# Insulating a cold/hot room



## titanoman (Nov 27, 2011)

Do you have a crawl space?
Is the floor insulated if you do?

Sent from a Samsung Galaxy SII


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## mae-ling (Dec 9, 2011)

A corner room can be cooler than other rooms because of 2 outside wall.
Also they tend top be the furthest from the furnace, can be more elbows and such too.
In my house we have to leave the 2 corner bedroom doors open to get them to warm up and leave my other daughters bedroom door open to let the heat out! lol


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## Windows on Wash (Aug 30, 2011)

Outside corners are tougher as mentioned.

How is the volute out of the vents in those areas?


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Add foam covers under the outlet and switch covers, seal any holes in the top and bottom plates where wire was run, spray foam around any light fixtures from the attic,
There's no mention of where you live. There needs to be a min. of R30 in an attic if your in a cold climate R-50 is suggested.


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## Bob Mariani (Dec 1, 2008)

joecaption said:


> Add foam covers under the outlet and switch covers, seal any holes in the top and bottom plates where wire was run, spray foam around any light fixtures from the attic,
> There's no mention of where you live. There needs to be a min. of R30 in an attic if your in a cold climate R-50 is suggested.


If quoted values give the correct ones. Requirements differ by governing bodies and climate zone. cold climates require R-38 New code adopts ECC and will require R-49. I am a BPI certified building analyst and Envelope specialist and RESNET Energy Smart Contractor. Reading a lot of what is on the internet is depressing when such inaccurate figures are given out. Most of your suggestions here are good, except you can not spray foam around light fixtures directly. The fact that this room is most likely more exposed to the outside environment and most all heating systems are designed incorrectly is the reason this room is colder than the rest.


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## Windows on Wash (Aug 30, 2011)

Bob Mariani said:


> If quoted values give the correct ones. Requirements differ by governing bodies and climate zone. cold climates require R-38 New code adopts ECC and will require R-49. I am a BPI certified building analyst and Envelope specialist and RESNET Energy Smart Contractor. Reading a lot of what is on the internet is depressing when such inaccurate figures are given out. Most of your suggestions here are good, *except you can not spray foam around light fixtures directly*. The fact that this room is most likely more exposed to the outside environment and most all heating systems are designed incorrectly is the reason this room is colder than the rest.


Why can't you spray over lights in this case? I think Joe is referring to light outlets (i.e. ceiling fan drops, boxes, etc).

Non-IC rated can lights need to have boxes installed over top and can be sprayed down to the ceiling at that point.

IC rated cans can often be sprayed directly over top but if there is any concern of overheating, opt for the box method.


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## Bob Mariani (Dec 1, 2008)

Windows on Wash said:


> Why can't you spray over lights in this case? I think Joe is referring to light outlets (i.e. ceiling fan drops, boxes, etc).
> 
> Non-IC rated can lights need to have boxes installed over top and can be sprayed down to the ceiling at that point.
> 
> IC rated cans can often be sprayed directly over top but if there is any concern of overheating, opt for the box method.


The small holes will allow the expanding foam to enter the electrical box. Last fire damage job we worked on was a good example of this. The inspector must have spent hours taking hundreds of pictures of the charred foam inside the electrical junction and light boxes. Remember air flows through all of these except the new air tight cans. And foam has a flash point that needs to be addressed.

Also a typical DIYer will not know the difference between IC, AT or RC cans. Best to have a 14" X 14" box around them which gets sealed with foam to the drywall below. 

if you do know what you have:
AT -- insulate over them no problems. 
IC -- tape the small holes with metal tape 
older square cans -- replace them (no thermal overload) and 
RC - box them.


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## Windows on Wash (Aug 30, 2011)

Never seen and issue of that in any of the retrofits I have inspected.

Spray foam has a flash point in an uncured state. When it is cured, it is plastic for lack of a better descriptor and can actually insulate a wire in some cases (not recommended to use as such).

If the box has large exposed wires, that is a separate issue that needs to be addresses by itself. 

Please email or post up any of those pictures if you have them.


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## Bob Mariani (Dec 1, 2008)

here is two.... one shows the flash of foam another how foam penetrated and burning inside the light fixture go to my facebook page
www.facebook.com/homedoctorofamerica


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## Windows on Wash (Aug 30, 2011)

Bob Mariani said:


> here is two.... one shows the flash of foam another how foam penetrated and burning inside the light fixture go to my facebook page
> www.facebook.com/homedoctorofamerica


IC rated can or not? Looks like a non-IC can to me.

Picture is not of good enough quality to show any combustion of the foam in this case. Light that is projected into the can photo degrade the foam as well which is what appears to be the case in the picture. A tighter photo would be of more usefulness. 

Halogen lights burn especially hot and should be boxed out as standard to prevent thermal overload.


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