Home Remodel: Do, Don'ts, Advice

[Vt-Freeheel]

You'll never not mess up the stain gluing up a panel. Take the extra time to pass the stock through your planer, then finish it how you want after.

[toast2266]

Cool, thanks. That's kinda what I was figuring.

[old goat]

I think it would be hard to selectively sand and leave the stain. I think the stain would wind up being uneven. And as you probably know cherry is famous for not taking up stain evenly. So I'd take it down to bare wood.
Are you sure it's a stain and not just the wood and oil-based finish? Cherry darkens a lot in the sun. I'm a big fan of unstained, oil-based finished cherry.

[toast2266]

I think it would be hard to selectively sand and leave the stain. I think the stain would wind up being uneven. And as you probably know cherry is famous for not taking up stain evenly. So I'd take it down to bare wood.
Are you sure it's a stain and not just the wood and oil-based finish? Cherry darkens a lot in the sun. I'm a big fan of unstained, oil-based finished cherry.

I'm not 100% sure what the finish is, other than it's very glossy (which I'm not a huge fan of).

Anyways, went ahead and sent it through the planer. Not a huge deal as it's only a handful of planks. Now I have some nice fresh wood to fuss around with and probably screw up.

[Kevo]

My house has a vented crawl space. There are vents every 10 feet or so along the foundation. This allows extremely cold air into the crawl space in the winter. The central air handler/ furnace is in the crawl space, so all HVAC ducts originate in the crawl space. When the heat kicks on in the winter, the very cold air in the under floor air ducts is the first thing to get pushed out of the system. Return air also goes through ducts in the crawl space and gets cooled before being reheated in the air handler/ furnace, further reducing efficiency. The water lines also run through the crawl space. It's never cold enough to freeze those lines, but it is probably in the high 30s down there during the depths of winter.

Also of note- this house was over the recommended radon limit in pre-buy inspection. Oh, and there IS fiberglass insulation between the floor joists to insulate between the crawl space and the house.

I'd like to close off all of the crawl space vents, but my understanding is that I'd need to have some kind of vent fan if I close off the vents to move any moist air out of the crawl space and also to prevent radon from moving up into the house more than it already is.

I'm planning to do a crawl space encapsulation and radon system at the same time.

A few questions-
-Does it make sense to insulate along the inside of the foundation walls within the crawl space with foam board (or something else?) to add some additional R value before installing the radon plastic encapsulation material?
-Is a radon extractor fan enough for moisture mitigation? I had read that some people do radon fan + dehumidifier. Neighbors have told me that isn't a concern here in the intermountain west given our fairly dry climate.
-Is there a preferred method for closing off crawl space vents?
-Any rough estimates for the going rate for encapsulating a ~1500 square foot crawl space and adding a radon system? I've been trying to get some quotes, but so far have only found one company that services my area.

[I Skied Bandini Mountain]

1st question, is your furnace a high efficiency condensing type? (90% or above AFUE)

Pages 6-7 of the following link will give you some understanding of what you're looking at.

https://deq.mt.gov/files/Energy/Docu...de_Summary.pdf

A radon reduction fan (and system) will be totally different that mechanical ventilation of the crawlspace.

I always recommend encapsulation and conditioning of crawlspace areas where possible, a high efficiency furnace will give you some easier options.

[Kevo]

1st question, is your furnace a high efficiency condensing type? (90% or above AFUE)

Negative. It's actually not truly a furnace. It's an air handler with electric resistance heating.

[I Skied Bandini Mountain]

That's good news!

If it were me, I'd do the sealed vapor barrier on the dirt as part of the radon reduction system, rip out the floor insulation, close the vents, insulate the foundation wall with blanket insulation, and insulate the rim joists with 3" of spray foam. Next, cut in a supply vent into the HVAC trunk line to supply conditioned air into the crawlspace area, and install a transfer vent somewhere into the living area or a return vent into the return line of the HVAC system to maintain air circulation in the crawlspace area.

