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How to insulate your home this year
• Sit,
(Continued from Page 115).
insulated to at least R20.
This means at least 6
inches of batt, blanket or
loose-fit). insulation, and
an effective vapor
baKrier on the lower
(warm) side of the
insulation. The extra cost
of a good insulation job
will more than pay for
itself over the life of the
house.
Your walls are the
second most important
source of heat loss. Aim
for a total wall resistance
of' R14 or more. This
means an R factor for the
insulation of at least 12,
about as much as can be
achieved with batts or
blankets and 4-inch wall
studs,
Retrofit.
Unfortunately, re-
insulating walls is more
difficult and more
expensive than ceilings.
You do have a number of
options, however,
depending upon the type
of wall construction,
existing insulation and
money to spend.
(a> Wall renovation
(frame walls). If your
plans permit extensive
renovation, remove the
wallboard or plaster and
re-insulate the wall as
you would a new one (see
instructions below). Then
replace the wallboard.
While you're at it, you
might want to attach 1 x
2" or 2 x 2" strips to the
stud edges to allow for
more insulation in the
wall cavity.
(b) Inside insulation
(frame or masonry
walls.) To avoid the
trouble of removing the
inside surface of a wall,
or when this can't be done
as with masonry walls,
you can apply new
insulation (batts,
blankets or .rigidRanels)
to the inside surface.
Apply straps to the wall
to attach the insulation
and covering wallboard.
(Remember the
styrofoam should be
covered by plaster or
gypsum board.) You can
use 1 x 2" furring strips
for thin styrofoam; use at
least 2 x 2" strips for
batts, blankets or thicker
foam. Once your strips
are in place, apply the
insulation according to
the instructions below for
frame walls.
(c) Blown-in insulation
(frame Walls). If you
have hollow, or 'almost
hollow, wood-frame walls
you can have a
professional insulation
contractor blow in loose-
fill insulation. He can do
this from the outside if
small sections of the '
exterior can be removed,
as with clapboard. If the
exterior is brick,
aluminum siding or
stucco, he'll have to drill
holes in the interior walls
and repair them when
he's finished. Care must
be taken that the entire
stud space is filled — that
no projectionS or cross-
braces hinder the filling.
process.
(d) Foamed-in-place
insulation. The cavity in
older wood-f ra ne
houses and in some
masonry walls can, be
filled with a foamed-in-
pla.ce insulation, such as
urea-formaldehyde. This
must be done by a
professional. Check the
prices in your area and
pick the contractor
carefully.
— New walls. When
you're insulating new
walls, the idea is to put in
as much insulation as the
stud space will accept.
For extra* insulating
value, consider 6-inch
studs or a layer of
styrofoam sheeting on the
outside (under the
exterior surface). Follow
the instructions below.
When you start to work
on a wall that has peen
framed, push blankets
into the stud spaces so
they touch the sheathing
or siding. Work from the
top down and place the
staples about 12 inches
apart, pulling down the
flanges so that they fit
snugly against the top and
bottom .plates.
If you're using friction
fit batts or blankets
without an attached
vapor barrier, first
wedge them into place,
then cover the inside face
of the wall with a suitable
vapor barrier such as
polyethylene, stapled to
top and bottom plates.
Unroll the sheet across
the entire wall area,
including window and
door openings. You can
cut these out later,.
Be sure to fit insulation
behind ,pipes, ducts' and
electrical boxes. Pack
space with loose
insulation or cut a piece,
to the proper size and fit
it into place.
Stuff pieces "of
insulation between rough
framing and dOor and
window heads, jambs and
sills. Staple vapor-barrier
paper or polyethylene to
cover these small areas.
If you have non-
standard-width studs or
joist spaces, cut the
insulation • and vapor
barrier an inch or so
wider than the space to
be filled. Staple uncut
flanges as usual. Pull the
vapor barrier on the cut
side to the other stud,
fitting the insulation
behind it, and staple
through the vapor barrier
to the stud. Unfaced
blankets are cut slightly
oversize and wedged into
place.
After plugging the heat
leaks in ceilings and
walls, basement walls
are the next area to
All Carpets
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All Ceiling Tile
All Paint
tackle. A good deal 0
heat is lost fro
basemebt w a l ls
especially' the part ahoy
ground.
For block or conerel
-walls that are less than
per cent exposed, •y
should add insulati
with a resistance values
R7 or R8 to at least 2 fee
below grade. For ful,
exposed basement walls
insulate as you would a
upstairs wall — R12.1
all cases, apply
moisture-proof coating!
the wall befor insulating.
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1976 16—THE BRUSSELS POSty NOVEMBER 10;