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Posted by on January 22, 2007, 2:14 pm
chi.james@gmail.com wrote:
> I want to make my home more energy efficient. I live in a 2-family,
> 3-story brownstone that is over 100 years old. I currently have a
> recently purchased gas furnace with little to no insulation in my walls
> or ceilings. I have 9 foot ceilings. I live on 2 of the 3 floors that
> have a total of 2,400 square feet of living space. I would say that
> the builing is 30 feet wide and 40 feet long. The windows are huge and
> have recently been replaced. Most of the walls are drywalls and a few
> walls are actually plaster.
>
> The first thing that I want to do is install insulation.
>
> 1. Is it more cost effective to use foam (poured or spray) insulation
> or break down the walls to install typical insulation? What is
> generally the cost of each based on per square foot?
> 2. If I have foam insulation installed, what are the concerns? Do I
> need to be concerned about a vapor barrier, which I do not have right
> now? What other concerns?
> 3. Can I spray foam insulation by myself? Or should I use an
> installer? How much could I save if I did it myself?
> 4. I have an open layout in the 1st floor. Do I need to insulate the
> ceiling between the first and second floor?
> 5. Do I need to insulate the ceiling between the 2nd and 3rd floor?
> The 3rd floor is not my apartment.
>
> Next I want to add baseboard heating and install a boiler:
>
> 1. What kind of boiler do I need?
> 2. Should I choose baseboard or radiator?
> 3. Is it worth it to install this system if I have forced air heat?
> My system doesn't feel adequate enough but maybe that is due to the
> lack of insulation.
> 4. Would it be difficult having each room with its own thermostat? 8
> rooms altogether.
>
> I have a huge front door with gaps around all four sides. Although I
> have a foyer door that eliminates some of the draft, what can I do to
> fix those gaps. The door is over 3 feet wide and around 8 feet tall.
> Conventional weatherproofing supplies don't fit. I am thinking of
> replacing the door altogether. But I wanted to save the front door if
> possible. I tried to place a rubber strip on the bottom of the door
> but there is still some space. I even have a mail slot that is not air
> tight.
>
> 1. What should I do? replace the door and frame?
>
> I would also appreciate any other advice you might have. Thanks.
I also need to think about whether I should repoint my exterior brick.
The space in between the brick is very very thin. I can't tell if I
need to repoint but a contractor mentioned it to me. Do I need to do
this in conjunction with everything else?
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