February 9, 2010

Sound Proofing

I'm desperate to find a solution to the sound problem we have between the garden and parlor floors in our 3-story brick. I've been told that blowing in acoustical foam is the best solution. The quote I got from my GC is way too high for me to even consider. Can anyone recommend someone that does this type of insulation? Thanks!

February 2, 2010

Sound Insulation Experience?

Any homeowner has any experience with a successful sound insulation?
I would like to hear from people who had sound problem from either the next door neighbors or the neighbors from upstairs or downstairs and have installed sound insulation and are happy with the results. Please, share with us the solution that worked for you: material used...

January 31, 2010

Best Sound Insulation?

We have an exposed brick wall in a brownstone and we can hear perfectly the next door neighbors. We are decided to put sheetrock on the walls of the parlor floor. Any recommendation for sound insulation? Someone told me about Homasote, someone else about spray foam, Quiet Rock... Any experience? What is the best sound insulation material?

January 22, 2010

Spray Foam Insulation Experience

I am planning a major renovation and thinking about the best insulation. I've heard many good things about Spray Foam Insulation. Any advise about the best Spray Foam Insulation contractors in Brooklyn? Someone was also telling me about this company: www.sprayfoamdirect.com They sell kits and apparently is not that difficult. Anybody has any experience? I've done some research and there are other companies: www.tigerfoam.com and www.fomofoam.com but I am not sure if it's true that can be done as a Do it Yourself project.

Loose Fill Insulation as DIY?

I own a row house, so most of our walls are kept warm by our adjacent neighbors, except my son's room. His room is adjacent to the garage. The room is too cold in the winter. I think that one wall needs to be insulated. Is that a DIY task? Is ripping out the sheet rock and putting in blankets the proper solution? Any advice would be appreciated.

January 20, 2010

Instulating Basement Walls

I thought I read somewhere that when you finish a basement with interior walls, you do NOT insulate behind the walls (the new walls would be abt a foot from the foundation walls).

Is this correct? Wouldn't you need to insulate the back wall at least?

January 13, 2010

Tiger Foam

Has anyone used Tiger Foam?
(www.tigerfoam.com)

Is it easy to apply inside closed cavities (old walls)?

January 7, 2010

Where Does Heat Go?

In a thermal image, cold surfaces are shown darker than light, warm surfaces.

I got a call for a cold top floor apartment in a building with a functioning heating system. I took this thermal image and revealed what looks like a past roof leak had compromised the insulation at the ceiling level and the wall below (shown in blue).

How important is insulation? This apartment is about 8 degrees cooler than the one next to it.

December 22, 2009

Walls Are Cold - Insulation?

The front wall of my house is really, really cold. When you sit near it, you can feel a cold draft coming in around electrical outlets. The wood shutter enclosures are cold. The closet in the garden floor is cold. There is cold air moving inside the walls.

Here's the thing:
There are NO gaps, cracks, openings, etc. on the front wall of the house. I checked it myself. I also caulked the windows myself.

Here's the other thing:
I had blown in fiberglas insulation put in my cockloft last year - I was told by the energy audit I had performed beforehand that this would cut down on cold air in the walls (since the walls are all lead up to the cockloft).

Here's my theory:
I think the cold *interior surface* of the *exterior wall* (the surface inside the little airspace inside the wall) is radiating cold, which is creating convection currents, which explains the constant draft.

Here's my question:
What are my options for insulating the space inside my walls?

I already got a quote for air-krete, but it's really expensive. Does anyone have other suggestions of materials which can be injected into the space inside the wall? What are the pros? What are the cons?

December 15, 2009

Insulating Window Panels

have 90 yr old single pane windows and am considering some insulating panels. there are various types, some screwed in, others pop in/out.
anyone have any experience with these or is it a waste of money?
thanks

Forum: Insulation