Several weeks after having the blown in insulation installed, I noticed what appeared to be quite a bit of dust behind the heating return grate in the living room (we have a forced air heating system). Then it hit me like a ton of bricks, the return, like many older homes, actually uses a section of the wall cavity as a heating duct. After removing the grate, my fears were confirmed. The entire return and the main return duct in the basement, were packed with insulation!!
I immediately rushed into action, removing as much of the material as I could from inside the grate itself. Then I went into the basement and cut a hole into the main duct to remove the rest of the insulation that had found its way into the system - what a mess!!
But a couple of hours later and I had most of the insulation out, although I will have to vacuum out the filter in the furnace several times in the coming weeks to remove any remaining material that finds its way down. Many of you with bungalow style homes who decide to go with blown in insulation may end up with a similar situation if you have forced air heat. Hopefully for your sake its not a problem for you, but it's worth checking out just in case.
Blown in insulation - cellulose vs fiberglass
We quickly decided blown in insulation was our best option, as I didn't feel like ripping down the walls for the project. The biggest question then became what insulation product do we use. There are three main types, foam, cellulose and fiberglass.
Concerns over the potential for foam insluation to "out gas" or emit some noxious chemicals quickly eliminated that option so I centered my research on cellulose, which is essentially recycled newspaper, and fiberglass. Both have their drawbacks and their positives, but we finally decided that cellulose was the way to go for our situation.
The main drawback for blown in fiberglass is that it tends to lose its R-value, the insulating properties, as the temperature difference increases between the exterior and interior of the structure. Living in the northeast with cold winters, its when the mercury drops when the insulation is needed the most so this was a big concern for us. I have heard that the problem can be mitigated with installing some bat fiberglass insulation above the blown in stuff, but that wasn't pratical for our purposes.
The main drawback for cellulose is concerns that people have over its ability to catch fire - it is recycled newspaper after all. Most manufacturers however add a fire retardant to the material that is supposed to prevent the insulation from adding to the structure's fire load. Cellulose can also settle within the wall and cause gaps if not installed properly.
Because the temperatures were already dropping outdoors, we opted to hire a contractor for the job rather than do it ourselves, although most of the materials and the machines needed for the job are available at big box home improvement stores and tool rental companies.
Make sure to ask potential contractors about your concerns when it comes to settling if you choose cellulose. Most who know what they are doing will tell you that if they install the product with a pressure of three pounds per square foot, it should take care of the problem.
Good contractors will also drill two holes in each wall cavity from the exterior - one on top and one on the bottom - to ensure a proper installation. Ask about this as well. The siding is often removed before the holes are drilled and replaced when the job is completed. Most contractors can get the job completed in about a day depending on the size of your home.
When hiring a contractor, its also a good idea to ask for a couple of references - customers who have recnelty had work completed and can tell you about the experience. If I am very happy with a contractor, I will always offer to serve as a reference for them if needed.
When the project was completed, not only was our house warmer (we actually had to turn down the thermostat in the middle of the night because it was so hot in our room), but it also reduced the amount of ambient noise from the outside that made its way into our home.
Tip of the Day - When installing insulation in your home, or any energy saving material, check to see what kind of tax incentives or rebates may be offered. We actually received a rebate from the state that gave us a substantial savings on the project.
The Craftsman magazine - Gustav Stickley
In my searchings for information on the craftsman style, I have of course read countless mentions to Gustav Stickley, considered by many to be the father of the craftsman style. In 1901 he started the magazine called "The Craftsman" a publication that lasted for about 15 years and includes plans for craftsman style homes. The other day I ran across a database of the magazine in the University of Wisconsin's digital collections. The database includes complete copies of all The Craftsman magazines ever published! For someone who loves to go straight to the source for the best information on a topic, this was a great find. I've been checking out some of the magazines, and have found quite an interesting collection of house plans, discussions on style and even poetry that gives more meaning and understanding to this great American style that influenced so many. The image is of the cover page for the first edition in October 1901. The entire edition is dedicated to William Morris, who was one of Stickley's biggest influences. The database is worth checking out - if you can find the time between projects. You can find the database by clicking here, or by checking out the link on the blog's homepage listed under The Craftsman magazine. It's a great read and adventure, so enjoy!
Finishing the front stairs
Even though its unseasonably hot today I decided to finish off the front stairs. I installed the new posts yesterday. Today I had to install new treads and back boards, if that's what they are even called, onto the risers.
After much thought and consideration, I decided to make the treads a little longer than the original ones, which had stopped near where the railing started. I made the new treads long enough to fit underneath the railings - adding almost a foot in length compared the old treads. I also let the treads hang out a few inches on each side, giving smoother lines to the stairs that is more in tune with the craftsman bungalow style. It also gives the stairs the appearance of being larger, and I believe, more welcoming. I had to notch out the last tread where it meets up with the post, but this wasn't as hard as I first thought. I just held the tread next to the post and marked off the areas were I had to cut. All in all I think the stairs look pretty good. I'm sure the stairs will look even better when I get around to putting some new paint on them, but that's for another day. The whole porch could use a new paint job. It's definitely on my to do list for this summer, but I'm not sure yet if I'm going to tackle that next, or start working on the rear sidewalk. I already have the brick pavers, and a large pile of stone dust in the backyard that's calling my name.
Tip of the Day - Some of the old treads were still in pretty good shape so I decided to keep them around. The treads are made from the same board as the porch floor - you never know when you might need a replacement section or two.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
