I've got a 45 -50 yr old cinder block home, over a 3ft vented crawlspace in North Central Florida.
1) The exterior block is not painted, though I may end up doing this.
2) There are no moisture issues presently in the house (there was, but it was due to some grading issues that have been addressed), it's a dry house.
3) The crawlspace has no vapor barrier down, though this may change, the floor is likewise not insulated (this also may change).
The tear-out of the utility, mudroom, laundry area is about half done. I found the following about the old construction:
1) The joists and subfloor are in very good condition and very clean, though there is about a 1 inch continuous gap between the end of the sub-floor, and the cinder block exterior wall....you can see down to the ground below.
2) There was no insulation in the walls at all, I expected this, very typical of the time.
3) The interior walls were made up of: furring strips under small (maybe 2'*3'-4') sheets of heavy drywall-like material, hung horizontally. The exterior side of this material was covered in an aluminum-type backing (I'm thinking this might have been an early type of vapor barrier, I can't figure they were thinking about radiant barriers back then). On top of the small drywall pieces was plaster.
4) This all resulted in a small, vertically running air gap that runs from the crawlspace into the attic space.
My questions are these:
1) What can I do to insulate this when I re-construct?
2)Am I O.K. sealing this entire airgap leading from the crawlspace on up? If I seal it too well, can I end up causing myself new problems (moisture)?
3) Should I consider any type of vapor barrier, or should I just insulate and let it breath as it has.
I've already got some thoughts, but would like as much input as I can get.
1) The exterior block is not painted, though I may end up doing this.
2) There are no moisture issues presently in the house (there was, but it was due to some grading issues that have been addressed), it's a dry house.
3) The crawlspace has no vapor barrier down, though this may change, the floor is likewise not insulated (this also may change).
The tear-out of the utility, mudroom, laundry area is about half done. I found the following about the old construction:
1) The joists and subfloor are in very good condition and very clean, though there is about a 1 inch continuous gap between the end of the sub-floor, and the cinder block exterior wall....you can see down to the ground below.
2) There was no insulation in the walls at all, I expected this, very typical of the time.
3) The interior walls were made up of: furring strips under small (maybe 2'*3'-4') sheets of heavy drywall-like material, hung horizontally. The exterior side of this material was covered in an aluminum-type backing (I'm thinking this might have been an early type of vapor barrier, I can't figure they were thinking about radiant barriers back then). On top of the small drywall pieces was plaster.
4) This all resulted in a small, vertically running air gap that runs from the crawlspace into the attic space.
My questions are these:
1) What can I do to insulate this when I re-construct?
2)Am I O.K. sealing this entire airgap leading from the crawlspace on up? If I seal it too well, can I end up causing myself new problems (moisture)?
3) Should I consider any type of vapor barrier, or should I just insulate and let it breath as it has.
I've already got some thoughts, but would like as much input as I can get.