What's the best insulation to use with 2x4's?
 

Hi,

My contractor told me to use R13 insulation on the walls framed out by
2x4's. He said that it won't fit thinkness-wise, but I would be able
to compress it with drywall. Does that sound like good advice?

Many thanks in advance,

Aaron

What's the best insulation to use with 2x4's?
 

On Nov 2, 8:07*pm, Aaron Fude wrote:
Hi,

My contractor told me to use R13 insulation on the walls framed out by
2x4's. He said that it won't fit thinkness-wise, but I would be able
to compress it with drywall. Does that sound like good advice?

Many thanks in advance,

Aaron

Google R13 fiberglass....looks to me like it's 3.5" thick......sounds
like the right stuff for 2x4 const

are you sure he said "if won't fit"?


cheers
Bob

What's the best insulation to use with 2x4's?
 

Since it is the trapped air that does the insulating, I doubt if it would
make much difference since compressing the R-13 insulation would reduce its
insulating ability.

"Aaron Fude" wrote in message
...
Hi,

My contractor told me to use R13 insulation on the walls framed out by
2x4's. He said that it won't fit thinkness-wise, but I would be able
to compress it with drywall. Does that sound like good advice?

Many thanks in advance,

Aaron

What's the best insulation to use with 2x4's?
 

Aaron Fude wrote:
Hi,

My contractor told me to use R13 insulation on the walls framed out by
2x4's. He said that it won't fit thinkness-wise, but I would be able
to compress it with drywall. Does that sound like good advice?

Many thanks in advance,

Aaron
Hi,
Your location?

What's the best insulation to use with 2x4's?
 

Jeff wrote:
Since it is the trapped air that does the insulating, I doubt if it would
make much difference since compressing the R-13 insulation would reduce its
insulating ability.

"Aaron Fude" wrote in message
...
Hi,

My contractor told me to use R13 insulation on the walls framed out by
2x4's. He said that it won't fit thinkness-wise, but I would be able
to compress it with drywall. Does that sound like good advice?

Many thanks in advance,

Aaron


Hi,
Wondering if amount of air trapped inside the batt is same whether it is
compressed or loose? I understand R means resistance against air leak.

What's the best insulation to use with 2x4's?
 

On Nov 2, 10:07*pm, Aaron Fude wrote:
Hi,

My contractor told me to use R13 insulation on the walls framed out by
2x4's. He said that it won't fit thinkness-wise, but I would be able
to compress it with drywall. Does that sound like good advice?

Many thanks in advance,

Aaron

It will work but if it gets real cold or hot and utility bills are
high, and whose are not, foam will do a much better job

What's the best insulation to use with 2x4's?
 

"Tony Hwang" wrote in message
Hi,
Wondering if amount of air trapped inside the batt is same whether it is
compressed or loose? I understand R means resistance against air leak.


The more you compress, the less air trapped, the less insulation value.

What's the best insulation to use with 2x4's?
 

Tony Hwang wrote:
-snip-
I understand R means resistance against air leak.

You understand incorrectly- it is "resistance to heat flow". Glass
provides 100% resistance to air flow- but is a poor insulator, so it
has a negligible r value.

Jim

What's the best insulation to use with 2x4's?
 

On Nov 3, 5:56*am, "Ed Pawlowski" wrote:
"Tony Hwang" wrote in message
Hi,
Wondering if amount of air trapped inside the batt is same whether it is
compressed or loose? I understand R means resistance against air leak.

The more you compress, the less air trapped, the less insulation value.


I see this point but i would like to understand this. If you take this
argument to the extreme, then the least amount of insulation is best,
because that keeps the most amount of air inside the walls. So how
come just having air between the walls is bad insulation?

Thanks,

Aaron

What's the best insulation to use with 2x4's?
 

On Nov 3, 8:20*am, Aaron Fude wrote:
On Nov 3, 5:56*am, "Ed Pawlowski" wrote:

"Tony Hwang" wrote in message
Hi,
Wondering if amount of air trapped inside the batt is same whether it is
compressed or loose? I understand R means resistance against air leak..

The more you compress, the less air trapped, the less insulation value.

I see this point but i would like to understand this. If you take this
argument to the extreme, then the least amount of insulation is best,
because that keeps the most amount of air inside the walls. So how
come just having air between the walls is bad insulation?

Thanks,

Aaron

I think you end up with wall space measurement of fiberglass R value ,
if wall is 4", fiberglass is 5", then compressed to 4 its the 4" R
rating, or near to it.

What's the best insulation to use with 2x4's?
 

