Clinton News-Record, 1984-04-25, Page 55'Call the Nandi -Line
...524-2424
The outer limits of exterior Insulation work
Insulation doesn't have to be an inside job.
Re -insulating won' pt your family or
turn your home in a construction site, if
its' done from the oaside of the house.
Exterior insulati ' has some important
advantages " to consider. It's the - most
economical approach if you're already plan-
ning external improvements like re -siding.
If your home's exterior need major repairs,
it makes sense to insulate at the same time.
You can actually get a higher level of
energy efficiency than you would with in-
terior insulation because air -vapor barriers
are more easily and effectively installed on
the outside and you can use larger amounts
of insulation without reducing your floor
space.
Keep in mind, too, that you can almost
always do the work in less time and for less
money than it would take to insulate from
the inside.
Whether you hire a contractor or take on
the job yourself, do some preparation first.
Inspect the outside of the house to identify
what you will need to relocate to accom-
modate the thicker walls; this can include
electrical and, plumbing outlets and dryer
vents. Moving oil pipes and the electrical.
masthead may require help from your utili-
Ty or'fitel company. Watch out, too, for -pro
truding nails and sharp edges that can rip
the all-important air -vapour barrier.
A continuous air -vapor barrier is the basis
.off .successful .. ingllating.,„ It_ acts as an
envelope around the house, protecting the
structure and the insulation from moisture..
The air -vapor barrier must be placed on the
warm side of the insulation to work proper-
ly. If your walls already have insulation and
you want to add more, make sure that at
(east two-thirds of the total. insulation goes
on the outside of the vapor -barrier. For in-
stance, if the level of insulation already pre-
sent in your walls is RSI 1.4 (R 8), you
should add twice that, or RSI 2.8 (R 16), onto
the outside of the vapor -barrier.
To prevent moisture damage and the
leakage of air into and out of the house, the
air -vapor barrier has to be both durable and
flexible. The material that best meets these
criteria is six mil polyethylene.
You install the air -vapor barrier by plac-
ing it vertically against the house, from the
top of the wall to the footings of the founda-
tion (or below grade of you're not insulating
the basement). You should overlap the
sheets of plastic by at least 150 mm (6 in-
ches and caulk the edges and seams with
acoustical sealant. A wooden batten at the
top and bottom may help by preventutg.the
air -vapor barrier front flapping in the wind
while you're working on it.
You may wonder how to deal with win-
dows and doors when you're installing an
air -vapor barrier. The usual approach is to
cover the entire wall with plasties TIieii-for
each window and door, make two diagonal
slits ( an "X" 1 from corner to corner. Fold
back the plastic and seal it tightly to the
frame..
You can include, basement insulation in
your exterior .work - a particularly .good
strategy if your basement is damp. Ex-
cavate and replace the drain tiles and
waterproof the foundation wall at the same
time as you insulate. Consult the Ministry of
-Municipal Affairs and'Housing fact; sheet'on
Insulating Basements for detailed direc-
tions.
The kind of insulation you choose will
• determine the method of installation. There
are two common types. Rigid Foam Boards
are nailed directly to the wall through the
plastic vapor barrier. The advantage of this
method is that it's less wort and the insula-
tion takes up less space - but it is more ex-
pensive.
_FibaeglassZags allow7YQu to insulate to a
high level at relatively low cost:You'll have.
Extra insulation can be added on the inside
or the outside of your home.
Control poison ivy
Shady summer vines might provide
poison rather than pleasure, says R.A.
Fleming, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture
and.Foodhorticulturist.
"Poison ivy is often mistaken for Boston
ivy or Virgina creeper. Learning to tell
them apart takes the itch out of gardening."
Three small leaflets make up poison ivy's
apple -green leaves. Leaves may be dull or
glossy, with a bronze tint in summer.
"The motto 'leaves three, let it be' is a
good one to follow to avoid the weed," he
suggests.
The plant, a relative of Oriental lacquer
trees, secretes a milky or colorless oil toxic
to man. It usually doesn't infest well -kept
lawns. '
"Poison ivy in lawns probably results
from weeds existing when the lawn was
seeded. It's' difficult to destroy once it's
there."
One way to get rid of poison ivy is to spray
repeatedly and weaken the plant.
Mr. Fleming recommends spraying with
amitrole arund hedge rows and stumps. Use
a 2,4-D and Mecoprop, combination for
poison ivy in lawns.
•
to construct a new frame wall to create a
space for the insulation. This involves at-
taching a- base support around the
perimeter to hold the pre -built sections of
framing. Set the framing as far out from the
wall as the thickness of your insulation re-
quires.
When the new frame wall is finished, you
can begin to insulate. First, fit a layer of
fibreglass batts horizontally between the
house and the frame wall, then layer batts
vertically in the stud cavities. This techni-
que reduces heats lossintwo ways The .dou.-
ble layering prevents gaps in which air
could circulate. Setting .the new frame wall
at a distance from the house, so it doesn't
touch the original wall, prevents "thermal
bridging". This term simply means the con-
duction of heat through solid materials, like
the wood studs.
The last major step, before you put up
your new siding, is to cover the insulation
with building paper.
When you're taking care of final details,
pay attention to doors and windows. Make
sure that water can drain off properly by
sloping the sills and fitting the door and win-
dow frames tightly -into the wall.
It shouldn't take long to feel more comfor-
table in your newly insulated house. Re-
insulating the exterior walls, together with
attic improvements, can mean a 50 to 60 per-
cent 'saving
ercent'saving in energy. What you'll notice on
a day-to-day basis is a quieter horse, with
warmer walls and fewer drafts.
If you'd like to investigate the option of
exterior insulation, a good place to dart is
the Exterior Insulation fact sheet. It's in-
cluded in the free Energy Conservation and
Renovation Kit, available from the Ministry
of Municipal Affairs and Housing, 777 Bay
St.. 2nd Floor, Toronto, Ontario. M5G 2E5.
Consult an insulation pro
With energy costs projected to soar
unabated for at least the next 10 years, ac-
cording to most experts, the wise -
homeowner will want to investigate how to
make the family home as energy e-fficien�
possible.
Energy conservation experts suggest that
insulation is one of the homeowner's best
-Weaporis"for combating high energy bills.
While some attics can be insulated by a
do-it-yourselfer in an afternoon, maximum
energy savings are obtained by insulating
an entire house — a procedure that can't be
done by the homeowner:
Consult a "pro"
Toproperly insulate inaccessible areas
and side walls in addition to attics, a profes-
sional home insulation contractor should be
consulted.
The contractor ;is specially trained
imine where to a -0d -insulation; -and
advise how much insulation is required to
give the best return on investment in energy
conservation.
Get written estimates of
Obi firm estimates — m writing —
the work that is to be done and the materials
to be used. The easiest way to avoid disap-
pointment and misunderstanding is to have
everything spelled out clearly before the job
., begins.
Several contractors should submit written
estimates in order to determine the best one
to work with. To properly compare them,
make sure that. their estimates are for com-
parable jobs — using the same materials,
• quality of workmanship and R values.
The R value.:is the measure of an in-
.*
sulating material's resistance to heat.flow.
to' `The higher the Rcil lue, .the;
determine,
><o, sulating power
ter the in -
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