Installing Foam Board Insulation on an Exterior Wall
- Prepare the Wall. Before you begin, wash the wall with water and a mild soap. ...
- Measure. Calculate the size of the area in which the foam board insulation is to be installed. ...
- Waterproof. In some cases, such as in exterior foundations, it is necessary to waterproof the wall before moving further.
- Mark Walls. ...
- Spread the Screws. ...
- Use Furring. ...
What is the best insulation for exterior walls?
- Fiberglass used for loose-fill insulation usually contains between 40% and 60% recycled glass content.
- Rock wool is a man-made material that contains natural minerals like diabase or basalt.
- Slag wool is also man-made, from the blast-furnace slag that forms on the surface of molten metal.
How to insulate exterior walls from the inside?
Things to Remember Before Starting
- Always ensure that your installation is as clear and accessible as possible. You’ll need to be able to move around easily and access all required areas.
- You’ll need some basic tools to help complete your project. ...
- Lastly, remember that when you open a package of batting, it will expand significantly, so try not to open it outside of your project area.
How can I insulate my walls without removing drywall?
Loose-Fill Blown-In Cellulose Insulation
- Tends to settle, resulting in hollow spaces above the cellulose
- Can hang up on inner-wall obstructions such as wires, boxes, plaster keys, and even spider webs
- Holes must be created in the walls
Should you insulate plaster walls?
- Add quality storm windows to your house
- Caulk every pipe and exterior penetration on your house
- Insulate your attic and basement box sills
- Maintain the paint on your exterior walls
- Repair loose mortar on your house
- Weatherstrip your windows and doors
Which way should insulation face on exterior wall?
Regardless of whether fiberglass insulation is installed in a wall, attic, or crawlspace; the paper facing should always face toward the inside of the home. That's because the paper contains a layer of asphalt adhesive which prevents water vapor from passing through it.
Does insulation go on exterior walls?
It can be added to exterior walls without much disturbance to finished areas of your home. If you're remodeling and your wall cavities will be open, look into two-part spray foam or wet spray cellulose insulation. If your wall cavities are not going to be open, you could consider injectable spray foam insulation.
Should exterior wall insulation be faced or unfaced?
Unfaced insulation is non-combustible. However, it's common for a layer of faced insulation to be used in the exterior walls and attic ceilings to prevent water from entering the home, while unfaced insulation can be added to improve the heat retention ability and reduce the risk of fire.
How should insulation be installed in walls?
2:265:35DIY Insulation Project: 2X4 & 2X6 Walls - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipMost wall products have a stapling flange on the facing. Hold the flange against the inside edge ofMoreMost wall products have a stapling flange on the facing. Hold the flange against the inside edge of the stud. And staple if necessary the insulation should fit snugly against the studs.
Should you put plastic over insulation?
Without a vapor barrier in place, condensation inside the walls could ruin the insulation and promote the growth of harmful mold and bacteria. Plastic, specifically 6-mil polyethylene plastic, is the most commonly used vapor barrier.
Should you put plastic on exterior walls?
Plastic on the outer surface of a wall in cold weather could cause problems. The humid air is indoors. The cool surface is the sheathing, assuming no exterior insulation. If water vapor diffuses or infiltrates into the wall cavity and finds the cool surface, moisture problems can occur.
Does faced insulation need to be stapled?
INSTALLING FACED INSULATION WITHOUT USING STAPLES Make sure the insulation facing is flush with the face of the stud. The insulation must fit snugly at the sides and ends. Some CertainTeed products, such as SpeedyR, are prodcuced without stapling flanges specifically to be friction fit, and do not need to be stapled.
Do I need a plastic vapor barrier if I use faced insulation?
No, you should not do this. As mentioned above, faced insulation that has a vapor barrier can easily trap moisture. If you put another faced insulation on top of face insulation, a significant amount of moisture can form inside your insulation and in your walls to damage them.
Which side of the insulation faces out?
