Small insulation job

[JHZR2]

My baloon frame home has hollow walls. It has a powder room on the basement landing, which we are currently re-doing, so the walls are off. The outer wall starts maybe a foot off the floor, at the sill plate (?? I mean the top of the actual stone/brick/concrete basement walls), and then goes up.

Id like for it to be well insulated, as there is no radiator in there, just a supply and return from another radiator piping set passing through and shed some heat in there.

So the question is what is best practice for insulating? I assume it really is just to buy a roll of the pink stuff and put it in. But what else? Since the house isnt gutted, should I take pink styrofoam board, for example, and cut it to the shape of the hole between the joists, and use it to close off the space at the top? I assume that would prevent some air movement.

Any other recommendations?

Thanks!

 

[FiremarshalRob]

Just know that insulation will not stop air movement. It will provide insulation at an "R" value which is Resistance to heat. R30 is standard where I live in Louisiana.

The pink styrofoam board may work, but air will seep around the edges if it is not a perfect fit. A few cans of "Great Stuff" (canned expansion foam) if available near you will help.

 

[expat]

Have you considered 'Blown in' insulation?
Just small holes required in the inner or outer walls.

 

[meangreen01]

I can't see why regular paper faced batting wouldn't be appropriate? Maybe a poly sheath over that if drafts are a concern.

 

[Pop_Rivit]

Spray foam.

Having had both, there is no comparison in the quality and return on investment with a quality spray foam product.

 

[Cujet]

A well insulated house has a number of key features.

1) wall insulation is effective
2) conduction losses are minimized (studs, floors, ceilings, window frames)
3) windows are very well engineered
4) doors are very well engineered

To that end, SIPS walls are very hard to beat. (foam and pressboard) They don't have many studs, thereby reducing conduction losses. The wood panels inside also don't conduct heat anywhere near as rapidly as drywall. A SIPS home with an R19 value will seriously outperform a conventional home with R19 insulation.

If I were to choose a retrofit, I'd consider foam insulation and foamed interior paneling. Coupled with carpet and padding on the floor.

The best water heaters today don't use fiberglass insulation anymore. They use foam. And, the foam is not very thick. The losses are quite low on my heat pump/hybrid water heater.

 

[JHZR2]

hmmmm. The wall area is maybe 3 or 4 stud pockets wide, and it is a shorter than normal ceiling (7.5 ft?). Wonder if it is cost effective to get the machine to do the foam.

I have a foam gun for doing the small stuff, so if I put foam squares to stop air in the pockets, and foamed it up, no big deal. But it all depends on if the pink batts or sprayed in foam on the outer walls is the right way to go.

 

[GROUCHO MARX]

"Great Stuff" is named appropriately.

 

[mechtech2]

For your small job, I'd consider using cans of expanding foam.
Yes, it is more expensive, but way better than drop in insulation .
It depends on what you need/want for the final result.

 

[JHZR2]

Well I have a real Hilti foam gun.

So everyone is saying spray cans of foam, like spray paint, on the surfaces in place of insulation batts?

 

[JHZR2]

Ok, took a few pictures of the job... Just a small bathroom with a very small exterior wall to insulate. As you can see, someone put a little insulation in there in the past (likely when the bathroom was done in the early 60s).

Starts at the sill plate:

Would terminate insulation at the ceiling by putting a sealed pink foam rectangle up there.

Because the frame is a baloon, I guess...