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Default Insulation in a Condo

Is there any way to insulate existing walls in a 2nd floor condo?

Just a couple walls infiltrate cold air during winter... Being on the
2nd flr, can I dump foam or any insulation down my walls to help my heat
bill? What about the downstairs unit? They get MY efforts?

And, also... how bout high ceilings? Can they be more insulated? Not
easy to get to.... I called a few co's and was told, "it would be very
dusty to blow in stuff"...

True? Anyone have alternative sources to put in place? :-) TIA.

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On Nov 7, 3:33*pm, (Paddy Waggin) wrote:
Is there any way to insulate existing walls in a 2nd floor condo?

Just a couple walls infiltrate cold air during winter... Being on the
2nd flr, can I dump foam or any insulation down my walls to help my heat
bill? What about the downstairs unit? They get MY efforts?

And, also... how bout high ceilings? Can they be more insulated? Not
easy to get to.... I called a few co's and was told, "it would be very
dusty to blow in stuff"...

True? Anyone have alternative sources to put in place? * :-) * *TIA..


Of course we know how the building is made since you told everyone and
we know what type of roof it has.
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Default Insulation in a Condo

Ransley said::::
Of course we know how the building is
made since you told everyone and we
know what type of roof it has.


And of course I see why everyone thinks you're an @sshole.... Thanks for
the help dip****....

If you don't understand the prob... just ask me smartASS...

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Default Insulation in a Condo

Paddy Waggin wrote:

Is there any way to insulate existing walls in a 2nd floor condo?

Just a couple walls infiltrate cold air during winter... Being on the
2nd flr, can I dump foam or any insulation down my walls to help my
heat bill? What about the downstairs unit? They get MY efforts?

And, also... how bout high ceilings? Can they be more insulated? Not
easy to get to.... I called a few co's and was told, "it would be very
dusty to blow in stuff"...

True? Anyone have alternative sources to put in place? :-) TIA.


Check the condo laws in your area before you do anything. Around here,
a condo owner owns "painted surface to painted surface", with the rest
of the building belonging to the condo association*. You own the paint,
but you don't own the wallboard, studs, insulation, wiring, pipes, or
outer surface of the wall. Of course, any interior walls are yours,
guts included. :-)

This is a rather technical definition, since I'm sure you wouldn't be
challenged for fixing a wall gouge or driving a nail for a picture.

* According to my architect brother-in-law in Dallas.

--
Steve Bell
New Life Home Improvement
Arlington, TX
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Default Insulation in a Condo

On Nov 7, 7:53*pm, (Paddy Waggin) wrote:
Ransley said::::

Of course we know how the building is
made since you told everyone and we
know what type of roof it has.


And of course I see why everyone thinks you're an @sshole.... Thanks for
the help dip****....

If you don't understand the prob... just ask me smartASS...


Hey dip**** without knowing how its made it cant be answered
correctly, its folks like you asking questions without enough info
that make an answer impossible. There is no problem, just no info. Its
not a smart as response.


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Default Insulation in a Condo


"Paddy Waggin" wrote in message
...
Is there any way to insulate existing walls in a 2nd floor condo?


Yes.



Just a couple walls infiltrate cold air during winter... Being on the
2nd flr, can I dump foam or any insulation down my walls to help my heat
bill?


No, there will be fire stops in the walls


And, also... how bout high ceilings? Can they be more insulated?


Yes

Not
easy to get to.... I called a few co's and was told, "it would be very
dusty to blow in stuff"...

True? Anyone have alternative sources to put in place? :-) TIA.


Depends on construction. Your question is too generic to give a good answer.


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Default Insulation in a Condo

On Nov 7, 10:13*pm, "Ed Pawlowski" wrote:
"Paddy Waggin" wrote in message

...

Is there any way to insulate existing walls in a 2nd floor condo?


Yes.



Just a couple walls infiltrate cold air during winter... Being on the
2nd flr, can I dump foam or any insulation down my walls to help my heat
bill?


No, there will be fire stops in the walls



And, also... how bout high ceilings? Can they be more insulated?


Yes

Not

easy to get to.... I called a few co's and was told, "it would be very
dusty to blow in stuff"...


True? Anyone have alternative sources to put in place? * :-) * *TIA.


Depends on construction. Your question is too generic to give a good answer.



