How to Insulate an Old House
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Old houses. Their grand facades and elegant interiors are aesthetic reminders of an era long since past. But as you may have discovered, their timeless beauty is often merely skin deep. Most older homes are typically drafty, cold and uncomfortable. Not to mention expensive to heat and cool. At least that is, until now.
We’d like to introduce you to the Icynene Insulation System™. Icynene has none of the above problems. It’s a system that offers architects, renovators, real estate agents and old house buyers an effective method of upgrading the home to modern standards. It can be done at a fraction of the cost to gut and re-install conventional insulation while preserving many of the original architectural details. And when you consider that insulation can cover 85% of the building envelope, upgrading becomes a lot less expensive than replacing windows. Icynene is a proven product that fills wall cavities completely. No gaps, period. It is injected as a liquid and expands inside the wall. It can also be sprayed overhead or onto irregular surfaces and adheres to literally everything it touches. It doesn’t sag, settle or turn to dust. Nor will it create moisture problems within the walls. As an added benefit, Icynene has no negative environmental effects and is independently certified for use by people who suffer from allergies, asthma or other environmental sensitivities. As you can see, Icynene offers owners of older homes an effective way to upgrade to modern standards at a fraction of the cost of gutting and re-installing conventional insulation. Icynene is an investment that pays you back in comfort, peace and quiet and provides a sizable reduction in your monthly utility bills.
A Few Important Points to Consider
Icynene is injected into walls through small, 1 inch holes. It
fills the wall cavity completely, starting at the bottom and
expanding upwards to sixty times its liquid volume. In other
words, one inch of liquid will expand to fill a cavity up to five
feet. And because the foam
expands in the direction of
least resistance, upwards,
you can be assured it will not
expand outward and damage
the wall. Nor will Icynene
settle, shrink or allow air
infiltration into the cavity.
Icynene also provides an air seal which virtually eliminates
humid air entering into the wall cavity and condensing.
What About Brick, Rough Stone Or Masonry Walls?
Brick or stone homes often have only an inch or so of space
between the plaster and masonry. There is little space for a
lot of insulation, but even one inch can reduce heat flow by
75% and make a major improvement in air leakage. If you
wish more insulation, the plaster must be removed and a
framed wall erected one inch from the old
masonry wall. Icynene can then be sprayed onto the masonry
surface, sealing it from air leaks. The foam expands
behind the new studs creating a thermal break.
Bay Windows, Dormers And Window Frames.
Bay windows and dormers are architectural features which
present potential paths for air infiltration. Standard windows
pose similar problems due to air leakage around the casement.
However, because Icynene expands to fill the surrounding
cavity, you can eliminate virtually any air leaks.
The Icynene Insulation
System is the complete
answer for insulating floors
because it’s self-supporting.
Installed from below, it
adheres to the flooring,
leaving no gaps for cold air
to circulate underneath.
This makes it the perfect solution for cantilevered floors,
floors over a garage and crawl spaces.
Should I Use It For My Basement And Crawl Space?
Prior to insulating, you must first decide whether to have a
hot or cold basement or crawl space. In other words, what’s
the room’s intended purpose? In the cold basement you’ll
want to insulate the ceiling, taking care to box any water,
drain lines or duct work so they can be sprayed. In a hot
basement, frame walls will need to be constructed, similar
to those needed for extra insulation in the upper floors.
Ceilings in older homes
are usually insulated due
to their easy accessibility.
Either batts or blown insulation
are commonplace
materials. Of course this
is an improvement, but it
fails to eliminate air movement
between the living space and the attic. Air leaks
often occur through electrical and plumbing penetrations,
chimneys and around pot lights. Icynene can be used to
seal these.
I’m Thinking Of Installing Skylights.
Skylights are an attractive addition but they create a need for
insulation. Building a skylight usually requires building a well
between the ceiling and roof. Insulating this space would be
difficult with conventional
materials.
With Icynene, the
attic- side surface of
the well can be
sprayed. The foam
insulation will
remain in position
for the life of the
house. Icynene will also seal and insulate the space where the
well passes between the ceiling joists.
Can Icynene Insulate Ductwork?
In hot climates it is common to find air ducts in the attic. In
cold climates, they often run under the floor. Yet both systems
share the
same problems.
First, the ductwork
is located where
it is exposed to
extreme temperatures.
Secondly,
ductwork is notoriously
leaky. By
spraying Icynene
over the ductwork, you can seal it against leakage and insulate
it from extreme temperatures. This will reduce heat gain
or heat loss, in the conditioned air which is being distributed
and protect the return air from those temperature extremes.
Are Joist Ends A Concern?
Joist ends are a prime source of air leakage. This air flow is
often felt as a draft under baseboards. Access to these
uninsulated
spaces between
floors is gained
by drilling 1 inch
holes either
through the floor
under the baseboard,
or through
the ceiling of the
room below.
Icynene is then injected, expanding to seal air flow
between joists for the width of the house.
Environmental Characteristics
CFCs or HCFCs: none
Formaldehyde: none
Corrosiveness: negative
VOC’s after 30 days aging: none detectable
Flammability Characteristics
Flame spread ASTM E84: <20
Smoke developed: <350
Fuel contribution: zero
Oxygen index: 23
Physical Properties
Density: 0.5lb/cf
Thermal Resistance: R-3.66/in
Heat flow reduction through 1”: 72.7%
Heat flow reduction through 3.5”: 92.2%
Heat flow reduction through 5.5”: 95.0%
Heat flow reduction through 10”: 97.3%
Air Permeance - 5”: 1.0 1/sM2 @75pa
Vapor Permeance - 5”: 10 perms
Sound Transmission Class*: 37
Noise Reduction Coefficient*: 70
*2x4 wall with 1/2” gypsum both sides
This is a summary of the product specification. Please ask for and read the full product specification before using.