If you live in a relatively mild area where the HVAC system is not running a good portion of the year, you might instead consider installing a continuously running mechanical vent (fart fan) in the crawlspace area that's vented to the exterior, and with a transfer vent somewhere into the living space.

It sounds like a lot of work, but it's pretty straightforward when you wrap your head around it. And it's a pretty good payoff for healthy house conditions and heating/cooling efficiency.

[Kevo]

1st question, is your furnace a high efficiency condensing type? (90% or above AFUE)

Pages 6-7 of the following link will give you some understanding of what you're looking at.

https://deq.mt.gov/files/Energy/Docu...de_Summary.pdf

A radon reduction fan (and system) will be totally different that mechanical ventilation of the crawlspace.

I always recommend encapsulation and conditioning of crawlspace areas where possible, a high efficiency furnace will give you some easier options.

Thanks for the additional details!

Looks like the radon system pulls air from under the vapor barrier membrane and the mechanical venting pulls air from over the vapor barrier membrane. I think that makes sense.

I really dislike the idea of leaving the crawl space vented. Too much cold air down there and none of the plumbing system is currently insulated. The HVAC ducts might be, but they still blow cold air when the system starts up.

I guess that takes me towards the "Unvented Heated Crawlspace with Insulated Foundation Walls" setup in that doc.

[I Skied Bandini Mountain]

Yes, the radon would be reduced with just a fart fan in the crawlspace area but that's not an approved system. Sub membrane depressurization is the best way to reduce radon.

[Rideski]

I volunteer for this org and through them can get you connected to contractors in the fields you want.
https://www.newenergycolorado.com/

[Kevo]

That's good news!

If it were me, I'd do the sealed vapor barrier on the dirt as part of the radon reduction system, rip out the floor insulation, close the vents, insulate the foundation wall with blanket insulation, and insulate the rim joists with 3" of spray foam. Next, cut in a supply vent into the HVAC trunk line to supply conditioned air into the crawlspace area, and install a transfer vent somewhere into the living area or a return vent into the return line of the HVAC system to maintain air circulation in the crawlspace area.

If you live in a relatively mild area where the HVAC system is not running a good portion of the year, you might instead consider installing a continuously running mechanical vent (fart fan) in the crawlspace area that's vented to the exterior, and with a transfer vent somewhere into the living space.

It sounds like a lot of work, but it's pretty straightforward when you wrap your head around it. And it's a pretty good payoff for healthy house conditions and heating/cooling efficiency.

Wow, thanks again.

I'm not in a mild climate (Teton Valley, ID). The HVAC system doesn't run much in early or late summer, but it is pretty busy throughout the fall/ winter/ spring.

I think I'm following you, but are you saying to remove the floor insulation entirely or just near the rim joists? Couldn't I just add insulation to the rim joists and foundation wall?

I kinda worry that the HVAC system, which currently has one zone for a two story house with 2500 feet of conditioned living area including a "great room" with vaulted ceilings, will struggle to heat and cool the house + an additional 7000 cubic foot crawl space.

How worried about venting or conditioning the crawl space should I be? Could I just add insulation to the walls and rim joists and leave the floor insulation in place given our dry climate and lack of condensing furnace or is that asking for a mold issue?

[I Skied Bandini Mountain]

You're only cutting one vent into the HVAC trunk line, one 4 x 12 register is usually sufficient. Most furnace systems will handle that with no problem.

Removing the floor insulation could be optional, usually I see it when it's falling down and all ratty in condition.

Adding conditioned air to the crawlspace is more about getting air circulating to control moisture and keep things from freezing. Being partially under ground, and insulated, encapsulated crawlspaces do a pretty good job of holding heat.

[Kevo]

I volunteer for this org and through them can get you connected to contractors in the fields you want.
https://www.newenergycolorado.com/

Thanks! Do you happen to know any contractors in the Jackson, WY or Driggs, ID area?

