# Rim Joist inaccessible.



## darklightwarrio (Jan 11, 2014)

I have been studying on how to effectively air seal and possibly insulate my rim joists all the way around my extremely old drafty house (built in 1850s). Most people will say just get rid of it and build something new, but nothing will replace a sturdy structure like this ever. The house has two basements, connected by a crawl space (above this is the porch), because different parts of the house were built during different eras. 
My problem is that in the very old basement the rim joist on the south side is very nearly impossible to get to. The rim joist runs parallel with the floor joists in this location. Get this: the first floor joist to the interior from the rim joist sits on the stone-wall foundation and basically blocks access to the rim joist. I only know about this because sometime way back when, an access hole was cut through the first floor joist to the rim joist. Now, my question may have a very difficult answer. 
I can only think of 3 options to air seal this very drafty area of my old basement: 1) I start removing a section of foundation so I can pass under the first floor joist to reach the rim joist. 2) I remove the basement window adjacent to the rim joist and hope that I can gain some access. 3) (by far the worst option) I cut a larger hole in the first floor joist so I can squeeze my body into the rim joist cavity to air seal it properly. 
I am new to this forum and am open to all kind of suggestions. I considered exterior insulation of the rim joist too. But that one will also be difficult because one side of the rim joist has the basement window, the other side has a chimney that runs outside the framing for the house. Thank you for your time.


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## sixeightten (Feb 10, 2009)

A few large holes could we drilled into the joist to allow you to blow insulation into the cavity.


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## darklightwarrio (Jan 11, 2014)

But that would not air seal it though, correct? I had considered that option. I mean it is probably the worst drafty spot in the whole basement. So I have spent the last few days trying to figure out how to do this. It was recently almost 20 below 0 here and the house felt it. And I have been studying about the rim joists and how vital it is to air seal and insulate because of my balloon frame home.


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## sixeightten (Feb 10, 2009)

If you are that concerned, a pro could come out and spray closed cell foam in there and it will seal it. That is very pricy and I doubt you would find anyone to do such a small job.


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## darklightwarrio (Jan 11, 2014)

Is exterior sealing possible?


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Any way to make an access hole in the floor in a closet?


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## Gary in WA (Mar 11, 2009)

Cut big chunks of the second joist (in the way for access) out leaving small sections every 2' to prop up temp. 2x from floor, do the work, add new joist- sistered next to massively notched one. Leave top 3" alone for nailing that has sub-flooring nails in. Move refrigerator before working directly below....

Gary


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## darklightwarrio (Jan 11, 2014)

joecaption said:


> Any way to make an access hole in the floor in a closet?


Unfortunately, immediate above the basement is a normal living space room with no closet. 



Gary in WA said:


> Cut big chunks of the second joist (in the way for access) out leaving small sections every 2' to prop up temp. 2x from floor, do the work, add new joist- sistered next to massively notched one. Leave top 3" alone for nailing that has sub-flooring nails in. Move refrigerator before working directly below....
> 
> Gary


Gary, that sounds like an excellent idea. Maybe I should take some pics in the daylight (it is night here now) and post them so people can better understand what I am saying. I live in Northwestern Ohio in the USA.


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## michelclarke (Oct 26, 2013)

Make a hole in the sub floor or access from the basement windows and fill the cavity with cellulose? It could be made airtight, but it would wick moisture from that 2" strip of concrete it rests on


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## darklightwarrio (Jan 11, 2014)

I will submit a picture, as soon as I can figure out this dad-blasted camera and putting pics on the Internet, and so on....


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## Gary in WA (Mar 11, 2009)

http://www.diychatroom.com/f98/

Gary


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