Unfaced fiberglass insulation batts are little packages of misery

R-21 walls / R-38 ceilings

Every time I blink my eyes, I'm reminded of the work we accomplished this weekend. It feels like someone has inserted little blankets of steel wool beneath my eyelids. We've certainly gained a strong appreciation for the work we often take for granted, work like insulating a little 1600sf house...with 200 lineal feet of wall.

Ceiling batts, strapping helps keep it place

Batts everywhere

After meeting with Lester, (our foreman & part owner of Cadillac Builders, our G.C), and the electrician, and the plumber, and the bank representative, and some of our new neighbors...Laura & I spent the remainder of our weekend sweating it out installing insulation. The walls seemed easy enough. Place a kraft faced batt in the wall, staple the edges to the studs, and you're done. Then repeat 149 more times...for the walls. Unfortunately, the batts are only 93" tall, the stud bays are 96" tall. Didn't someone, somewhere along the way figure this one out? So, after about 25' you get the rhythm and can make good time, until you get to a window or light fixture, or anything else that obstructs an open stud bay. Then you cut and fit and staple and stuff into little holes. I'm complaining...it's tedious work but just about anyone can do it even an architect. At the end of day one we had insulated 130 lineal feet of the walls, about 70' remain.

David..arm wrestling the propervent - a little fuzzy, sort of how I see things now.

Windows are in

Sunday was a beautiful fall-like day and I really wanted to begin the roof insulation. I was joined by David for the entire morning and we were able to finish the vaulted ceiling area, a huge task indeed. Installing the proper-vent (a foam baffle which maintains airflow from eave to ridge) and two layers of 6" batts, one spanning parallel to the truss, the other perpendicular to it.

The remainder of the day I spent working alone, finishing the master bedroom ceiling, installing the remaining proper-vent, hanging recessed lights, blocking and another 160 lineal feet of attic insulation. I'm a bit ashamed to admit it but the climbing up and down has left me a bit sore this Monday.

We have 7 days to finish insulating the walls, install all of the blocking for the plumbing fixtures and accessories (you need a place in the wall to attach mounting screws), install the ceiling vapor barrier, and foam all of the windows.

...and sleep for a few minutes.

Night work