On Wed, 29 Jun 2005 13:20:00 GMT, "Steve Peterson"
wrote:

I have been following this thread with interest, because I am also trying to
cool my workshop, and provide winter heat. But just ventilation won't do
the job; here in NC humidity is as big a problem as the heat. If I bring in
outside air, I just bring in moisture. I put in a window AC/heat unit,
11000 BTU, and can get a nice, comfortable temperature. Now I would like to
add insulation to cut operating cost, but it looks like it will cost over
$500 for insulation, which will then need to be installed just below the
roof on stringers that are 11' high. The fiberglass insulation that comes
24" wide is R-30. Does it make sense to put that much insulation in a space
with two garage doors and nothing in the walls?

It's not going to hurt anything! Obviously, the best thing to do is
insulate the walls as well, but most of your heat exchange is occuring
through the roof. While I wouldn't suggest it as a new construction
technique, I redid a large apartment building with a "balloon-frame"
(there may be another term for that, but that's the handle we used)
several years ago. The *insulation* in the walls was nothing more
than the stucco, drywall, and about 12 inches of dead airspace between
them. The attic was well insulated, and the place was reasonably
energy-efficient. Not as good as some other options, but it certainly
wasn't terrible.