You're only cutting one vent into the HVAC trunk line, one 4 x 12 register is usually sufficient. Most furnace systems will handle that with no problem.

Removing the floor insulation could be optional, usually I see it when it's falling down and all ratty in condition.

Adding conditioned air to the crawlspace is more about getting air circulating to control moisture and keep things from freezing. Being partially under ground, and insulated, encapsulated crawlspaces do a pretty good job of holding heat.

Thanks again. All of your info has been incredibly helpful. The floor insulation is in good shape.

I don't think adding a single 4x12 vent is gonna break anything. Can you define "transfer vent"? Is that just a simple passthrough vent between the living area and the crawl space to allow return air?

If that is the case, I might just go with the return air vent in the crawl space to avoid having to drill through my wood floor.

Lastly, how important is spray foam on rim joists if the floor insulation stays? Is that a very integral part of the system?

[sirbumpsalot]

My house has a vented crawl space. There are vents every 10 feet or so along the foundation. This allows extremely cold air into the crawl space in the winter. The central air handler/ furnace is in the crawl space, so all HVAC ducts originate in the crawl space. When the heat kicks on in the winter, the very cold air in the under floor air ducts is the first thing to get pushed out of the system. Return air also goes through ducts in the crawl space and gets cooled before being reheated in the air handler/ furnace, further reducing efficiency. The water lines also run through the crawl space. It's never cold enough to freeze those lines, but it is probably in the high 30s down there during the depths of winter.

Also of note- this house was over the recommended radon limit in pre-buy inspection. Oh, and there IS fiberglass insulation between the floor joists to insulate between the crawl space and the house.

I'd like to close off all of the crawl space vents, but my understanding is that I'd need to have some kind of vent fan if I close off the vents to move any moist air out of the crawl space and also to prevent radon from moving up into the house more than it already is.

I'm planning to do a crawl space encapsulation and radon system at the same time.

A few questions-
-Does it make sense to insulate along the inside of the foundation walls within the crawl space with foam board (or something else?) to add some additional R value before installing the radon plastic encapsulation material?
-Is a radon extractor fan enough for moisture mitigation? I had read that some people do radon fan + dehumidifier. Neighbors have told me that isn't a concern here in the intermountain west given our fairly dry climate.
-Is there a preferred method for closing off crawl space vents?
-Any rough estimates for the going rate for encapsulating a ~1500 square foot crawl space and adding a radon system? I've been trying to get some quotes, but so far have only found one company that services my area.

Many factors can inflate a quote....but my neighbor encapsulated his crawl space...4000 sqft 2-story house so guess crawl space to be 2000 sqft-ish. $30,000 including installation of a dehumidifier system.

Admits he will never get that money back when he sells nor was it cost effective as to just turning up the heat in winter...but he had money burning a hole in his pocket and well...

[ticketchecker]

Here’s how those floating shelves turned out.




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[I Skied Bandini Mountain]

Can you define "transfer vent"? Is that just a simple passthrough vent between the living area and the crawl space to allow return air?



Lastly, how important is spray foam on rim joists if the floor insulation stays? Is that a very integral part of the system?

The transfer vent is exactly how you described. It's a path for the supplied air from the vent you cut into the trunk line to find the return vent in the living area.

Insulating the rim joist depends on the quality of floor insulation, without seeing it I can't hazard a guess. I like spray foam on the rim joists because it acts as it's own vapor barrier, is good insulation, and literally glues everything together. You can buy those two part kits at lowes or home cheepo sized for how many lineal feet of rim you have to insulate if you go that route.

[Kevo]

The transfer vent is exactly how you described. It's a path for the supplied air from the vent you cut into the trunk line to find the return vent in the living area.

Insulating the rim joist depends on the quality of floor insulation, without seeing it I can't hazard a guess. I like spray foam on the rim joists because it acts as it's own vapor barrier, is good insulation, and literally glues everything together. You can buy those two part kits at lowes or home cheepo sized for how many lineal feet of rim you have to insulate if you go that route.

