The old fiberboard sheathing is very air leaky and we'd like to seal up the cavity. It's more expensive than borate treated. Leanne, Then the aluminum siding on top of the original siding." House wrap is a fabric, paper, or board material that covers the exterior sheathing of house walls to protect the wall framing. (We really like the other benefits of mineral wool insulation.). In any case, discuss local code requirements with your code official -- you may need interior drywall (rather than just plywood and beadboard) on the interior for fire safety, depending on local interpretation. It has been a cold winter! It took me a while to figure out that a building is basically just a structural framework with control layers. There appears to be roofing/ felt paper on the other side of these boards. The best detail to protect this door is an adequate roof overhang. Thanks for the quick response. This condition leads to cupping and splitting. Specifically, I'm looking to maximize my chances at having success in this difficult situation. Should I leave the exterior portion and insulate with a combination (SPF and cellulose) in the wall cavity? 2nd I was contemplating running furring strips & comfortboard at right angles across studs to help with thermal bridging and than capping with MemBrain & drywall. The foil facing won't cause any problems. I can't visualize how you intend to work in the small air space between the bricks and the studs -- working from the interior. Thank you very much for your time. Insulating sheathing comes in various R-values. So companies like Norbord started creating “TallWall” & … ), two or three layers overlapping with taped seams, then a subfloor (OSB?) Benefits to providing the exterior sheathing include a nailing base for the siding, improved insulation, and in some cases, is required to structurally brace the walls. Leonard, "Will the foil membrane create a moisture problem?". There are also some places where the tar paper is compromised, but fortunately not a lot. Like the interior walls. I was unable to see whether the rest of the house had wrap and sheathing. If the gable isn’t covered, water can get to the framing, and even behind the housewrap below. I'm also (foolishly perhaps) installing a wall mounted toilet in the wall cavity under the window. I have replaced the structural framing and I’m trying to determine the best way to reinsulate the wall that no longer has viable exterior sheathing. P.s. No. SUBSCRIBE TO THE ENERGY VANGUARD NEWSLETTER! Jasiu, Similarly, there are lots of lawsuits and defunct companies that didn't treat with insecticide that caused infestations of "biblical proportions." Even if you succeed in keeping rain out of the planter -- and that will be tough -- there is still a problem: the bottom of the air gap that separates the brick veneer from the gypsum sheathing apparently lacks flashing to direct leaking water to the exterior. (Open-cell spray foam would work in this application). The beams are rough hewn. Johanna, "Or should I just rip out the old fiberglass insulation in the kitchen (only place that has it) and skip it all together? Robin, I posted under pro help but have had no response, Looking for a solution Then you can install any type of insulation you want." I read or have had contractors tell me that we don’t use vapor barriers in my climate zone or that walls here should be vapor permeable in both directions so moist air created inside the home can dry through the walls if needed. I know it has been a couple of years now, but the topic is still relevant, and there is surprisingly very little information about retrofitting very old homes without insulation--or at least it's difficult to find. First, make an "I-Cut" in the house wrap. The old insulation barely filled half of the stud cavity depth. Then the exterior cladding goes on top of the house wrap. Board sheathing is not an air barrier; nor is kraft paper. The spray foam is an air barrier as well as a vapor barrier, so it will prevent moisture from finding any cold surfaces. Polyurethane foam has the added benefit of sealing air leaks, but you shouldn’t consider installing it directly against the back of the siding. Regarding my climate zone, I was just saying that (I think) I don't need to worry about condensation. I used air-tight drywall approach to establish the air barrier layer. Or can those two coexist? Nevertheless I’m still trying to make the smartest insulation choice given the three tasks you outlined. My tolerance for irregularities is pretty high, its kind of why I like the old siding (see image below). Hello... me again. Southern California But in some cases, there isn’t any sheathing: the workers find themselves staring at the back side of the siding (see Image #1 on the right). If you choose instead to use fiberglass, mineral wool, or cellulose, you'll need to include an air barrier -- perhaps taped Zip sheathing -- and you'll need to verify the performance of your air barrier with a blower door test. Sample Reports. You need to address the "signs of water entry, mainly under the window" by removing the window(s) and installing flashing in the window rough opening, followed by the installation of a new window (or re-installation of the existing window). I don't think that it's possible to make lap siding watertight from the interior by the use of fiberglass tape and elastomeric sealant. Skirts.". At least 3 different scenarios on exterior walls, so far. Quick background. I used it for my own home and have no regrets. Some test areas revealed that the foam peeled off during the trimming. That wall cavity needs to be filled with insulation, not plumbing. This pulls house wrap into the seams, gaps, and penetrations and inhibits the flow of air from outside to inside (infiltration). Again, a fuller explanation can be found in my article, Walls With Interior Rigid Foam. Also would there be any point of flashing the cavity with ccspf to air seal the cavity and reduce vapor movement to the insulation ? SPF seems convenient but I like options, (What I meant by "liquid flash" was fluid applied flashing). TYVEK also breathes so that moisture inside the house can … We are a month in and the air gap and R5 rigid foam are in place. BSI-028: Energy Flow Across Enclosures I have chemical sensitivities and if anything goes wrong, I am sunk. so I decided to demo the lathe and plaster in most of the exterior walls to do that and add insulation. There appears to be roofing/ felt paper on the other side of these boards. I’m thinking this will 1) provide a substitute for the worn out water resistive barrier while giving the stucco an air gap, 2) address air leaks if properly sealed, and 3) provide sufficient r-value in the walls. Is felt still the best option, or could I adhere something to the ship lap? Its not very feasible to remove the original brick and old sheathing to install new sheathing and siding. We have gutted walls with nothing but the back of the beautiful redwood siding. You can look into the use of either Spider insulation (spray-applied fiberglass insulation) or damp-sprayed cellulose. I’m in the process of stripping the walls on two of the bedrooms down to the stud in my 120 year old house. I discovered that water had been infiltrating the wall cavity at the roof level and getting trapped between the WRB against the stucco and the vapor barrier placed behind the interior drywall leading to dry rot of the structural framing and mold on the framing and insulation. First off, thank you for your post. Then you can install any type of insulation you want.' Thanks for the article and replies to posts. If you choose to install asphalt felt on the exterior side of your insulation, make sure that the interior side of your insulation has a good air barrier. Robin, HVAC Design Protocols Then cover the hole with a piece of gyp [ this would leave a 1/2" space between it and the brick ends ] then caulk or foam seal it around the edges. I was hoping someone could help us come up with a wall assembly that will work for our house. Thank you again! Installing a strip of self-healing bituthane membrane like Ice and Water Shield¨ under the siding at the bottom of the wall may be a I figure to insulate the floor by putting down rigid board (polyiso? A product like Mortairvent, though designed to be used in masonry walls, can be used to create an air gap against siding (or a roof deck in a cathedral ceiling.) Ideally, you would strip the stucco and install a WRB, rainscreen strapping, and new siding. 2. 4) One final question that might be slightly off-topic, though it relates in regards to potential moisture issues. Good to hear the suggestions for the asbestos. Stucco is sometimes a "fair to middling" air barrier, but stucco cracks and penetrations reduce the effectiveness of stucco as an air barrier. If you don't want to use rigid foam, you could use asphalt felt, as explained in the article. The wall is a 2 story space with no windows and no cracking in the stucco so I’m confident the water source was from the roof and has now been properly sealed off.