Insulation

Many older homes have little to no insulation.  Here is one (rare) case where new construction has the leg up on old.  I have heard of folks talk about interesting folk insulation attempts found in older homes: straw, corn husks, rice, etc.

Except for a few exceptions, the walls in my house are currently plaster with wood lath.  To ready a wall for the insulation:

1) Breaking into the plaster, its best to start on the top and start working your way downward. I would suggest standing on a step ladder. If you slide the long side of a crowbar underneath the plaster, you can get a huge chunk to come crumbling down.  Keep working your way downward.

2) Time to start into the wood lath.  Once again, you may want to start on top and work your way downward, so you don’t end up getting rained upon.  The lath is usually spaced across three studs (the vertical two-by-fours).  I have found that if you stick the curvy part of a crowbar underneath the center one and then work your way across.  Keep a clean pile going in the center of the room or off to the side.  This pile can be simply board together.  Tossing it into a garbage can may not be a wise choice- as you may end up stabbing yourself with nails as you reach into empty container (like putting your arm into a chest of snacks!)

3) Go over your work, looking for any nails you may have left behind.  Make sure everything is neat and clean.  Check the bottom and the top for any extra wood lath peices that maybe hiding under the trim or floorboards.  Now you are ready for the insulation!!!

We will install insulation with a value of R-25 (the higher the R value the better, insulation usually ranges between R-11 to R-38….albeit there is talk about an elusive R-60).  While, my original intent was to put in alternative insulation, such as recycled jean (very “in fashion”…haha) or the efficient cellulose (made from paper-pulp), these methods may not work for my home.  The recycled jeans are too expensive and are not readily available.  The cellulose is loose, that is it needs to be blown in, verses that which is manufactured into installable sheets.  While it does take more energy to produce a vault of fiberglass insulation, much of the insulation is made out of recycled material.  There are new brands that are formaldehyde free (one popular issue against the traditional “pink” fiberglass insulation), and assure consumers that the manufacturing process is as streamlined and “green” as possible.  These type of fiberglass products can be purchased at the local big-box building supply stores.  Even though I am quite happy with the formaldehyde free brand of insulation, we will make an attempt at installing the cellulose.  Perhaps, by stapling up a sheet of plaster between the surrounding studs, as we fill the gap with the loose insulation…we can work our way upward to the ceiling…however, what about the end-point?   What do I do to fill it to the top?

 Experiments in Cellulose….tba