The first layer should have the facing against the drywall to act as a vapor barrier. (The general rule for insulation is that the facing always goes toward the conditioned space.) The second layer of insulation should be unfaced so that moisture doesn't collect between the layers.
What R value do I need for exterior walls?
R-13 to R-23Typical recommendations for exterior walls are R-13 to R-23, while R-30, R-38 and R-49 are common for ceilings and attic spaces. See the Department of Energy's (DOE) ranges for recommended levels of insulation below.
Do you have to tape insulation seams?
Yes, you tape any insulation's lateral seams, especially any fluffy stuff... aluminum HVAC tape lasts the longest. The fluffy stuff really only works best in dead air space. Which also means the un-faced side (where you don't tape anything).
How do you lay insulation?
2:413:31How to Insulate an Attic | This Old House - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIt's not as efficient right and ventilation is critical for most roofs right so just continuallyMoreIt's not as efficient right and ventilation is critical for most roofs right so just continually pack your insulation nice and tight against and go all the way across your attic.
How do I install insulation in a wall?
Tips For Installing Insulation in Walls 1 Never compress the insulation. While it seems that wouldn't change its effectiveness, in reality, you severely compromise the R-value by removing the air between the fibers. 2 If a roll or batt is too long for space, it must be trimmed and never folded over itself for optimum performance. 3 When finished, launder your work clothes in a load separate from your regular wash and run the rinse cycle twice.
How do I trim insulation?
If you're working from a roll, you can either trim for length with the insulation rolled out on the floor, or you can start with the edge of the roll at the top of the space you're filling, roll down to the bottom and trim there with a utility knife.
What is the R value of insulation?
Before shopping for insulation, it is important to understand its R-value or its resistance to heat flow. The higher the R-value, the greater the resistance to heat loss. The Federal Trade Commission mandates that each package of insulation carry a label that includes its specific R-value as well as health and safety precautions.
What is insulation in a home?
Don Nichols/Getty Images. Insulation is the home improvement that keeps on giving. It keeps you comfortable, saves you a fortune in heating and cooling costs, and even buffers noise within your home. Insulation is very easy to work with. It doesn't require strength or tremendous skill.
Where is the facing on drywall?
Therefore, in most climates, the facing goes on the interior side of the wall frame, so it contacts the backside of the drywall.
Can you use loose fill insulation on open walls?
Because it is forced through a tube and blown into space, loose fill is best suited for unfinished attics and hard-to-reach areas. Loose-fill insulation cannot be used with open walls, as the insulation needs to be confined for it to stay in place.
Can insulation be compressed?
Never compress the insulation. While it seems that wouldn't change its effectiveness, in reality, you severely compromise the R-value by removing the air between the fibers. If a roll or batt is too long for space, it must be trimmed and never folded over itself for optimum performance.
Estimated Time
Q: I'd like to add insulation to a wall during a renovation. What should I keep in mind?
1. Cut to Width
For narrow stud bays, you have to trim down the batt's width. To do that, lay a batt on the floor in front of the cavity, as shown, and line up one edge with the inside face of the stud bay.
2. Trim to Length
Tuck the insulation into the cavity, snug against the top of the stud bay and edges flush with the studs. The batt should not be tightly compressed against the studs; that will reduce its R-value.
3. Deal with Obstacles
For wires, halve the batt's thickness by pulling it apart. Then slide one half behind the wire and lay the other half in front.
4. Add the Vapor Barrier
In cold climates, a vapor retarder on the insulation's inside face prevents condensation that robs R-value and encourages mold. Batts faced with paper or foil have the retarder built in. Unfaced batts should be covered with 6-mil plastic or MemBrain (shown), a breathable sheet.
How to make exterior walls more insulated?
Apply vapor-retardant poly film over batting for exterior walls. To make external walls extremely insulated, it's common to apply a layer of vapor-retardant film over the insulation, to make it more secure. This will help to maximize the insulating potential of the batting, and you can find this at most home retailers.
How deep should I spray foam insulation?
