# Anyone have advice on insulation !



## Pallet Pete (Feb 4, 2012)

I finally found a reasonable cost for insulation on my old 1800's home today( from the phone estimate) and am having a full estimate made out friday for the work. The company s exteriors of lansing http://www.exteriorsoflansing.com/ and they are very nice on the phone and charge per job not per hour. They are fully licensed and insured. They will spray air-krete into the walls to fill the almost 4" voids and it apparently will give a r20 value to the house which at the moment is r nothing lol. Does anyone have advice on what I should be asking and looking for while they are appraising the job and possibly doing the work? Most companies that have given me estimates are in the 10k-20k range for insulation depending on what is sprayed in. It looks like this will come in around 4k if I did my math right anyway 3 dollars a square foot for air-krete square footage of walls not home.

Thanks all
Pete


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## Backwoods Savage (Feb 5, 2012)

Pete, I'll try to contact the fellow who did ours and will let you know.


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## Pallet Pete (Feb 5, 2012)

Thanks Dennis that would be nice.

Pete


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## jimbom (Feb 5, 2012)

Check the company with the state AG, the Better Business Bureau, and go look at some references.  Talk to the references if possible.

Try to figure out what you want in your walls.  Then go get quotes on that material from some reliable companies.  That way, everyone is bidding on the same job.


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## woodgeek (Feb 5, 2012)

why aircrete? you might want to find a dense-pack cellulose installer to compare, costs should be comparable or less.

Is this an install from the outside?


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## Pallet Pete (Feb 5, 2012)

woodgeek said:
			
		

> why aircrete? you might want to find a dense-pack cellulose installer to compare, costs should be comparable or less.
> 
> Is this an install from the outside?



Yes it is from the outside. Air Krete does not settle over time like cellulose. Is dense-pack settle resistant ?

Thanks 
Pete


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## willywil (Feb 5, 2012)

I think I paid $1 per square ft. inch.  So a wall that is 8'x10 and 4'' deep would cost $320.  This was for closed cell spray.


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## jharkin (Feb 5, 2012)

Dense pack doesn't settle at all, and it prevents most air movement just like foam (edit not a true air barrier like closed cell but good) - which makes it great for old houses that are not tight. Biggest benefit is that unlike foam its removable which is a big plus if you ever have to open those walls to repair or renovate.

In new construction I would foam for sure but in my 18th century house I did cellulose. I'd suggest getting the insulation book by Bruce Harley- its a quick read that will answer every question.

As for cost... it was over $2k just to blow the roof and 15 ft of wall... but  we paid less than 20% after gas company subsidy and tax deductions. Are there any subsidies in your area?


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## woodsmaster (Feb 5, 2012)

Pete1983 said:
			
		

> woodgeek said:
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 Yes dense pack is settle resistant. Never heard of air Krete. What is it ?


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## Pallet Pete (Feb 5, 2012)

woodsmaster said:
			
		

> Pete1983 said:
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 is the only insulation in the world that has the following qualities:
     Is Fire Proof and passed a 2 hour Fire Wall Test Modified ASTM E814/UL 1479
     Chemistry is MgO Which Extracts Co2 from the Atmosphere Read More...    
     Is environmentally safe and non-toxic insulation. Free of CFC's & Formaldehyde HPMA No Formaldehyde.pdf
     Is mold resistant MOLD TEST

 Is pest resistant because Air Krete has a deoiling/drying effect on the pests. 

Completely Fills ALL Cavities Including Door and Window Casings 

     Has a High R Value of 
3.9 per inch (at 75ÂºF) Dynatech Report Number CLR-3
     Has 0% Shrinkage in wall cavities TEST ASTM C951
     Has acoustical properties - Air Krete acts like a blanket that deadens noise from outside the house. Air Krete was used for this purpose in the Neil Young Sound Studios in Santa Cruz and Musicians Institute in Hollywood CA as seen on HGTV.

http://www.airkrete.com/

I copied and pasted that. The stuff has been around for years and is really good insulator friend used it a few years back and the difference is unbelievable in his house. One of my reasons for wanting it is pest control we get lots of field mice in the winter that migrate to the house then leave in the spring. I catch a ton of mice all winter then poof all gone come spring lol. We also used it to make sound boards for my friends music studio it worked great for that as well.

Pete


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## woodsmaster (Feb 5, 2012)

Sounds like good stuff. Cellulose is also fire retardant, envriomentaly friendy. Takes 10 times less energy to make than fiberglass
and is made from recycled matterials. Non- toxic. and also repels inscects due to a borate additive, Although I have found mice to go threw it. With the cellulose you wont get the tiny voids unless you have full access to the inside of the wall. Oh and
It also has good sound proofing qualitys.


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## semipro (Feb 5, 2012)

Pete you might want to research/post here:  http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/ with respect to your question.  
I also suggest that you consider dense pack cellulose instead.  
I and others here keep up with this sort of thing and it doesn't bode well if none of us has even heard of Air Krete.


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## Pallet Pete (Feb 5, 2012)

woodsmaster said:
			
		

> Sounds like good stuff. Cellulose is also fire retardant, envriomentaly friendy. Takes 10 times less energy to make than fiberglass
> and is made from recycled matterials. Non- toxic. and also repels inscects due to a borate additive, Although I have found mice to go threw it. With the cellulose you wont get the tiny voids unless you have full access to the inside of the wall. Oh and
> It also has good sound proofing qualitys.



What do use to heat your water woodmaster ? I see in your sig it says wood heated water I have been trying to figure out how to do that effectively without wrapping coils on my wood stove.

Thanks 
Pete


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## woodsmaster (Feb 5, 2012)

Biomass 60 gasifacation boiler.


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## Pallet Pete (Feb 5, 2012)

Semipro said:
			
		

> Pete you might want to research/post here:  http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/ with respect to your question.
> I also suggest that you consider dense pack cellulose instead.
> I and others here keep up with this sort of thing and it doesn't bode well if none of us has even heard of Air Krete.



Thats a cool site I will check it out thanks.

Pete


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## Swedishchef (Feb 6, 2012)

Did you ever think of just opening the inside walls, spraying foam and/or adding roxul? I would think it could save a ton of cash....My house was new but for R10 of high density foam along 160 feet of 8 foot high ceilings and in th crown, I paid $3500. I then added R14 Roxul Comfort batts on top...just an idea.

Andrew


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