On Nov 3, 10:20�am, ransley wrote:
On Nov 3, 8:20�am, Aaron Fude wrote:





On Nov 3, 5:56�am, "Ed Pawlowski" wrote:

"Tony Hwang" wrote in message
Hi,
Wondering if amount of air trapped inside the batt is same whether it is
compressed or loose? I understand R means resistance against air leak.

The more you compress, the less air trapped, the less insulation value.

I see this point but i would like to understand this. If you take this
argument to the extreme, then the least amount of insulation is best,
because that keeps the most amount of air inside the walls. So how
come just having air between the walls is bad insulation?

Thanks,

Aaron

I think you end up with wall space measurement of fiberglass R value ,
if wall is 4", fiberglass is 5", then compressed to 4 its the 4" R
rating, or near to it.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

closed cell expanding foam insulation the best, it sealls all the
nooks anbd cranies stopping air flow, and at R7 or so per inch much
better than fiberglass, yes it costs more but gives saving forever

What's the best insulation to use with 2x4's?
 

On Nov 2, 10:07 pm, Aaron Fude wrote:
Hi,

My contractor told me to use R13 insulation on the walls framed out by
2x4's. He said that it won't fit thinkness-wise, but I would be able
to compress it with drywall. Does that sound like good advice?

Many thanks in advance,

Aaron

Just my opinion, but I use R-19, and while I have no way to measure it
for insulating value, it does a good job of keeping the cool in in the
summer and the warm in in the winter.
The reason it works IMO is draft stop, filling the cavity completely
works better (again IMO) than having a little something flopping
around not even touching the studs, which is usually the case with R13.

What's the best insulation to use with 2x4's?
 

On Nov 3, 8:20*am, Aaron Fude wrote:

snip

If you take this
argument to the extreme, then the least amount of insulation is best,
because that keeps the most amount of air inside the walls. So how
come just having air between the walls is bad insulation?

Just air would be perfect except for one condition: it must be totally
still, unable to circulate. With air movement you will have convection
losses. This is the reason why storm windows are so inefficient. If
you could tolerate a window being translucent instead of transparent,
then materials could be used that have very low heat transmission like
a closed cell polyethylene foam board. But as insulation numbers
increase for such materials, the light transmission decreases. Looks
like we're stuck with some trade offs for now.

Joe

What's the best insulation to use with 2x4's?
 

On Nov 3, 9:20*am, Aaron Fude wrote:
On Nov 3, 5:56*am, "Ed Pawlowski" wrote:

"Tony Hwang" wrote in message
Hi,
Wondering if amount of air trapped inside the batt is same whether it is
compressed or loose? I understand R means resistance against air leak..

The more you compress, the less air trapped, the less insulation value.

I see this point but i would like to understand this. If you take this
argument to the extreme, then the least amount of insulation is best,
because that keeps the most amount of air inside the walls. So how
come just having air between the walls is bad insulation?


Because having just air means the air can move and readily transport
heat from the warm wall to the cold wall. With insulation filling
the cavity, there is still a lot of air there, but it's being held in
place by the insulation, so it's far more difficult for an air
molecule to go from one wall to the other.








Thanks,

Aaron

What's the best insulation to use with 2x4's?
 

wrote in message

Because having just air means the air can move and readily transport
heat from the warm wall to the cold wall. With insulation filling
the cavity, there is still a lot of air there, but it's being held in
place by the insulation, so it's far more difficult for an air
molecule to go from one wall to the other.

************************************************** ****************

Exactly. There is an optimum for every insulation material, be it
fiberglass, cellular foam, cellulose, etc. One big space is not so good.
divide it into four and it is slightly better, divide again into four
hundred it is better, but divide it into 40,000 spaces it is great, but then
if you divide that into 80,000 spaces the solid material between the air
cells is transmitting the heat again. That is why concrete walls are so
poor compared to even thin layers of insulation.

Heat is always trying to move to the cooler places. With most materials it
moves through liquids faster than solids where it moves faster than air.

What's the best insulation to use with 2x4's?
 

On Nov 2, 10:48*pm, BobK207 wrote:
On Nov 2, 8:07*pm, Aaron Fude wrote:

Hi,

My contractor told me to use R13 insulation on the walls framed out by
2x4's. He said that it won't fit thinkness-wise, but I would be able
to compress it with drywall. Does that sound like good advice?

