[Greenbuilding] best practice

Reuben Deumling 9watts at gmail.com
Thu Mar 17 11:26:07 CDT 2016


I second Rob's motion for storm windows. I've had excellent thermal
experience adding single-glazed wood-framed storm windows to both double
and single pane windows.

On Thu, Mar 17, 2016 at 8:22 AM, Vadurro, Rob, EMNRD <
rob.vadurro at state.nm.us> wrote:

> You mentioned the windows. I think you’ll find that after taking care of
> the wall insulation to R-10 to R-20 or so, you’ll be left with a bunch of
> R-1 or R-2 “holes” in the walls via the windows, not to mention the extra
> air infiltration. I suggest investing in insulated storm sashes and air
> sealing would be your best investment at that point.
>
>
>
> Rob Vadurro, AIA
>
> Park Architect
>
> New Mexico State Parks
>
> 1220 South Saint Francis Drive
>
> Santa Fe, NM 87505
>
> 505-476-3383
>
> 505-476-3361 fax
>
>
>
> *From:* Greenbuilding [mailto:
> greenbuilding-bounces at lists.bioenergylists.org] *On Behalf Of *Sacie
> Lambertson
> *Sent:* Thursday, March 17, 2016 9:04 AM
> *To:* Green Building <greenbuilding at lists.bioenergylists.org>
> *Subject:* Re: [Greenbuilding] best practice
>
>
>
> THANK YOU all for the many responses.  And I'm sorry I didn't fully
> explain the house redo.  We are entirely gutting the 2000 sq ft house.  We
> will be fully/properly insulating the crawl space and the attic. It is only
> the method of insulating the walls that is up the air.
>
>
>
>  I think the architect/builder/fabricator who did *not* do the plans for
> the house is knowledgeable.  I am certain he will make sure in the redo,
> the walls will be tight.  Moreover, seems to me a single sheath of polyiso
> taped on the inside would be added insurance would it not?  And strapped
> horizontally for drywall. I could sacrifice interior space for the better
> certainty of a job well done.
>
>
>
> The big downside to not pulling off that old siding is the possibility of
> having to repaint it more often than I might like because there is no
> rainscreen.
>
>
>
> We are btw, going to reuse the old 2 over 2 windows as well; like the rest
> of the house these are in good shape.  I would be interested if anyone on
> this list knows about a good mid-west based restoration service.
>
>
>
> Further comments on both these subjects are welcome.  I am paying good
> attention to those already received.
>
>
>
> Sacie
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On Thu, Mar 17, 2016 at 6:39 AM, John Straube <jfstraube at uwaterloo.ca>
> wrote:
>
> Very difficult to take such claims seriously: “not worth it” depends
> entirely on the cost of the doing “it” and what “it” gets you. Too many
> practical and economic variables to be able to make such a statement.
>
> Adding insulation between the framing will be massively impacted by
> thermal bridging.  You will have a hard time getting airtightness to the
> same level as from the exterior.
>
> But, if you are willing to live with an equivalent R10 wall (after all the
> thermal bridging at studs partions and floors) and an airtightness probably
> in the 2-5 ACG at 50 range, then ripping apart the entire interior is the
> cost.
>
> Removing the exterior siding is also a lot of disruption but the
> disruption is outdoors.  Good design will allow you to get exceptional
> airtightness, adding just 2” of insulation will get you the same R-10, and
> you will be able to improve water control so that the house framing lasts a
> very long time.  Add 4” of, say, rockwool/EPS and you get R20, real R-value
> (nothing in the studspace) or drill holes in exterior sheathing, blow in
> cellulose, add 4” of rockwool/ EPS and you are now close to real R-30.
>
> With the reliable and high airtightness, and the uniform high R-value you
> can now heat or cool this place with small and simple HVAC, and not have to
> think about upgrading again for another long time…
>
> In my experience, the performance of the between studs retrofits is always
> significant less than an exterior wrap, and the difference matters to
> occupant comfort and energy use in a very noticeable way.
>
> I guess, though, I am just another design professional in my young 40’s  J
>
>
>
>
> John
>
>
>
> *From:* Greenbuilding [mailto:
> greenbuilding-bounces at lists.bioenergylists.org] *On Behalf Of *Sacie
> Lambertson
> *Sent:* March 16, 2016 21:43
> *To:* Greenbuilding <Greenbuilding at lists.bioenergylists.org>
> *Subject:* [Greenbuilding] best practice
>
>
>
> A good guy and relatively young architect (in his 40s, 'young' by my
> standards), tells me it is not worth taking off the siding of an old 1883
> house to add insulation and an air space to the outside.  He says the added
> expense is not worth the additional insulation. That the extra R-value
> above R 23 in walls is thermodynamically not money well spent as long as
> the house is very tightly constructed in the retro-fit.
>
>
>
> The siding is original and in very good shape.  The interior has full
> dimensioned 2x4 walls.  The rooms are too small for me to want to build a
> double wall on the interior.
>
>
>
> What he suggests I do is simply used closed cell foam between the wall
> framing.
>
>
>
> I would appreciate your comments please.
>
>
>
> Sacie
>
>
>
>
>
>
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