Homestead mailing list

[Gene GeRue <genegerue AT ruralize.com>]

On Aug 3, 2008, at 12:12 PM, Roy Morgan wrote:

> On insulation: what's the current "technology" in insulation?  We will
> be needing some (or more than some) in our new house, and I want to
> invest in better insulation once, instead of more oil and wood  
> forever.

How much money are you willing to spend? There are some super  
insulation products, mostly foam, either solid or sprayed-in-place,  
but they tend to be expensive. Ease of entry into the existing walls  
and attic space might suggest one type over another. It may well  
already be too late in the year to consider opening the walls. In that  
Ithaca climate it is likely that the house is pretty well built and  
already has quite a bit. As with solar heating and electric  
generation, a primary consideration is payback period. I suggest you  
find a local contractor who knows the climate, the products locally  
available, and the installed costs.

Fine Homebuilding magazine recently did a feature piece on insulation  
comparisons.