Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Where to Splurge on a Renovation

One of the most challenging aspects of any renovation project is figuring out where to spend your money.  It's tempting to blow your budget on things that future buyers can easily see - but in reality, it's the stuff behind the walls that's really important.  And when you live in a climate like Maine (yes, spring arrived over the weekend along with a big snowstorm!), insulation goes to the top of the list.

This ceiling could have had fiberglass - with minimum R value in the old rafters
Now technically, we only needed to provide high R value insulation in the new construction area of our second floor, aka the new dormer.  Per code, we could just have used fiberglass to fill in the existing rafters throughout the rest of the second floor.  But given our climate, that just didn't seem like the right option.  We want something that will make the second floor extremely comfortable for the future homeowners as well as keep heating costs to a minimum - and it's a much more environmentally sound approach.










So we looked at several different options and finally decided on spray foam.  Spray foam was twice the budget of fiberglass, but it will cover the entire roof, which is important when you have a hip roof with multiple dormers.  This means the space behind the knee walls will be nice and toasty - keeping the first floor ceilings warm as well.   And with an R value of 7 per inch, it gives us the best possible insulation value.



Ed Libby from T.E.A.M Insulation came out to do the job.  It's a messy process with chemicals, so he needed a lot of PPE (personal protective equipment).  



















He suited up and showed me how it was done.  Doesn't it look easy?  I love watching this video - see how the foam expand on contact with the roof sheathing?  And it heats up to 220 degrees!

So I gave it a try with Ed coaching me along.  And quickly discovered, .....it's not so easy.  He was able to contain all the spray into a tight pattern - I ended up with a sloppy mess.  Thankfully he went back and fixed my handiwork  :-)

It was a big job that took two days.  And now that it's done?  We couldn't be happier.  As soon as you walk upstairs you notice the difference.  The house feels tighter and warmer - but also much quieter.  There is a sound insulation effect that is an added bonus.
Foamed Hip Dormer


So yes, we splurged on the foam insulation - but think it was the right decision!  The future homeowners will really appreciate it.  Now we just need to figure out how to balance our reno budget.






Pin It

8 comments:

  1. Great decision!
    After we purchased our home in 1996, we renovated the master bedroom suite which is in part of the structure that is only 1.5 stories tall. We had Icynene sprayed and it is the only cozy (meaning non-drafty) areas of our 1903 farmhouse.
    The future homeowners will thank you for the investment!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's exactly what we were thinking! We couldn't pad down the joists, because that would take up too much headroom. So this seemed like an elegant (albeit expensive) solution! Glad to hear it worked so well for you!!!

      Delete
  2. We finished one side of our detached 2-car garage to use as a music studio (we live on the shoreline in Connecticut) and our contractor was adamant about spray insulation as well; it has worked out beautifully, particularly as he did between the floor joists too. It is also a moisture barrier so that was another feature we appreciated! Good choices as usual on your part.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wow, the sound absorbing qualities of the spray foam were probably a really good feature with a music studio - next to a garage as well!! What a great idea! Thanks for the positive feedback. Laurel

    ReplyDelete
  4. Did you use spray foam in the ceiling too? I am just wondering how you balance the awesomeness of spray foam from an insulating perspective with the need to let some air flow through the rafters and out the eaves to keep the space from heating up to a million degrees in summer (speaking from a gal who wants to finish her attic and lives in Massachusetts :) )

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So the cool thing about foam is it creates what's called a 'hot' roof. There is no need for an air gap, in fact, you need the foam to adhere directly to the sheathing when it's installed. Think of it like a giant cooler - the foam insulates and keeps the heat in or out, depending on the weather. Everyone I know that's done foam is amazed at how fantastic it is in the summertime!!!

      Delete
  5. We discovered the benefits of foam insulation in our first home. It was warmer in the winter, cooler in the summer and our energy bill went down.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So glad to hear that it worked well for you!!! I hope the buyers will appreciate what a difference it will make, when we put the house on the market.

      Delete

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...