USA
518-392-4640
colsen at taconic.net




On Jul 30, 2015, at 1:22 PM, Norbert Senf <norbert.senf at gmail.com> wrote:

> From your description, it sounds maybe like:
> - spray foam underneath
> - spray plaster or some kind of insect and vermin proof coating over the foam. Rustoleum Vertical Restore looks interesting.
> - vent the crawlspace
> 
> Norbert
> 
> On Thu, Jul 30, 2015 at 12:59 PM, Sacie Lambertson <sacie.lambertson at gmail.com> wrote:
> Thanks for the so-far responses to my query (John and Bob).  To clarify the problem:
> 
> The house is sitting on top of the stone wall foundation so there is a space between the floor and the ground.  Presume (because the house won't be gutted for a year or more) the yellow pine floor rests on joists.  There is no access to the space underneath, short of tearing up the floor.  This seems to me entirely unnecessary given those boards have been there for over 130 years.
> 
> I mentioned the old limestone wall only because I think placing insulation against the wall as might be normally recommended, is not a good idea given the potential for the limestone to deteriorate when it is thus enclosed.  We have a good friend who is a master stonemason whose opinion I will ask about this problem.  Also will ask him to check out the existing wall which will need repointing IMO.  Have no idea what material has been used to point up until now.  Will check on this again.
> 
> I'm thinking someone will have to crawl through some access point into the crawlspace of the floor and with good light insulate the floor from underneath, presumably a spray foam.  I think this is what you are suggesting Bob.  Further, your assessment of the situation is sound me thinks.  Wonder if putting vents in the wall would assure an air flow?  Necessary?  There are none now.  The limestone wall around the main house is in very good shape.
> 
> Assume without knowing, the floor joists are fairly deep given the rooms' dimensions (@14' x 14'-a bit over 1000 sq ft total).   So if only the joists were enclosed in foam, the space beneath would be left as is--ie open dirt surrounded by limestone walls.  
> 
> The lot is flat flat.  There is no indication of water damage around the perimeter except in the back where the lot actually slopes toward the house and where the foundation to the  addition is failing (added about 100 years ago on top of a similar limestone wall).
> 
> The addition and wall will be demolished.  There is a small rudimentary basement under the addition.  A proper small basement will be built under a new addition and a good french drain will be placed in the yard behind it (the slope can not be changed).
> 
> Further responses valued.  Sacie
> 
> On Thu, Jul 30, 2015 at 9:05 AM, home-nrg <home-nrg at dnaco.net> wrote:
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> 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.bioenergylists.org
> 
> 

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.bioenergylists.org/pipermail/greenbuilding_lists.bioenergylists.org/attachments/20150730/a6c9cc54/attachment.html>