Thanks again. Your info has been extremely helpful.

Many factors can inflate a quote....but my neighbor encapsulated his crawl space...4000 sqft 2-story house so guess crawl space to be 2000 sqft-ish. $30,000 including installation of a dehumidifier system.

Admits he will never get that money back when he sells nor was it cost effective as to just turning up the heat in winter...but he had money burning a hole in his pocket and well...

That sounds absolutely insane. Some neighbors have told me that they got radon fan + vapor barrier installed for less than $2k. Adding a some insulation + a register off the HVAC trunk line, etc...no idea how it gets that expensive.

But...I did have my house hand stained for $5.5k and someone else on TGR was quoted like $20k or $30k for a similar sized house so IDK.

[I Skied Bandini Mountain]

Encapsulation when it's a wet mess can get expensive real fast. Personally I think it's worth it, I've seen these guys make moldy mud bogs under houses into virtual cleanrooms.

Installing a radon system is pretty straightforward and usually a day job, under $2,000 is pretty normal. Insulation of foundation walls is pretty straightforward, too. When you're adding dewatering systems and dehumidifiers along with cleaning up a mess, yeah that can get pretty pricey.

[sirbumpsalot]

Thanks again. Your info has been extremely helpful.



That sounds absolutely insane. Some neighbors have told me that they got radon fan + vapor barrier installed for less than $2k. Adding a some insulation + a register off the HVAC trunk line, etc...no idea how it gets that expensive.

But...I did have my house hand stained for $5.5k and someone else on TGR was quoted like $20k or $30k for a similar sized house so IDK.

He also had his master Bath remodeled for $120K which I equally raised an eyebrow to....easily 2x what it should have been....so maybe an honest contractor would charge $15K for that same Encapsulation.

I do believe his whole situation arose from mold issues.

[Rideski]

Thanks! Do you happen to know any contractors in the Jackson, WY or Driggs, ID area?

Oh, thought you were still in CO. "Moving on" I see. I'll check into that and let you know in a day or three.

[Kevo]

He also had his master Bath remodeled for $120K which I equally raised an eyebrow to....easily 2x what it should have been....so maybe an honest contractor would charge $15K for that same Encapsulation.

I do believe his whole situation arose from mold issues.

Damn. Guy sounds like he was spending someone else's money. I have a neighbor who is constantly redoing stuff in his house. 2 HVAC systems in 3 years, new roof just because, new windows just because, remodel of the entire house, custom built furniture to fit the space, change to propane heat from electric just because, etc, etc. It's all from his wife's trust fund. Ha.

Encapsulation when it's a wet mess can get expensive real fast. Personally I think it's worth it, I've seen these guys make moldy mud bogs under houses into virtual cleanrooms.

Installing a radon system is pretty straightforward and usually a day job, under $2,000 is pretty normal. Insulation of foundation walls is pretty straightforward, too. When you're adding dewatering systems and dehumidifiers along with cleaning up a mess, yeah that can get pretty pricey.

Gotcha. I suppose the good news is that the crawl space is in excellent condition. It has no moisture issues and the bottom is filled with some kind of smooth gravel instead of dirt.

Oh, thought you were still in CO. "Moving on" I see. I'll check into that and let you know in a day or three.

Thanks! I moved up here two years ago.

[Thaleia]

Re: all the higher end toilet talk some pages ago - what's the difference / benefit to a spendy john from a plumbing supply store vs a cheaper one from a big box hardware store?

I have an ancient toilet that I need to pull and reseal, and am considering just getting a new one in the process. I'm assuming newer will use less water - anything else for someone who's always had budget toilets to consider?

[nickwm21]

When you spend more you can get:
- Nicer porcelain, looks better, cleans better
- Better seat, larger seat, higher, comfy, soft close
- Nicer flush valve, more metal, lasts longer, sucks down larger turds, more satisfying lever pull


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[tgapp]

Save your money on the toilet and get a fancy bidet instead. World's better investment.

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