Many thanks in advance,

Aaron

Google R13 fiberglass....looks to me like it's 3.5" thick......sounds
like the right stuff for 2x4 const

are you sure he said "if won't fit"?

cheers
Bob

Agree, the R13 stuff is 3.5 inches thick and is designed for this
application. It is the stuff to use for 2X4 framed walls. Get the
kraft-faced kind and install it with the kraft paper on the inside.
You unfold the little folded over strips of paper on each side and
staple them to the stud. When you're done the wall looks like a
continuous sea of brown kraft paper. Wear a dust mask while
installing the insulation; when you see the layer of pink fuzz
covering the mask at the end of the day, you'll be glad you did. Wear
old clothes and at the end of the day, just throw them away. They
will be scratchy ever after. -- H

What's the best insulation to use with 2x4's?
 

On Nov 3, 12:03*pm, "Edwin Pawlowski" wrote:
wrote in message

Because having just air means the air can move and readily transport
heat from the warm wall to the cold wall. * With insulation filling
the cavity, there is still a lot of air there, but it's being held in
place by the insulation, so it's far more difficult for an air
molecule to go from one wall to the other.

************************************************** ****************

Exactly. *There is an optimum for every insulation material, be it
fiberglass, cellular foam, cellulose, etc. *One big space is not so good.
divide it into four and it is slightly better, divide again into four
hundred it is better, but divide it into 40,000 spaces it is great, but then
if you divide that into 80,000 spaces the solid material between *the air
cells is transmitting *the heat again. *That is why concrete walls are so
poor compared to even thin layers of insulation.

Heat is always trying to move to the cooler places. With most materials it
moves through liquids faster than solids where it moves faster than air.

How do you divide foam

What's the best insulation to use with 2x4's?
 

Heathcliff wrote:

Agree, the R13 stuff is 3.5 inches thick and is designed for this
application. It is the stuff to use for 2X4 framed walls. Get the
kraft-faced kind and install it with the kraft paper on the inside.
You unfold the little folded over strips of paper on each side and
staple them to the stud. When you're done the wall looks like a
continuous sea of brown kraft paper. Wear a dust mask while
installing the insulation; when you see the layer of pink fuzz
covering the mask at the end of the day, you'll be glad you did. Wear
old clothes and at the end of the day, just throw them away. They
will be scratchy ever after. -- H

Hint: Take a pair of old tube socks. Cut two finger-holes in the toes. Slip
over your hands and forearms.

Discard when the project's done.

What's the best insulation to use with 2x4's?
 

ransley wrote:
On Nov 3, 12:03 pm, "Edwin Pawlowski" wrote:
wrote in message

Because having just air means the air can move and readily transport
heat from the warm wall to the cold wall. With insulation filling
the cavity, there is still a lot of air there, but it's being held in
place by the insulation, so it's far more difficult for an air
molecule to go from one wall to the other.

************************************************** ****************

Exactly. There is an optimum for every insulation material, be it
fiberglass, cellular foam, cellulose, etc. One big space is not so
good. divide it into four and it is slightly better, divide again
into four hundred it is better, but divide it into 40,000 spaces it
is great, but then if you divide that into 80,000 spaces the solid
material between the air cells is transmitting the heat again. That
is why concrete walls are so poor compared to even thin layers of
insulation.

Heat is always trying to move to the cooler places. With most
materials it moves through liquids faster than solids where it moves
faster than air.

How do you divide foam

My bartender just scrapes it off with a knife.

What's the best insulation to use with 2x4's?
 

"ransley" wrote in message

How do you divide foam

***************************************
Cellular structure is self dividing

What's the best insulation to use with 2x4's?
 

your best bet is wet sprayed in place cellulose. More "R" per inch than
fiberglass, AND it stops air infiltration. As a side benefit, it is very
fire retardant and also includes borax which is a very good insecticide.


s

check out the info at www.centralfiber.com


"Aaron Fude" wrote in message
...
Hi,

My contractor told me to use R13 insulation on the walls framed out by
2x4's. He said that it won't fit thinkness-wise, but I would be able
to compress it with drywall. Does that sound like good advice?

Many thanks in advance,

Aaron

What's the best insulation to use with 2x4's?
 

If you're stuffing r-19 into 2x4 walls, you're wasting your money.

s


"Eric in North TX" wrote in message
...
On Nov 2, 10:07 pm, Aaron Fude wrote:
Hi,

My contractor told me to use R13 insulation on the walls framed out by
2x4's. He said that it won't fit thinkness-wise, but I would be able
to compress it with drywall. Does that sound like good advice?

Many thanks in advance,

Aaron

Just my opinion, but I use R-19, and while I have no way to measure it
for insulating value, it does a good job of keeping the cool in in the
summer and the warm in in the winter.
The reason it works IMO is draft stop, filling the cavity completely
works better (again IMO) than having a little something flopping
around not even touching the studs, which is usually the case with R13.