new construction - insulation (East Texas)

   / new construction - insulation (East Texas) #21  
realistic savings potential is maybe 45% tops, then you consider the extra costs of around 15,000 on a 2500 to 3000 sq ft home

its about as pencil pushing as making a thermal ground source exchanger pay for itself - it averages around 10 yrs on those.

By that time you are ready to replace again.

On an average home electric bill of 200/month, you get a 45% difference maximum thats about 840/yr or 8400 in 10 yrs

you wont get 15000 more out of your house when you sell it either to pay for the office not to mention you are paying interest on your home loan for that extra for a LOT of years.

I insulated my 600 sq ft shop for 280 bucks last winter they wanted 3800 for 2" of spray foam on it which is a middle of the road coverage - i couldnt justify it

I dont think i would want to mess with it personally but to each his own
 
   / new construction - insulation (East Texas) #22  
I insulated my 600 sq ft shop for 280 bucks last winter they wanted 3800 for 2" of spray foam on it which is a middle of the road coverage - i couldnt justify it
:shocked: What were they spraying? Gold or Platinum?

I had my cabin walls sprayed about 4 years ago which was 24 x 36 x 10 and 5.5" thick, it was about $2K. (I put in R48 fiberglass in the attic)
 
   / new construction - insulation (East Texas) #23  
i didnt ask they also said they would do my entire barn/shop 3600 sq feet for 16500K - my cousin is getting his 36 x 54 shop done for 14500 not sure how thick or if its closed or open cell

likely some of my cost was it was a small area and the two people that quoted it didnt want a small job I didnt chew on them much either i didnt like the quotes enough to pursue it

I asked for the least expensive option they had for 2"coverage - that was spraying my ceiling also since it is a metal roof with open purlins
 
   / new construction - insulation (East Texas) #24  
Closed cell foam insulation installed should be around 3 - 3.5 times more than fiberglass installed. I recall in 2002 when building my 1,700 sq ft two story house with crawl space, the Icynene foam installed was $4,800 which included in the crawl spraying up covering the floor, ductwork, and rim, 4"+ in the exterior 2x6 walls, and 8"+ from the attic down over the 2nd floor ceiling and trusses. Fiberglass was $1,700 installed and certainly wouldn't have encapsulated all the metal ductwork in the crawl nor covered the rim. I believe I've already realized that difference in savings, and more importantly comfort.

The contractor that just finished my 28 x 38 shop really stresses quality construction and energy efficiency yet came in about the same price as my other two bids (actually less). Of the many areas he stood out was using a full 5 1/2" closed cell foam in the walls, more over the attic floor (not roof), opposed to fiberglass. The other two factored in fiberglass which I was going to have to upgrade to foam.

This 3 room, 1,000' shop is conditioned by a single mini-split which barely even kicks on maintaining the 73 setting in our humid Summer. It'll be challenged more come Winter.
 
   / new construction - insulation (East Texas)
  • Thread Starter
#25  
I know that technique is promoted by some but personally I don't like the idea for a couple reasons. Having to condition the attic, I don't want to heat and cool the attic.

Milo, I appreciate all your input.
From your photos, I see a Gable vent in the attic. Did they also install a roof ridge vent and / or, other types of attic venting?
What about your soffits, did they fill them with foam or are they vented in a certain way? Looks like I see light towards the soffit but not sure why that is.

Thanks
 
   / new construction - insulation (East Texas) #26  
The attics of my shop (pictured) and house are vented with perforated soffit, gable and ridge venting. Scraps of OSB were used to block between the trusses at the outside walls which allowed full thickness of foam since I went with 2 overhang eves, even 1 would allow enough, I think you would need that much to allow both eve venting and adequate insulation.
 
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   / new construction - insulation (East Texas)
  • Thread Starter
#27  
Thank you sir.
 
   / new construction - insulation (East Texas) #29  
The attics of my shop (pictured) and house are vented with perforated soffit, gable and ridge venting. Scraps of OSB were used to block between the trusses at the outside walls which allowed full thickness of foam since I went with 2 overhang eves, even 1 would allow enough, I think you would need that much to allow both eve venting and adequate insulation.

Our house has venting with perforated soffit, gable and ridge venting.

I have wondered if the gable vent negates or short circuits some of the soffit venting?
 
   / new construction - insulation (East Texas) #30  
Our house has venting with perforated soffit, gable and ridge venting.

I have wondered if the gable vent negates or short circuits some of the soffit venting?


Interesting thought. Without proof either way,I would likly block off gables if I were retro-fitting with soffit and ridge vents.
 

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