I noticed a nice cool breeze in the basement.
Turns out that it's one of those old homes with
no insulation in the walls, where it's open in places
all the way from the attic to the basement. Someone
back in the distant past appears to have stuffed
doubled over carpet in the basement ceiling
at the wall.

What should I use to do the seal properly, and
get rid of the decaying carpet. I considered spray
foam, and some books I looked at recommended
stuffing fiberglass in the hole, but I am leary of using
fiberglass in areas I might be wandering around in.

Any ideas?

-P

On Dec 19, 4:37 pm, wrote:
I noticed a nice cool breeze in the basement.
Turns out that it's one of those old homes with
no insulation in the walls, where it's open in places
all the way from the attic to the basement. Someone
back in the distant past appears to have stuffed
doubled over carpet in the basement ceiling
at the wall.

What should I use to do the seal properly, and
get rid of the decaying carpet. I considered spray
foam, and some books I looked at recommended
stuffing fiberglass in the hole, but I am leary of using
fiberglass in areas I might be wandering around in.

Any ideas?

I have the idea that you won't live forever and that fiberglass
insulation stuffed up into a wall cavity in a basement won't affect
your health or longevity. Expanding foam will work, but it will cost
way more and it is probably worse for your health than the fiberglass.

R

wrote:

I noticed a nice cool breeze in the basement.
Turns out that it's one of those old homes with
no insulation in the walls, where it's open in places
all the way from the attic to the basement. Someone
back in the distant past appears to have stuffed
doubled over carpet in the basement ceiling
at the wall.

What should I use to do the seal properly, and
get rid of the decaying carpet. I considered spray
foam, and some books I looked at recommended
stuffing fiberglass in the hole, but I am leary of using
fiberglass in areas I might be wandering around in.

Any ideas?

-P

Don't confuse sealing with insulating. They are two very
different things. Fiberglass doesn't seal anything.

On Dec 20, 10:42 am, M Q wrote:
wrote:
I noticed a nice cool breeze in the basement.
Turns out that it's one of those old homes with
no insulation in the walls, where it's open in places
all the way from the attic to the basement. Someone
back in the distant past appears to have stuffed
doubled over carpet in the basement ceiling
at the wall.

What should I use to do the seal properly, and
get rid of the decaying carpet. I considered spray
foam, and some books I looked at recommended
stuffing fiberglass in the hole, but I am leary of using
fiberglass in areas I might be wandering around in.

Any ideas?

-P

Don't confuse sealing with insulating. They are two very
different things. Fiberglass doesn't seal anything.

My boat hull begs to differ.

R

You probably can do two things. Close up the chase. Get some wood and
close it up. Use something that won't burn like a small piece of paneling
of some sort. Then caulk around it and where the wall touches the
foundation. You'll probably cut a lot of breezy areas and it will be
warmer. It'll take time. Work on the coldest spots first.

wrote in message
...

I noticed a nice cool breeze in the basement.
Turns out that it's one of those old homes with
no insulation in the walls, where it's open in places
all the way from the attic to the basement. Someone
back in the distant past appears to have stuffed
doubled over carpet in the basement ceiling
at the wall.

What should I use to do the seal properly, and
get rid of the decaying carpet. I considered spray
foam, and some books I looked at recommended
stuffing fiberglass in the hole, but I am leary of using
fiberglass in areas I might be wandering around in.

Any ideas?

-P

On Dec 20, 10:25*pm, "New & Improved - N/F John"
wrote:
You probably can do two things. *Close up the chase. *Get some wood and
close it up. *Use something that won't burn like a small piece of paneling
of some sort. *Then caulk around it and where the wall touches the
foundation. *You'll probably cut a lot of breezy areas and it will be
warmer. *It'll take time. *Work on the coldest spots first.

wrote in message

...





I noticed a nice cool breeze in the basement.
Turns out that it's one of those old homes with
no insulation in the walls, where it's open in places
all the way from the attic to the basement. Someone
back in the distant past appears to have stuffed
doubled over carpet in the basement ceiling
at the wall.

What should I use to do the seal properly, and
get rid of the decaying carpet. I considered spray
foam, and some books I looked at recommended
stuffing fiberglass in the hole, but I am leary of using
fiberglass in areas I might be wandering around in.

Any ideas?

-P- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I was thinking, spray the gap with low expansion
Great Stuff, maybe embeding a short piece of
1/2 inch pvc pipe a few places in case somehow
water ever came down from above (attic leak
or whatever). That foam stuff is pretty much
permanent though, which may be a problem some
day.

Your wood and caulk solution sounds more
"reversible". Thanx.

-P

wrote:

On Dec 20, 10:25 pm, "New & Improved - N/F John"
....
I was thinking, spray the gap with low expansion
Great Stuff, maybe embeding a short piece of
1/2 inch pvc pipe a few places in case somehow
water ever came down from above (attic leak
or whatever). That foam stuff is pretty much
permanent though, which may be a problem some
day.


Embed a drain in the wall in case the roof leaks??

I can't think of an appropriate comment for that.

On Dec 21, 2:46*pm, M Q wrote:
wrote:
On Dec 20, 10:25 pm, "New & Improved - N/F John"
...
I was thinking, spray the gap with low expansion
Great Stuff, maybe embeding a short piece of
1/2 inch pvc pipe a few places in case somehow
water ever came down from above (attic leak
or whatever). That foam stuff is pretty much
permanent though, which may be a problem some
day.

Embed a drain in the wall in case the roof leaks??

I can't think of an appropriate comment for that.

The word is "contingency planning". Oops, thats
two words. :-)

Even in a well maintained home, water can happen,
a unnoticed roof leak, or plumbing problem. If that
happens, you have two choices:

a) the water collects in the container you've
conviently created for it and you find out about the
problem when your hand goes thru the moldy
decaying wall in the dining room or

b) the water drains out of the outlet in the
bottom of the wall you provided and you notice
and fix the problem.

Agreed, it's a philosophical difference, like some
people caulk all the way around the base of a
toilet and other leave a small gap for water
to come out in case there is a problem with
the wax ring.

-P

I think the idea is home sealing. Putting drainage in for this matter is a
waste of time and defeats the purpose of sealing. Also, if you have
"balloon" construction, the wood pieces would do the most to seal and reduce
the spread of fire should it occur.


wrote in message
...
On Dec 21, 2:46 pm, M Q wrote:
wrote:
On Dec 20, 10:25 pm, "New & Improved - N/F John"
...
I was thinking, spray the gap with low expansion
Great Stuff, maybe embeding a short piece of
1/2 inch pvc pipe a few places in case somehow
water ever came down from above (attic leak
or whatever). That foam stuff is pretty much
permanent though, which may be a problem some
day.

Embed a drain in the wall in case the roof leaks??

I can't think of an appropriate comment for that.

The word is "contingency planning". Oops, thats
two words. :-)

Even in a well maintained home, water can happen,
a unnoticed roof leak, or plumbing problem. If that
happens, you have two choices:

a) the water collects in the container you've
conviently created for it and you find out about the
problem when your hand goes thru the moldy
decaying wall in the dining room or

b) the water drains out of the outlet in the
bottom of the wall you provided and you notice
and fix the problem.

Agreed, it's a philosophical difference, like some
people caulk all the way around the base of a
toilet and other leave a small gap for water
to come out in case there is a problem with
the wax ring.

-P