If you're spraying inside a wall, count to three, then stop and examine your progress to make sure that you aren't over-filling the wall. Insulation needs to be kept in a layer no deeper than an inch. Over-applying foam insulation can stress the walls and can also clump up and fall off the surface.
What is the best insulation for denim?
Cotton. Recycled denim is regularly turned into a kind of insulation that's quite effective, and without the microfiber air problems that some people complain about with fiberglass. Mineral and sheep wool, cementitious, and cellulose-based insulation's are also common alternatives to fiberglass.
How do I measure for fiberglass insulation?
1. Measure the total area of the walls to be insulated. Before you buy fiberglass insulation batting, you need to find out how much you'll need. To do this, you'll need to take measurements of the total area of the individual walls to be insulated, and also the width of the space between the studs.
Why do we need insulation in our walls?
Installing insulation in your walls during the process of building or renovating a house increases the energy efficiency of the building , which saves money on heating and cooling. Insulation also helps to buffer sound.
What is the R value of closed cell insulation?
Closed-cell insulation is rigid and dense, with a higher R-Value than open-cell. Most closed-cell spray is rated around 6.6, with open-cell insulation rated around 3.9. The advantage of open-cell is that it's super-fast and cheap, included in most individual small spray cans of foam.
Can I spray foam insulation in my crawl space?
If you want to insulate an area in your crawl space, attic, or basement, spray foam insulation might be appropriate for the job , using a low-pressure sprayer and the proper safety equipment.
How thick should spray foam be?
For other types of spray foam insulation, the vapor permeance of the installed thickness must be at least 1.0 perm.
How does vertical furring work?
The vertical furring strips also provide the means of attachment for the exterior siding and provide a ventilation gap under the siding.
Do you tape house wrap?
The house wrap should be overlapped and taped at all seams and attached with fasteners per the manufacturer’s instructions. (See Figure 2.) If more than one layer of foam is used, the exterior layer of the foam is the water control layer and all seams in that layer should be taped with appropriate foam-compatible tape.
Can rigid foam be EPS?
If the surface of the rigid foam will serve as the water control layer, then the exterior layer of rigid foam cannot be EPS, it must be foil-faced polyisocyanurate or XPS and all seams of the exterior foam layer must be taped.
Before Installing Insulation
When installing home insulation, always follow the manufacturer's instructions. Here are some things you need to do before you begin:
Working With Insulation
Wear an old long-sleeved shirt and long pants or disposable coveralls. Check the insulation instructions for recommended safety gear such as eye protection, gloves and dust masks. If you're working in a crawlspace or attic, you may want to wear knee pads for comfort.
How wide is a hole in insulation?
Dry bits of insulation that get blown into wall cavities through holes 1 to 2½ inches wide. It either goes in from the interior walls, which requires patching holes, or from the exterior, which requires prying up siding and drilling through the sheathing, adding to the cost of professional installation.
Which is better, mineral wool or spray on insulation?
Sprayed-on cellulose and fiberglass work about as well as loose fill, but sprayed-on mineral wool performs better than loose fill, at R-4.1 per inch. Any spray-on insulation will seal air leaks better than loose fill.
How much does polyurethane cost?
Polyicynene and polyurethane are about $1.50 per square foot, including labor, if the wall is open, and $2.25 per square foot for existing walls. Cementitious foam costs about $1.40 to $2 per square foot. Installers can also spray a thin layer of foam to seal leaks, then fill in with less expensive insulation.
How much does a fiberglass batt cost?
Basic fiberglass batts cost about 40 cents per square foot uninstalled, while extra-dense ones run about $1. Mineral wool is also about 40 cents, cotton costs about 60 cents, and wool tops the chart at $2.75.
How thick should drywall be for fire protection?
To meet fire rules, you must cover interior boards with drywall at least ½ inch thick. Polystyrene will break down if exposed to sunlight, so it can't be left uncovered too long.
Do you need to remove insulation before adding insulation?
"If your house has some insulation in the finished walls but not enough to keep out the cold, you'll need to remove it before you can add more because the old stuff can get in the way and lessen the effectiveness of new insulation.
