# Rim Joist revisited, R19?



## davemax (Jan 15, 2010)

Hello ,
I know about the rigid board /spray foam as the prefferred way to insulate the rim joists, however, i did just take the easier route this weekend and use batt.

The roll was only $49 it did only take me about 1 and 1/2 hours to do the whole basement, so if i need to remove and do over, I will, i at least got some insulation in there for this cold winter we will already having in syracuse ny.

Each of the bay's were sealed with caulk already, very tight, no air leakage, one reason i felt okay using the batting, and with the batting, i can pull it out and see after a while if there is any mold, etc... 

The home is built weird, 80+years old.. there are only true joist or bays on two sides of the basement (very small basement too, which is why it went quickly)., the other two sides do not have the bays or boxes, but just long beam on top of the sill plates running the entire length of the basement.. so hard to get the batting in that area.

The question/problem is: I used R19? I was told that is what to use there. But the R19 was very thick, and not wanting to compress it much, it did stick out over the wall abit, i only stapled it at the top.

And on the sides with no bays, it is fairly thick and because of the beam, i could not really compress it in there.

I had someone out and said he could spray foam 2inches, for R6, for $500.00.

Forget about the cost here, but he would give me an R6, I used R19? could i have gotten away with a lower R value, which would have been easier to install? Now I'm thinking i may take my time and do a little at a time now and use ridig board, so much less obtrusive?

Thoughts?

Thanks,

Dave


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## davemax (Jan 15, 2010)

PS.
The whole basement smells like fuel oil, very strong now. And the person that lives in the house , next day, called me to tell me the house smells bad. I have googled this and I am finding that the smell does not go away, not something that just needed to air out. I have seen a lot of complaints about the owens corning stuff and they are saying it's the new glue or something... i'm now going to take the batting down and get rid of it, and get the $50 refund from home depot. Again, I don't look at it as a huge loss of time and energy, only just over an hour to put it all in. live and learn. that's why i'm trying to find out from the experts here!


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## mikegp (Jul 17, 2011)

The house is not built "weird". Floor joist generally only travel in one direction so your rim joist box area will only be found on two sides for most homes. That's perfectly normal.

I am curious why your batt insulation smelled so much. I've never noticed an odor from fiberglass or rock wool batts.


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## davemax (Jan 15, 2010)

Thank you.
I see on the internet, and even the owens corning site that they stated it smells like burnt oil,.. said it was in the facing , or the adhesives that hold the facing. Not on the unfaced stuff. Some swear it never goes away. My basement and now home, due to the furnace running, smell pretty strong of the stuff.

also, how do you insulate those other 2 sides? there's not much room there to put anything up there... only a few inches before you get to the edge of the top of sill plate?

Are those sides okay not insulate?

Thanks.


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## mikegp (Jul 17, 2011)

Those sides should be sealed and insulated as well. Roxul makes R-15 that fit's in a 2x4 studded wall. You can use those as is or shave them down to desired size.


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## davemax (Jan 15, 2010)

Good, I've heard about roxul, and it's okay to just put that in the joists. 
thanks


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## mikegp (Jul 17, 2011)

Yes. Post a picture though. Because your edge to the top of sill plate comment has me confused about where you lack space.


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## davemax (Jan 15, 2010)

i will try to get you a pic of the 2 sides. However, what i'm saying is.. on those 2 sides, yes, you have just one long space, or one 20 foot open joist if you will, to get a description.. , which would be about a 5 inch ledge. But, also on the ledge, is another 2 by 4 that spans the entire length too, up against the outside wall, again running the entire length. So with that in there as well, i'm left with about 3 inches remaining to the edge of sill plate. 

That extra 2 by 4 support is up against the ceiling and outer wall, not at the bottom.. So at the top it's only 3 inches, and the bottom is 5.... so i guess technically i could stuff something in there along the entire basement length.


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## mikegp (Jul 17, 2011)

How far is it from the rim joist to the next joist? You can use that entire space to put insulation. You can use skinny metal rods to hold any insulation in place even if there is no sill plate or foundation under it. If they're a little long they stay in with their own tension.


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## DexterII (Jul 14, 2010)

An 80 year old house, in my neck of the woods, would have been most likely heated by fuel oil at one time. And maybe it is now. Is there a tank in the basement? Or is it possible that there was? Could it have leaked at some point? Could it be that there was enough draft to minimize the odor prior to the insulation closing the gaps and making it more prominent? In other words, maybe the smell really is fuel oil.


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## davemax (Jan 15, 2010)

no Dexter, it's def. the insulation. we noticed it the minute we cut open the roll... and then after googling it, we found that owens corning eco touch insulation is baked or something.. and they stated it's from that process. There are alot of articles out there on it, and according to the masses, it does not go away. We're taking it out and are going to go with the rigid board.


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