exterior insulation on home
Hi guys,
Excellent forum and great ideas, thanks! I just have a quick question that I hope someone can answer. I am a home owner who has recently been studying the benefits of exterior insulation on a home. I live in Edmonton, Canada, where the winter weather can approach -35C and would like to add a layer of exterior insulation on top of the existing stucco of the home. In particular, I have been attracted to using Rockwool Comfortboard 80 based upon excellent reviews and what appeals to me substantially is the fire resistance of this material. I was thinking about applying the 3″ comfortboard and going right over the existing stucco. Then leaving a recommended air gap and using a light weight cladding over the top for aesthetic purposes. Has anyone attempted this in the past? I see on your website that a person from southern Alberta has attempted the same project a few years ago and am curious as to his approach and if it was beneficial.
Thanks for your time,
Paul Caines
GBA Detail Library
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Replies
Paul, I have not insulated over existing cladding but it could work. The tricky parts would be to provide continuous control layers for water and air. Not a problem in the middle of the wall, but how will you tie into windows, doors, roofs, etc.. If you haven't already, you should read this article: https://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/article/calculating-the-minimum-thickness-of-rigid-foam-sheathing.