One of the big things we had to discuss was insulating this house. You may have noticed, that there are NUMEROUS large windows, making sure it was insulated properly was a top priority. Back during the first winter we lived here, before we started any major renovations, it would get down to around 30 degrees in our kitchen and Lauren would cook with a coat on. We even had a pipe burst one time and water was spraying all over because it was so cold on the first floor. Of course, anything we did would be an improvement from that, but I think we were extra sensitive to this issue and wanted to make sure we kept the house warm!
Since the entire first floor was gutted and all walls were open, we went the route of spray foam. For anyone not familiar, spray foam is an alternative to traditional building insulation such as fiberglass. Spray foam insulation, like other insulation, saves on energy costs and lowers utility bills. Studies by the US Department of Energy show that 40% of a home's energy is lost as the result of air infiltration through walls, windows and doorways. Buildings treated with spray foam insulation insulate as much as 50% better than traditional insulation products. Other benefits of spray foam are that it acts as a moisture barrier, it deters mold, has a long life span and is eco-friendly.
Spray foam comes in two forms, open cell and closed cell. The difference between the two is density. The higher the density, means a higher R-value, which means the more effective the insulation properties. Closed cell has a higher r-value, therefore it's more efficient, but it comes with a big price tag. We figured we should do it right and get the closed cell. Go big, or go home right? It's of course super depressing when you total up renovation costs and 75% of the costs are BEHIND the walls which no one would see :(
Since the entire first floor was gutted and all walls were open, we went the route of spray foam. For anyone not familiar, spray foam is an alternative to traditional building insulation such as fiberglass. Spray foam insulation, like other insulation, saves on energy costs and lowers utility bills. Studies by the US Department of Energy show that 40% of a home's energy is lost as the result of air infiltration through walls, windows and doorways. Buildings treated with spray foam insulation insulate as much as 50% better than traditional insulation products. Other benefits of spray foam are that it acts as a moisture barrier, it deters mold, has a long life span and is eco-friendly.
Spray foam comes in two forms, open cell and closed cell. The difference between the two is density. The higher the density, means a higher R-value, which means the more effective the insulation properties. Closed cell has a higher r-value, therefore it's more efficient, but it comes with a big price tag. We figured we should do it right and get the closed cell. Go big, or go home right? It's of course super depressing when you total up renovation costs and 75% of the costs are BEHIND the walls which no one would see :(
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