more thermal imaging - basement and walls

SuperJETT

I'm doing some more thermal imaging of our house this weekend since it's 30F outside.

The first 3 shots are from the basement showing the difference in temperature of the walls---1/2 is above grade, 1/2 below.

The last 3 are showing blown-in insulation in the walls. you can see how some of it has settled and two stud spacings don't have any at all it appears. I'm just happy to see that we have some.

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SuperJETT

Here's a gratuitous shot of the furnace running. It's a 92% vented out the rim joist with intake in the basement.

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Fix'n it

did you buy or rent that ? i am looking to rent one = not around here

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SuperJETT

It's from work.

concretemasonry

As long as you rent a thermal imaging piece, you have to realize the it takes knowledge and experience to see what you are seeing.

When it comes to radiant heat (not real heat loss) the snapshots are just indicators and depend on the time of the day and exterior condition. Two simple examples are a heavy masonry wall that has been in the sun for many hours, but radiates heat in the evening when the "air" temperatures go down or just the common windows the radiates heat outward (no matter what kind of gas is in between the panes), but the loss can be much lower even if something a flimsy as a cotton sheet is hung to prevent the "back body" radiation to the universe.

The thermal imaging equipment can be a great toy, but it takes some time and knowledge to understand the results.

Dick

SuperJETT

True, it's just a very expensive pretty picture maker without some knowledge of what's going on.

What I've learned so far on our new house (110+ years old) after the thermal imaging:
*we do have blown in insulation in the walls but it's settled quite a bit over the years
*not all stud spacings were filled
*we have a substantial amount of cold airflow coming up from the basement and the add-on sunroom in back
*I need to finish sealing the new window I installed in the first floor bath
*we had two 6" holes in a main hvac trunkline downstairs
*1/2 of our basement is above grade and not insulated and will be a huge project to address
*GFCI outlets keep themselves warm

SuperJETT

Today I climbed up in the front attic section that has minimal blown-in insulation to image it plus went down and did some detailed 'before' pics of the rim joist areas before I start foaming next week.

It is 32F outside right now.

When I lifted the access cover and started climbing up, I had a serious breeze blowing upward. Maybe one of these days, after a lot of work, it won't be that bad...

Attic pics:
#1 - thin insulation
#2 - thin insulation
#3 - overall view looking across attic, one spacing is really bad
#4 - 2 hot spots where romex/bx cables come up
#5 - where a chimney used to be, just bare wood
#6 - where the rear attic section hooks into the front

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SuperJETT

Rim joist pics. Some areas are filled in with brick, others aren't. We have a large front porch that covers most of the front of house so that area is good and there is an old side porch covering one section as well.

#1 - rim joist and upper basement wall that is above grade
#2 - sections filled with brick but still air leaks
#3 - section is 1/2 filled with brick
#4 - section of basement wall far away under master bedroom, didn't feel like climbing up and crawling over there
#5 - another section partially filled with brick
#6 - nice and cold there

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Windows on Wash

They are useful tools but with the exception of the dropped and missing insulation in the walls, there is nothing there that you didn't know already.

Stop playing with your camera and get to spraying, sealing, and insulating....

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SuperJETT

Haha, my foam gun is here but not the foam cartridges.

Toys are fun, especially toys that make colorful pictures.

SuperJETT

Visual pics of the attic

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Windows on Wash

Vermiculite.

Be careful up there. That can be a real health hazard.

Make sure all those junction boxes are covered up really well and not exposed.

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SuperJETT

It's blown in yellow fiberglass, not vermiculite.

Fix'n it

my brother says he knows someone who may have one. he is going to check.

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i didn't make this world. i just live in it.
be careful of whom you make fun of. one day, that could be you...

Gary in WA

For those reading without the gun; http://www.finehomebuilding.com/PDF/Free/021105092.pdf

Help identifying; http://www.inspectapedia.com/sickhou...estoslookC.htm I'd remove/dispose of the old f.g., easier to air seal and it would contribute to air raceways (due to firmness between chunks and irregular elevations) unless using cellulose over it all...

I'd staple the wires at the closest joist to the boxes rather than trip later and pull a wire loose as they are all missing the entrance clamps. At the access: "E3802.2.1 Across structural members. Where run across the top of floor joists, or run within 7 feet (2134 mm) of floor or floor joists across the face of rafters or studding, in attics and roof spaces that are provided with access, the cable shall be protected by substantial guard strips that are at least as high as the cable. Where such spaces are not provided with access by permanent stairs or ladders, protection shall only be required within 6 feet (1829 mm) of the nearest edge of the attic entrance." From: http://publicecodes.cyberregs.com/ic..._38_par007.htm

Gary

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