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Current Events => The DUmpster => Topic started by: franksolich on January 23, 2011, 08:03:51 AM

Title: primitive questions insulation
Post by: franksolich on January 23, 2011, 08:03:51 AM
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=287x9031

Oh my.

In case one doesn't know, the graceful Liz primitive is Mrs. Alfred Packer's stand-in those times Mrs. Alfred Packer can't tend to the cooking and baking forum, usually because she's black-and-blue and sore--Wild Bill doesn't like her hanging around Skins's island too much, because then she pays less attention to him.

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lizziegrace  (1000+ posts)        Sun Jan-16-11 08:18 PM
Original message
 
Insulation question

I live in a 160 year old Antebellum. The basement is drafty, as expected. There's no finished ceiling in the basement. Just floor joists and the hardwood floor above. No carpet. Don't want any carpet. Just rugs.

The basement can get very damp when it rains and the water comes down from the surrounding fields. I have two sump pumps and a dehumidifier running.

Can I put insulation up in the basement ceiling between the floor joists? I don't want the stuff to rot or become moldy, as I'm very, very allergic to everything except maple trees and feathers. Oil prices are skyrocketing and I'm trying to find ways to tighten up the old place.

I'm renting, so installing an alternate heat source isn't an option.

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Wash. state Desk Jet  (1000+ posts)      Mon Jan-17-11 01:44 AM
Response to Original message
 
1. Insulate and staple up plastic-industrial grade 

Same as is done insulating floor Joyce's under a house that is built on pillar and post with no basement -built up over dirt.So you insulate than staple up plastic all across the Joyce's.you will need help on the install.Make sure that plastic is fastened real good -black is the right color, the thicker the mil,the better. Should cost ya about $100.00 for the plastic roughly. Your insulation should be the same in thickness and width between the floor Joyce's to save on heat.R values and all that.The insulation will be a bit spendy, but worth the expense if yer going to stay there a while-years.

Not sure about your particular situation with the basement but it shouldn't a problem. You can get a consult about it where you will buy insulation. You can figure the plastic is the moisture barrier.

And you might consider informing the ownner about your intentions to find out if the ownner/ownners have any reasons to reject your offer to take it upon yourself to insulate.

There is a insulation product-method for every situation.I don't know if your basement floods a lot or what.

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lizziegrace  (1000+ posts)        Wed Jan-19-11 09:01 PM
Response to Reply #1
 
4. That's what I wanted to do

The moisture issue worried me, but the basement doesn't flood often and the sump pumps and dehumidifier help a lot. The house is so old that the 3 of the 4 rooms have floors that are brick on dirt with 5-6 ft ceilings. The room with the furnace and washer/dryer is concrete.

I'll see if the landlord will buy the materials if I help him install it. He will eventually be living here if the economy improves and he can sell his house.

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Paper Roses  (1000+ posts)      Tue Jan-18-11 04:25 PM
Response to Original message
 
2.  Hi, I was just thinking of you today as I also put up some insulation between the rafters in my attic. I stapled the pink stuff to the rafters where I could reach and hope it will be of some help. Got to love these old houses.

BTW, my fireplace covers are a godsend. Thanks so much for the idea. This is the second year for 2 of them and this year I decided to so the kitchen too. I don't build fires anymore so this is an extra saving. Wood is $375.00 a cord and for me, offers very little heat. The FP covers have made a difference in the rooms.

Good luck with the insulation I knew our 'in-house' expert, WsDJ would come to the rescue.

What about that pink foam-like stuff that comes in long sheets? Looked into that? Maybe you could use that and nail it across the floor joists?

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lizziegrace  (1000+ posts)        Wed Jan-19-11 08:56 PM
Response to Reply #2
 
3. Hi Stranger!

I'm hoping my landlord will buy the materials and help me put the insulation up. He did when I insulated under the floor of a second floor bedroom that was over an old staircase. We put up the pink stuff and stapled plastic up so the fiberglass dust wouldn't end up all over the canned goods I store on the stairs.

So glad the fireplace covers worked for you. They work well here too.
Title: Re: primitive questions insulation
Post by: JohnnyReb on January 23, 2011, 08:07:52 AM
DUmmie said floor Joyce's  ...they really know their stuff.

I guess they're the biggest reason we need building codes and building inspectors.
Title: Re: primitive questions insulation
Post by: miskie on January 23, 2011, 08:27:45 AM
DUmmie said floor Joyce's  ...they really know their stuff.

I guess they're the biggest reason we need building codes and building inspectors.

I think Wash. state Desk Jet didn't understand the question and described how to hide bodies in the basement instead... Poor Joyce.. we hardly new ye..
Title: Re: primitive questions insulation
Post by: JohnnyReb on January 23, 2011, 08:30:00 AM
I think Wash. state Desk Jet didn't understand the question and described how to hide bodies in the basement instead... Poor Joyce.. we hardly new ye..

I was thinking more along the line of ...hooker, slut, skank.
Title: Re: primitive questions insulation
Post by: miskie on January 23, 2011, 08:32:12 AM
I was thinking more along the line of ...hooker, slut, skank.

Who knows ? One can never be certain what thoughts go through a primitive's mind.
Title: Re: primitive questions insulation
Post by: GOBUCKS on January 23, 2011, 11:34:53 AM
It's even worse than we thought. Joyce has "ownner/ownners". This is starting to sound like Silence of the Lambs. Joyce's "ownners" have her hidden in the basement.

It's funny enough that the pinhead thought "joist" was "joyce", but then he went the whole proper name route and capitalized it. At least he didn't put the usual apostrophe in "ownners".
Title: Re: primitive questions insulation
Post by: AllosaursRus on January 23, 2011, 01:29:30 PM
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I knew our 'in-house' expert, WsDJ would come to the rescue.

Bwahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!! Yeah, boy! Expert! Hahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!

Isn't this the guy who has been unemployed for years?
Title: Re: primitive questions insulation
Post by: JohnnyReb on January 23, 2011, 04:16:06 PM
Bwahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!! Yeah, boy! Expert! Hahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!

Isn't this the guy who has been unemployed for years?

Yeah....all that moisture in the basement and that heavy plastic overhead....she better wear her raincoat when she goes down in the basement.
Title: Re: primitive questions insulation
Post by: AllosaursRus on January 23, 2011, 04:48:42 PM
Yeah....all that moisture in the basement and that heavy plastic overhead....she better wear her raincoat when she goes down in the basement.

Well, generally the moisture barrier goes down before the underlayment is nailed on the joists and the insulation is below it! In a basement, nowadays there's another moisture barrier under the concrete floor thus eliminatin' the problem with moisture. She states that some of the floor is nothing more than brick on soil. Bricks absorb moisture like a sumbitch, so she will always have a prob!

He is correct in this case, intallin' the insulation first and then installin' a moisture barrier is  the best idea. The problem will be makin' sure you get rid of any moisture before ya install the moisture barrier. If not, mold will definitely be a prob. Didn't she say she has allergies?

I would be inclined to install insulation on the "walls" in the basement, rather than the floor of the livin' quarters above.  It has been my experience the average temp of a basement floor is well above 45°.

The earth has a pretty constant temp below 6' all over the world. The walls are where the cold is comin' from. Dependin' on where ya live the frost line can go as far as 4' below the surface, and is 32° or lower! Much more area space losin' heat in the walls than the floor, and quite a bit of a temp diff which means higher cost per square foot.

It is undoubtedly way more area to have to insulate, but is the best bang for your buck and less a chance for a moisture/mold problem. Just depends if ya wanna do the job right.

ETA:

Yeah....all that moisture in the basement and that heavy plastic overhead....she better wear her raincoat when she goes down in the basement.

Yep, basically yer makin' a greenhouse in the basement! It will weep foreva!!!
Title: Re: primitive questions insulation
Post by: PatriotGame on January 24, 2011, 06:40:37 AM
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lizziegrace  (1000+ posts)        Sun Jan-16-11 08:18 PM
Original message
 
Insulation question

I live in a 160 year old Antebellum. The basement is drafty, as expected. There's no finished ceiling in the basement. Just floor joists and the hardwood floor above. No carpet. Don't want any carpet. Just rugs.

The basement can get very damp when it rains and the water comes down from the surrounding fields. I have two sump pumps and a dehumidifier running.

Can I put insulation up in the basement ceiling between the floor joists? I don't want the stuff to rot or become moldy, as I'm very, very allergic to everything except maple trees and feathers. Oil prices are skyrocketing and I'm trying to find ways to tighten up the old place.

I'm renting, so installing an alternate heat source isn't an option.

Tell the landlord to fix it or move, DUmbshit...
Title: Re: primitive questions insulation
Post by: PatriotGame on January 24, 2011, 06:44:07 AM
DUmmie said floor Joyce's  ...they really know their stuff.

I guess they're the biggest reason we need building codes and building inspectors.
Yea...not to be confused with Bob Studs...
Title: Re: primitive questions insulation
Post by: PatriotGame on January 24, 2011, 06:45:43 AM
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lizziegrace  (1000+ posts)        Wed Jan-19-11 09:01 PM
Response to Reply #1
 
4. That's what I wanted to do

The moisture issue worried me, but the basement doesn't flood often and the sump pumps and dehumidifier help a lot. The house is so old that the 3 of the 4 rooms have floors that are brick on dirt with 5-6 ft ceilings. The room with the furnace and washer/dryer is concrete.

You have 5 ft ceilings???!!!

WTF, are you a troll???
Title: Re: primitive questions insulation
Post by: PatriotGame on January 24, 2011, 06:48:16 AM
It's even worse than we thought. Joyce has "ownner/ownners". This is starting to sound like Silence of the Lambs. Joyce's "ownners" have her hidden in the basement.

It's funny enough that the pinhead thought "joist" was "joyce", but then he went the whole proper name route and capitalized it. At least he didn't put the usual apostrophe in "ownners".
She puts the lotion on...(sorrey...)
Title: Re: primitive questions insulation
Post by: DumbAss Tanker on January 24, 2011, 08:56:27 AM
You have 5 ft ceilings???!!!

WTF, are you a troll???

Silly question, really.
Title: Re: primitive questions insulation
Post by: BlueStateSaint on January 24, 2011, 09:40:41 AM
Silly question, really.

Actually, in the words of Dean of Bristol University, Chris Berman:

"There are no stupid questions--just stupid people who ask questions."
Title: Re: primitive questions insulation
Post by: DefiantSix on January 24, 2011, 10:46:01 AM
Actually, in the words of Dean of Bristol University, Chris Berman:

"There are no stupid questions--just stupid people who ask questions."

:hi5:
Title: Re: primitive questions insulation
Post by: true_blood on January 24, 2011, 11:32:31 AM
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izziegrace  (1000+ posts)        Sun Jan-16-11 08:18 PM
Original message
I live in a 160 year old Antebellum. The basement is drafty, as expected. There's no finished ceiling in the basement. Just floor joists and the hardwood floor above. No carpet. Don't want any carpet. Just rugs. The basement can get very damp when it rains and the water comes down from the surrounding fields. I have two sump pumps and a dehumidifier running.
Oil prices are skyrocketing
Oh, the irony. Love it when a plan comes together.
Hey DUmmie, ever wonder why the imposter in the White Mosque had put on that drilling moratorium?