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D.I.Y. house remodel

user-6889824 | Posted in General Questions on

I have a slab on grad house built in 1926 ~1000sq ft single floor simple rectangle. The house has exterior stucco, covered with metal siding, and interior plaster over what I believe is wood fiberboard.
The sill plates have rotted out and need to be replaced. I would also like to remove the wall insulation -which is of unknown type, but blown in through holes in exterior stucco, and it is now a crumbly white powdery substance. I am guessing that this insulation was blown in without consideration for a vapor barrier, which has hastened the rotting of the sill plates, and has created a moldy smell on the wettest of days. There is some type of product between framing and the exterior boards -which I can see from interior hole I have created, but I don’t think it is a vapor barrier of any sort.
My question is whether to remove the metal siding, the exterior stucco, the wall cavity insulation, and the add a vapor barrier over the exterior board sheathing, a layer of mineral wool, and then replace the metal siding (would prefer other exterior cladding, but money is an issue in all of this). Or -to remove interior plaster, fiberboard, powdery insulation, create an air gap next to exterior wall, and then re-insulate with mineral wool batts and re-plaster.

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Replies

  1. user-2310254 | | #1

    Please tell us your location.

  2. user-6889824 | | #2

    I live in Minneapolis, and we can get some cold winters, plenty of rain and snow, good summer heat with short bouts of humidity. The slab is partially insulated using the "Frost Protected Shallow Foundation" method, and the plan is to complete this project with the sill plate replacement.
    I also plan to top the slab with a vapor barrier, insulation, hydronic heating in a thin concrete slab in the main living spaces. This is also being done to isolate the asbestos tile -which I was unaware of on purchase. I am also replacing the old gas forced air furnace with a mini split hvac system.
    Appreciate all advice.
    Corey

  3. GBA Editor
    Martin Holladay | | #3

    Corey,
    1. If you are installing ductless minisplits for cooling, you should use them for heating as well. That way, you can avoid the expense of installing a hydronic heating system and PEX tubing under the flooring.

    2. In your climate, you definitely don't want to install an exterior vapor barrier on the wall sheathing.

    3. Whether or not you decide to remove the existing siding depends mostly on the condition of the siding. If there is nothing wrong with the siding, why remove it?

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