Adding to the lack of info, what is meant by a couple walls infiltrate
cold air? Does that mean that air is actually blowing in somehow?
Without defining the problem, what insulation is already there, etc,
impossible to answer. Also, Steve's comments about who owns and deals
with various parts of a condo structure are on point. In the condo's
I've been involved with, insulation in exterior walls has always been
the responsibility of the association, not the unit owner, because the
unit owner's responsibility ends at the interior wall boundary.
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Default Insulation in a Condo

clipped


Adding to the lack of info, what is meant by a couple walls infiltrate
cold air? Does that mean that air is actually blowing in somehow?
Without defining the problem, what insulation is already there, etc,
impossible to answer. Also, Steve's comments about who owns and deals
with various parts of a condo structure are on point. In the condo's
I've been involved with, insulation in exterior walls has always been
the responsibility of the association, not the unit owner, because the
unit owner's responsibility ends at the interior wall boundary.


The same is true of our condo. The board or management company should
be familiar with
construction and with any other units which have had insulation added.
If there are a number
of units with the same issues, then a group of owners getting together
may advance the cause.
If other owners don't want to put up money, the association may let you
go ahead if you pay
the way......hopefully, they have contractors they have used and can
recommend. Our condo
is two story, with attic spaces above the second; one owner insulated
the attic space, at his
expense; others of the second floor units have huge heat/AC bills.
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Default Insulation in a Condo

On Sat, 8 Nov 2008 02:14:17 +0000 (UTC), "SteveBell"
wrote:

Paddy Waggin wrote:

Is there any way to insulate existing walls in a 2nd floor condo?

Just a couple walls infiltrate cold air during winter... Being on the
2nd flr, can I dump foam or any insulation down my walls to help my
heat bill? What about the downstairs unit? They get MY efforts?

And, also... how bout high ceilings? Can they be more insulated? Not
easy to get to.... I called a few co's and was told, "it would be very
dusty to blow in stuff"...

True? Anyone have alternative sources to put in place? :-) TIA.


Check the condo laws in your area before you do anything. Around here,
a condo owner owns "painted surface to painted surface", with the rest
of the building belonging to the condo association*. You own the paint,
but you don't own the wallboard, studs, insulation, wiring, pipes, or
outer surface of the wall. Of course, any interior walls are yours,
guts included. :-)

This is a rather technical definition, since I'm sure you wouldn't be
challenged for fixing a wall gouge or driving a nail for a picture.

* According to my architect brother-in-law in Dallas.



Yet another reason NOT to buy a condo.
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Default Insulation in a Condo

On Nov 7, 4:33*pm, (Paddy Waggin) wrote:
Is there any way to insulate existing walls in a 2nd floor condo?

Just a couple walls infiltrate cold air during winter... Being on the
2nd flr, can I dump foam or any insulation down my walls to help my heat
bill? What about the downstairs unit? They get MY efforts?

And, also... how bout high ceilings? Can they be more insulated? Not
easy to get to.... I called a few co's and was told, "it would be very
dusty to blow in stuff"...

True? Anyone have alternative sources to put in place? * :-) * *TIA..


If drafts are a problem, and the association does not want to do
anything, you might solve some of the problem by sealing joints at the
trim around windows and along the floor.

T
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Default Insulation in a Condo

Phisherman wrote:

On Sat, 8 Nov 2008 02:14:17 +0000 (UTC), "SteveBell"
wrote:

Paddy Waggin wrote:

Is there any way to insulate existing walls in a 2nd floor condo?

Just a couple walls infiltrate cold air during winter... Being on

the 2nd flr, can I dump foam or any insulation down my walls to
help my heat bill? What about the downstairs unit? They get MY
efforts?
And, also... how bout high ceilings? Can they be more insulated?

Not easy to get to.... I called a few co's and was told, "it would
be very dusty to blow in stuff"...

True? Anyone have alternative sources to put in place? :-)

TIA.

Check the condo laws in your area before you do anything. Around
here, a condo owner owns "painted surface to painted surface", with
the rest of the building belonging to the condo association*. You
own the paint, but you don't own the wallboard, studs, insulation,
wiring, pipes, or outer surface of the wall. Of course, any
interior walls are yours, guts included. :-)

This is a rather technical definition, since I'm sure you wouldn't
be challenged for fixing a wall gouge or driving a nail for a
picture.

* According to my architect brother-in-law in Dallas.


Yet another reason NOT to buy a condo.


My opinion as well. That same brother-in-law has been trying to sell
_his_ condo for several years. Lenders don't want to give anyone a
mortgage to buy it, because the ratio of renters to resident owners is
too high. He keeps it rented out enough to cover the mortgage, usually.

--
Steve Bell
New Life Home Improvement
Arlington, TX
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Default Insulation in a Condo

In article ,
"SteveBell" wrote:

snip


My opinion as well. That same brother-in-law has been trying to sell
_his_ condo for several years. Lenders don't want to give anyone a
mortgage to buy it, because the ratio of renters to resident owners is
too high. He keeps it rented out enough to cover the mortgage, usually.


