Insulating a 1949 cinder-block house
Currently the walls are covered by cheap wood panels. In between there seems to be some kind of wool like insulation, I see seeping on the floor where I removed the baseboards.
Plan to remove wood paneling and other to bare cinder block walls. Clean for black mold. Fill in cracks and joints between wall and foundation. Seal with Concrete Treat. Insulate.
Questions are:
* What to use to fill in cracks-spaces?
* I use Concrete Treat to seal the walls without it having a reaction with crack filler?
* Can I glue insulation panels to the concrete after I sealed the walls with Concrete Treat?
* What type of insulation panels should I use for maximum R-Value?
* What type of moisture protection should I use to keep moisture away?
* If I decide to use 2″x4″s to create enough space to use more regular insulation, what type of insulation should I use that will be appropriate for cinder blocks and will avoid getting moisture and black mold or mold?
* is it worth it to go for the 2″ x 4″ instead of foam glued onto the cinder blocks? I do have the space.
I think I am going to have to do the ceiling also. What type of insulation for the ceiling? I have a gravel and tar roof.
Thank you.
PS: Already installed french trench around the house and have armed myself with dehumidifiers.
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Replies
Marta,
Step one is to figure out why you "see seeping on the floor where I removed the baseboards." To need to understand where the water is coming from and correct the problem. Without managing your water entry problem, you can't insulate.
Assuming that you have effectively dealt with the water entry, you need to install a continuous layer of rigid foam on either the interior or the exterior side of your wall.
Q. "What type of insulation panels should I use for maximum R-Value?"
A. You don't want "maximum" R-value; all R-value decisions are a compromise, based on cost, buildability, and available space. Depending on where you live and local code requirements, you will probably aim for somewhere between R-10 and R-20. Any one of the three most common types of rigid foam (XPS, EPS, or polyiso) will work, although green builders try to avoid the use of XPS because it is manufactured with a blowing agent that has a high global warming potential.
Q. "What type of moisture protection should I use to keep moisture away?"
A. Liquid water is best kept away by the use of gravity and drainage systems. Condensation is avoided by making sure that moist air can't contact any cold surfaces.
Q. "What type of insulation for the ceiling? I have a gravel and tar roof."
A. Here is a link to an article that explains your options: Insulating Low-Slope Residential Roofs.