If he's been trying to sell it for years, then there's only *one* valid
reason that it hasn't sold. The damn price is too high. Which means, of
course, that he hasn't really been trying to sell it at all.
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Default Insulation in a Condo

Smitty Two wrote:

In article ,
"SteveBell" wrote:

snip



My opinion as well. That same brother-in-law has been trying to sell
_his_ condo for several years. Lenders don't want to give anyone a
mortgage to buy it, because the ratio of renters to resident owners is
too high. He keeps it rented out enough to cover the mortgage, usually.



If he's been trying to sell it for years, then there's only *one* valid
reason that it hasn't sold. The damn price is too high. Which means, of
course, that he hasn't really been trying to sell it at all.


Three of eight units in my condo are for sale.......folks bought just
before the real estate crash.
Well, they're trying......open house every weekend.......but apparently
not trying to sell for
less than they paid. I was told recently that a local realtor had gone
"bankrupt", which, in
this particular area of Florida, does my heart good. Still got
footprints on our faces from the
"flippers" who have moved through.


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Smitty Two wrote:

In article ,
"SteveBell" wrote:

snip


My opinion as well. That same brother-in-law has been trying to sell
his condo for several years. Lenders don't want to give anyone a
mortgage to buy it, because the ratio of renters to resident owners
is too high. He keeps it rented out enough to cover the mortgage,
usually.


If he's been trying to sell it for years, then there's only one valid
reason that it hasn't sold. The damn price is too high. Which means,
of course, that he hasn't really been trying to sell it at all.


Lots of people have tried to buy it, but they can never get a mortgage.
Mortgage companies require that the renter/resident-owner ratio be very
high, or they won't issue a mortgage at all. I don't remember the exact
numbers, but I seem to recall that it has to be in the 0.50 - 0.75
range.

There was a condo building boom/fad in Dallas in the 70s and 80s, so
condos are plentiful. Most of them are rented, I assume because people
figured out that they get the disadvantages of living in an apartment
combined with the disadvantages of owning a house, with the
disadvantages of a homeowners association piled on top. Can you tell
I'd never live in a condo? :-)

He could do owner financing or drop the price to nothing, but what
would be the point? The property is paying its own way, and he gets
some income. He's just waiting around for someone who can do their own
financing.

--
Steve Bell
New Life Home Improvement
Arlington, TX
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Default Insulation in a Condo

In article ,
"SteveBell" wrote:

Smitty Two wrote:

In article ,
"SteveBell" wrote:

snip


My opinion as well. That same brother-in-law has been trying to sell
his condo for several years. Lenders don't want to give anyone a
mortgage to buy it, because the ratio of renters to resident owners
is too high. He keeps it rented out enough to cover the mortgage,
usually.


If he's been trying to sell it for years, then there's only one valid
reason that it hasn't sold. The damn price is too high. Which means,
of course, that he hasn't really been trying to sell it at all.


Lots of people have tried to buy it, but they can never get a mortgage.
Mortgage companies require that the renter/resident-owner ratio be very
high, or they won't issue a mortgage at all. I don't remember the exact
numbers, but I seem to recall that it has to be in the 0.50 - 0.75
range.

There was a condo building boom/fad in Dallas in the 70s and 80s, so
condos are plentiful. Most of them are rented, I assume because people
figured out that they get the disadvantages of living in an apartment
combined with the disadvantages of owning a house, with the
disadvantages of a homeowners association piled on top. Can you tell
I'd never live in a condo? :-)

He could do owner financing or drop the price to nothing, but what
would be the point? The property is paying its own way, and he gets
some income. He's just waiting around for someone who can do their own
financing.


Nothing wrong with keeping it, especially if he's got a zero or positive
cash flow. But I'm skeptical about the mortgage rationale. It's an easy
excuse for a buyer to change his mind. Things are worth what people can
and will pay for them. If he won't drop the price to one at which it
will sell, obstacles be damned, then he's asking more than the market
will bear. So he could just acknowledge that this isn't the right time
to sell.

I'm buying an investment house with my g.f. in another city, where
prices spiked far higher and crashed far more steeply than most, due to
local conditions. Our realtor is saying that finally, things are
starting to sell. Well, duh. Prices are 30% of what they were 2 yrs.
ago, on a par with what they were 4 yrs. ago, which is what they're
"worth" according to the inviolable law of supply and demand.

It took a while for the banks, who own most of what's on the market
there, to stop fooling themselves about recouping any reasonable
percentage of their money and just cut the prices to whatever it took to
sell. Are mortgages hard to get? Yep. And that reduces the pool of
prospective buyers, which reduces the prices even more. That's the ugly
reality of it, for those on the losing end of the bargain.
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